"An invaluable resource. [Vigor's] practical wisdom gives you the know-how and confidence to prepare your boat for the sea."--Cruising World. Here is the book that answer the sailor's fundamental question--"Can my boat take me offshore safely?"--then shows how to make it happen.

“Vigor is one of the finest boating writers of our time.”--Cruising World“You name it, it’s in here. Covers every boating situation. This book is both informative and entertaining.”--Latitudes & Attitudes“John Vigor is the answer guy if you’re having onboard arguments about nautical terminology or the science of sailing in general, and his new book lives up to the promise in its title.”--Good Old BoatWhether it’s boat main...

Aimed at sailboat owners of all kinds, this reference book contains 200 entries packed with solid practical advice and valuable tips. Each entry is categorized alphabetically and prefaced by an arresting statement such as "People always lie about how fast their boats are." The reference format offers readers the opportunity to open the book at any page and browse endlessly. Cartoons by SAIL Magazine cartoonist Tom Payne enliven the text. A comprehensive appendix covers some 50 technical to...

John Vigor knows a thing or two about sailing. He’s been at it for decades in sailboats of all kinds—racing (he’s a national champion), cruising (he has tens of thousands of miles of blue-water crossings), and generally messing about (there is no place he’d rather be).John Vigor knows a thing or two about writing as well. A journalist by trade, he was a reporter, columnist, and editor, and he’s written more than a few best-selling books about sailing.Things I Wish I’d Known...

The only rules-of-thumb compendium for boaters, updated with 45 new entries to delight, entertain, and most importantly, inform. These are tried and tested rules of thumb--the distilled essence of centuries of seafaring experience--providing succinct answers to the questions most-asked by boaters."The perfect, practical gift to give or receive." -- The Ensign"...reads like a lively conversation with a friendly, seasoned pro." -- Lakeland Boating

Here's what reviewers have said about this book:This book is full of well-illustrated ideas to make your boat safer and more comfortable. All of the projects are easy and economical to perform most with common items available at any hardware store. This is a great read for novices as well as seasoned sailors and particularly for those with smaller boats and weekend cruisers.. . .Downloaded the book before I went sailing.........big mistake! All I wanted to do was get b...

This book won the Dan Poynter 2011 First-place GOLD Global eBook Award in the Non-Fiction/Sports categorySome time ago, Gene Grossman signed on as a crew-member with some friends of his who were delivering a large sailboat with no navigation electronics from Marina del Rey California, through the Panama Canal, to a charter company's tropical island location.On the evening of departure, Gene asked the young skipper (Ron) which crew-member was going to be acting as navigator....

Have you ever watched a sailboat slip from its dock and cruise out to sea? Have you wanted to go along? "Go to Sea" gives you all the reasons to climb aboard a sailing adventure with your family. With plenty of links to cruising resources, web pages, and equipment information, Go to Sea is a must have for every new sailor wanting to cruise.

DON'T HOLD BACK is a must read for all who hear the call of adventure. Tears, terrors, joy and laughter entertains the reader as he follows John around the world on his boat, Moondancer. After years as a ski bum and white water kayaker in the Rocky Mountains, John undertakes his greatest challenge of all, the Worlds Oceans. He quits his job, buys a boat and begins living the Dream entertained by many of us. An amazing man of action who enjoys life to the fullest while experiencing the wond...

"Secrets' is the modern Bowditch, written so clearly that navigation and seamanship will be comprehensible to anyone . . ."-- Dave and Jaja Martin, circumnavigators and authors of Into the Light: A Family's Epic Journey"It's a great book. The prose is simple and clear . . ."--John Vigor, author of The Seaworthy Offshore Sailboat"The nautical tips and techniques presented are encyclopedic, ye...

Tells of a sailing journey from San Diego to Australia in a 40 foot sailing boat. Covers Mexico, French Polynesia, Cook Islands, Tonga and Fiji. Also has a chapter on various events "that were too much fun," for the crew. Includes useful detail on various formalities required in the respective ports of call. Chapters on each of the destinations mentioned above and a final chapter on comical (in hindsight) misadventures the crew experienced. Features a fun and farcical quiz to test a reader...

Transform basic sailing skills into true masteryNo other sport is as complex or as gear- and technique-intensive as sailing. The details and nuances are vast, but beneath the surface are 22 elements, or core areas of knowledge. By understanding these principles you can attain true mastery: tie any knot, shape any sail, take the helm of any boat, no matter how large or unfamiliar.