A world champion catamaran racer and one of the bestselling writers of catamaran sailing has created a book that is bound to be a valuable guide to catamaran racers for a very long time. This complete course to catamaran racing is made easy-to-understand by clarity of explanation and countless drawings and photographs.

A well-rounded guide covering the techniques and skills needed to succeed in catamaran sailing, for those starting out through to those striving for championship wins. Whether you are a youngster choosing your first cat, a club sailor looking to improve your results, or a seasoned racer embarking on a higher performance model, expert advice from Tom & Brian Phipps will take your catamaran sailing to the next level. Beginning with key theory and seamanship skills, the Phipps take you through your early sailing experiences and caring for your catamaran. Developing your skills on all points of sailing, you will be introduced to trapezing, race tuning and racing itself. As your confidence grows you move onto advanced techniques and high performance catamarans. The final section gives you a glimpse of the cutting edge of catamaran sailing with foiling platforms and solid wings. 30 focussed chapters are packed with over 350 photographs showing you exactly how it's done, with diagrams illustrating key boat parts, the various points of sailing and complex on-the-water scenarios with clarity. Whatever your background, your current level or the extent of your ambition, this book gives you all the tools you need to get out on the water and improve your catamaran sailing.

The modern cruising catamaran has arrived The arguments are over and the verdict is in--cruising catamarans comprise a rapidly growing percentage of the cruising fleet worldwide. Their advantages of space, stability, speed, and handling under power are truly compelling, and modern cats are every bit as reliable as monohulls. This long overdue, in-depth guide will help you choose and cruise the right catamaran for your needs. “An authoritative guide for novices and experienced sailors; the best book written on the subjects since the early 1990s.”--“Trimaran” Jim Brown, renowned multihull designer “In Catamarans, Gregor Tarjan shares his enthusiasm for yachts with two hulls, based on years of sailing all types. An excellent introduction.”--Dick Newick, legendary catamaran and trimaran designer “If you are contemplating spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on a cruising catamaran, the small price of this book is probably the best investment you could possibly start with.”--from the Foreword by Charles K. Chiodi, publisher of Multihulls Magazine

The Comprehensive Sailing Start-Up Resource Can a keelboat tip over? Can I take a centerboard boat onto open water? How can I determine what boat I want? Once I do, what’s a fair price to pay for it? Should I buy it new or used? How can I tell the difference between a used boat and one that’s used up? Now that I have it, how can I start sailing quickly and safely? Your First Sailboat is the first book to answer all your questions about selecting, buying, maintaining, and using your first boat. This user-friendly guide covers issues that other books ignore, including how to choose between a trailer sailer, daysailer, raceboat, cruiser, or multihull; what hull material is best for your first boat; whether to buy new or used; where to shop; how to judge quality and condition; where to keep your new boat; and what to do about gear, loans, insurance, and annual maintenance. Special features of this all-in-one handbook include: A descriptive buying guide to 75 recommended sailboats of all types and sizes, from daysailers to racers, cruisers, and multihulls A decision tree to guide you to your ideal starter boat Complete instructions on how to care for and sail your boat as well as how to acquire it Straightforward and fun, Your First Sailboat gives you just what you need to stop asking questions and start sailing. Everything else is optional. Save time. Save money. This book omits everything you don’t need to know.

Everything you need to race your way up through the fleet If you sail--even a little--you’ve probably thought about trying your hand at racing. Now you can stop thinking and do it. Getting Started in Sailboat Racing makes this endlessly fascinating lifetime sport accessible to anyone who wants to give it a try, whether you own a sailboat, are hoping to crew, or spectating from a nearby perch. This complete course in racing fundamentals breaks the racing experience down into bite-size pieces, making the process easier to understand and reflecting the leg-by-leg nature of a typical race. With scores of helpful illustrations, this user-friendly manual takes you around the buoys, explaining new rule changes and tactics that apply to each part of the race. You'll learn how to: Execute quick, competitive starts Maximize speed and efficiency on the windward leg Maneuver for position around the windward mark Take full advantage of downwind and reaching legs Handle the spinnaker (even when asymmetrical), and beat the crowd at the jibe and leeward marks Eke out every last bit of speed as you sprint to the finish There are few things in this world more satisfying than racing a sailboat. Get in on the action and find out what you've been missing. All you need is a competitive spirit and a little help from Getting Started in Sailboat Racing. "Cort and Stearns deftly break down racing, from start to finish, into basic elements, making the sport more accessible by giving the novice a strong understanding of the fundamentals . . . this book should be required reading for anyone wanting to get out on the course. The book goes into enough detail on tactics and sail trim to make the average sailor not only comfortable on the racecourse, but competitive, as well." -- SAILING "With Cort and Stearns' enthusiasm for the topic and straightforward advice, it's hard not to read this book without picturing yourself rounding the buoys just ahead of the rest of the fleet." -- Soundings

Learn about cruising catamaran virtues and vices. Read more historical information and actual facts and figures about production cruising catamarans and the industry that produces them. Peruse little publicized characteristics that inhibit the potential performance of these boats. Cruising in Catamarans provides a blueprint for realistic expectations and contains charts, diagrams and a unique methodology for assessing various boats. Learn the techniques of cruising catamaran sailing and handling. Learn when to reef, how to judge leeway; how to anchor light displacement boats including the techniques of bridling, how to take powerboat wakes, how to handle twin-screw cats. Learn about what characteristics are best for safe pleasant voyaging and which ones to shun like the plague.