Best sailing book(s)

Dec 24, 2017
139
O’day 27 Oklahoma City
Sailing for Dummies, an easy read, informative, and covers a lot of topics without getting too technical. A great primer. Once you get the vocabulary down, the other publications mentioned above will make more sense. Also, as you have probably discovered, this forum is a treasure trove of information.
Yes. And the people are the nicest I’ve ever met on any forum I’ve ever been on. Thank you all so much!
 

jssailem

SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
Oct 22, 2014
22,744
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
Whatsit
Book selection is a matter of tastes and interests. As in your query "books smack you in the face entertainment".
Sailing interests are varied often to the location of types of sailing available to the sailor. You are land locked. So are your interests racing, day sailing, overnight camping on a boat? Or is this a precursor to an Ocean adventure, where navigational skills, island hopping or storm survival may be needed?
 
Dec 24, 2017
139
O’day 27 Oklahoma City
Whatsit
Book selection is a matter of tastes and interests. As in your query "books smack you in the face entertainment".
Sailing interests are varied often to the location of types of sailing available to the sailor. You are land locked. So are your interests racing, day sailing, overnight camping on a boat? Or is this a precursor to an Ocean adventure, where navigational skills, island hopping or storm survival may be needed?
The “smack you in the face entertainment” is if it’s fictional only. I’m wanting a book on sailing, taking care of an old sailboat the ins and outs etc. but the fictional Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey-Maturin series sounds excellent so am looking for to that too. Sorry if I’ve caused any confusion
Mike
 
Jan 2, 2017
765
O'Day & Islander 322 & 37 Scottsdale, AZ & Owls Head, ME
Amazon list is great idea. How do we make it happen?
 
Jun 8, 2004
2,925
Catalina 320 Dana Point
Well, if you like fiction CS Forester and his Hornblower series was and earlier work, 20 some volumes, also of interest may be the books of Julian Stockwin and Dudley Pope all very similar in type.
However, my favorite is by Captain Fredrick Marryat who was actually at Trafalgar and wrote the classic "Mr. Midshipman Easy" in 1836. Marryat wrote many books about the sea, most in public domain or available for .99 at Amazon. Here is a link to Project Gutenberg copy and a bunch of other works by Marryat.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_Marryat
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mr_Midshipman_Easy
http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/6629
http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/627
 

jssailem

SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
Oct 22, 2014
22,744
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
A book I enjoyed:
Tranquility: A Memoir of an American Sailor. Tranquility is the true tale of an impulsive young man who sets sail on a three week voyage in an old wooden boat.
Helped that it happened here in the Pacific NW.
Another is "Passage to Juneau: A Sea and Its Meanings"
The Don Casey book "This Old Boat, Second Edition:" sits on my night stand.
 

MitchM

.
Jan 20, 2005
1,031
Nauticat 321 pilothouse 32 Erie PA
check out any of John Kretschmer's books, which show many practical aspects of long distance cruising. and for tech people, 'total loss:' a british yachting organizations' compendium of people's stupid boating mistakes (from which i learned a great deal ) ( on the theory better to read about it than experience it yourself...)
 
Jan 11, 2014
12,693
Sabre 362 113 Fair Haven, NY
Amazon list is great idea. How do we make it happen?
A shameless self-promotion.

Take a look at NauticalReads.com. A few years ago I was looking for books to read that were nautically themed, some were novels, some maintenance and repair, some historical, and so on. I couldn't find a decent source or compilation, so I started one. Initially, I read and wrote reviews and then included a link to the book on Amazon. About a year after I launched the site, life got complicated and I let it go, but kept the domain name.

This summer, I launched the site again. My reviews are no longer included, however, the main Amazon review is included with a link to Amazon if a reader wants to purchase the book.

There is a link to send in suggestions for other books and visitors can post reviews of any listed book. (Reviews are not automatically posted, too many spammers to allow that.)

Books purchased through NauticalReads.com do generate a small commission that helps to offset expenses. I don't plan on getting rich from this site, just pay the expenses; hosting fees, software, domain name, etc. It also keeps me off the streets on days like today with -20*F wind chill and drifting snow.

If there is interest, I will build in more features, such as membership profiles, discussion boards, a newsletter, etc. I'll judge interest by book suggestions, reviews, purchases, and suggestions from visitors.

Thanks for your support.
 
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Jan 2, 2017
765
O'Day & Islander 322 & 37 Scottsdale, AZ & Owls Head, ME
Thanks Dave.
Link in text doesn’t work; link in signature does.
 
Jun 8, 2004
2,925
Catalina 320 Dana Point
Gee, I tried the link but it just says example.com domain name is available !!!! Just Kidding :biggrin:
 
Jan 2, 2017
765
O'Day & Islander 322 & 37 Scottsdale, AZ & Owls Head, ME
Mr Midshipman Easy is available for free download on iBooks.
 

vetch

.
Dec 3, 2011
111
Prout Manta 38 St. Augustine
Mr Midshipman Easy is good. Not straight seamanship though lots of social commentary. His book "The Privateer" is a good read as well.

I will also recommend the Patrick O'Brien books.

For technical manuals I would recommend "Good old Boat" yeah it's pricey ($40 for 6 issues) but it is packed full of good stuff. A book I would recommend that hasn't been mentioned is "The 12 Volt bible for Boats", by Miner K. Brotherton. Lots of good info on electrical systems.
 
Dec 24, 2017
139
O’day 27 Oklahoma City
Thanks all. I was at West Marine yesterday and picked up a copy of good old boat. Seems really good. Thanks again
 
Sep 23, 2009
1,475
O'Day 34-At Last Rock Hall, Md
If I were to only read one boating magazine it would be Good Old Boat. ...unless they bring back Rudder.
 
Dec 24, 2017
139
O’day 27 Oklahoma City
I have an extra January February this old boat if anyone would like. I’ll mail it on my dime. PM me if you’d like it
Thanks
Mike