Books: How-to Cruise

[Norm]

Greetings all:
I am looking to the collected wisdom of Team Sailfar while creating a "reading list" for the cruising pages of the Boston Sailing Center.  Graduates and cruising members often ask for recommended reading.  Until this week, I'd never had an organized list.

May I run a few ideas past you all and ask for input?

The Must Have list is Colregs, Tide Tables, Chart One, etc.  Those are allready aboard my boat and used every day.  My list starts with the Must Haves that aren't quite so obvious.

Top of the list:
Cruising, the Basics by Zora and David Aiken
Advanced Bluewater Cruising by Hal Sutphen

Those books address the mechanics of cruising well.  Much of the success of a cruise is attitude.  I found two books by women geared towards women.  Outstanding and applicable to any cruisers who are not sailing alone.  The authors talk about the human side of cruising and voyaging in ways the guys don't.

It's your Boat, Too by Suzanne Geismann
Changing Course by Debra Ann Cantrell

If this topic is interesting, I'll figure out how to post the whole list and take comments/additions.  Blog? 

For the time being:  Is there another book that you recommend for someone who is just beginning the cruising adventure? 

For a separate page/topic thread:  I have an idea... if this topic turns out to be a fun one for a cold winter.... that I will solicit information about books by people who went cruising.  You know, Liza Copeland, Charles Dewell, plus all the obvious:  Pardey, Roth, Hiscock, etc.  A book club?  Read and discuss?

Notes:  The vast majority of our students learned sailing aboard small daysailors such as Solings and J24s.  Their cruising step is aboard a C&C 38 mk 3, Melissa, and cruises of three to five days.  Following that, many join the club as a member sailing 30 footers and taking short cruises.  Some stay with BSC to sail 35 and 40 footers, race, or daysail the small boats.  Few buy or have a boat of their own.  Most would like to join the cruising family but see hurdles not paths.

A lot of my job is showing the paths to more sailing and cruising.

Thanks in advance,
Norman Martin
Boston
and... if anyone cares... it is way, way too cold today, .  Give me those Caribbean temps...

[Captain Smollett]

Norm, one thing you wrote really jumped out at me:

Most would like to join the cruising family but see hurdles not paths.

A lot of my job is showing the paths to more sailing and cruising.

For this, I would recommend Neal Peterson's book Journey of a Hope Merchant.  Neal's catch phrase is "there are no barriers, only solutions."

His book is ostensibly more about racing than cruising, but under the surface it is actually more about a life attitude.  If your new club members are seeing hurdles rather than paths, this type of book might not be a bad read (it is a quick, easy read, too; I think I finished it in 2-3 days).

I wonder how many of those 'hurdles' are real vs. artificial or simply perceived.  I know when I first got into sailing, I saw a lot of hurdles, too, but quickly learned they are largely put in place by blow-hards - the kind that say you MUST have a 45 ft boat, running hot water, spend $60,000 per year on upkeep of all your 'systems,' as well as be an 'expert' in diesel repair, electronic repair, fiberglass repair and anchoring is hard, marinas are expensive, etc, etc.

Of course, you know the answer this better than I do.  Cruising is, as you stated, an attitude, not an equipment list.  You can anchor a J-24 and tent-camp on a secluded beach, for example.  If that secluded beach is where you want to go, go.  The rest is fluff. 

Finally, I would suggest that your new-to-cruising folks check out this site if they are at all intenet inclined.  Prior to last year, I was mostly a day-sailor on an inland lake; I wanted to cruise, but thought it was out of reach.  I've learned SO MUCH in the past year, just from interacting with folks who don't buy into the "it must be costly to be right" mindset.  I've learned a lot about seaworthy boat design, a lot about provisioning strategies and most importantly, that my view of how to go about getting "there" was not isolated.  There's safety in numbers, and all that.  Anyway, I'm sure the folks here would be happy to welcome more 'new-comers' to the fold, and it might help them to see that there is, indeed, a community in place that helps break down those hurdles.

BTW, Thanks again, everybody, for ALL the contributions!!!  I'll continue to be a sponge; hope that's okay.   ;)

[David_Old_Jersey]

Great idea you have!

Although not IMO great writing, I would recomend "Maiden Voyage" by Tania Aebi the account of her 2-1/2 year solo sail around the world aboard her Contessa 26 "Varuna" when she was a Teenager.

Not to get folk to aim for a circumnavigation, but to show that these things can be done on a boat that is relatively affordable (albeit IMO Contessa's are a bit pricey) and without the "essentials" of Aircon, a Freezer and a TV!

Although I think now out of print, I did enjoy Shane Actons "Shrimpy", 18 foot plywood Caprice around the world back in the 1970's.

I would also suggest that maybe getting some books on Boat Building / design - I found reading the Magazine Articles about Wharram Catamarans back in the 1970's great, fuelled a few dreams when I was a youngster about building something simple and heading off into the YBW!..........plus equipping and provisioning "my" dream cruiser - all before the Internet!!

Of course not to say that all dreams have to involve oceans and long trips - IMO voyages closer to home can be equally rewarding, no matter whether it is a vessel equipped with only a tent. Skills learnt / used on any vessel are 1 million % better than any amount of reading about these skills no matter what size of vessel. Being in command of anything IS a massive and worthwhile step for anyone to take.........Nelson would have started the same way!

[Frank]

There's a west coast Canadian fellow that built a 'Caprice 18ft' 35+yrs back and cruises the west coast from Vancouver Isl up north. He has written 2 books...great lil reads for a small boat lover.Name is Philip Teece...books are 'Shimmer on the horizon' and 'I can't remember'...both good small boat reads ! PS..The Caprice seems to be a FINE lil boat !! Philip built his with twin keels.

[Lynx]

Name: Boy Me And The Cat
Author: Henry M. Plummer

Classic tale of going down the ICW in the 20's on a small boat.

[CharlieJ]

The book that lit my cruising fires. I highly recommended it to CaptK, he searched and found it and now it's a fixture aboard Katie Marie-

Princess, New York By Joe Richards.

Long out of print- you'll have to search it out.  Story of a guy who buys a Friendship sloop up north, pre WWII, and his travels down the east coast ICW and places where there was no ICW.

Fascinating, well written book. Joe kept Princess until he died in the late 80s. He lived in Florida at the time.

[Norm]

Greetings all:
I must look up the Boy Me and The Cat.  It has been a long time since I saw it.  Thanks for the Princess tip.

My mother, now retired from sailing and cruising, cruised the ICW with her parents in the late 20s and all of the 30s.  It was a great time to be a cruising family.  In the 60s when she and my dad cruised us four kids, she pointed out places she played as a little girl.  Sometimes we would run into an old timer who would sort of remember her father... a VERY colorful fellow.

Back to topic:  I am working up a section for the reading lists with books on the cruising lifestyle.  The suggestions are appreciated.  Thanks.

Best regards, Norman
btw;  both M&D alive and well, just not sailing.  They drive down to the ICW at Palm Coast and watch the traffic some days.

[Lynx]

The Boy Me and The Cat can be bought at BlueWater Books.

[David_Old_Jersey]

The folks on YBW.com already have a well developed list.......

http://www.ybw.com/forums/postlist.php/Cat/0/Board/bookclub

[AdriftAtSea]

One book that I saw in the bookstore and browsed through a bit that I think would be of interest to the sailfar crew is Reese Palley's "There Be No Dragons".  Although he sailed in a 46' boat, the book is fairly applicable to most sailors.

[Frank]

And for us grey haired guys...Reece's 'call of the ancient mariner' is a funny and practical read.He is in his 80's now and the book talks os sailing while getting 'old'. In it he speaks of sailing nude...not a visual I wanted if you saw a pic of him ..and...the easiest way to sail into old age is have a young wife! He has been married over 20yrs now and his wife is 30yrs younger!!!

[s/v Faith]

 
Links to books mentioned in this thread.

  You can view reviews of the books listed in this thread, and purchase them by clicking the links below*. 

Reese Palley's "There Be No Dragons".

Reece's 'call of the ancient mariner'

Henry Plumbers; The Boy Me and The Cat

Philip Teece; 'Shimmer on the horizon'

Tania Aebi's 'Maiden Voyage'

Neal Peterson's Journey of a Hope Merchant

It's your Boat, Too by Suzanne Geismann

Changing Course by Debra Ann Cantrell

Cruising, the Basics by Zora and David Aiken

Advanced Bluewater Cruising by Hal Sutphen

_{* Sailfar recieves a small % to help pay for the site.}

[Darstran]

Has anyone read Don Casey's "Sensible Cruising : The Thoreau Approach" ?

I have it currently on order from Amazon.

I hope it's a good one -- I am buying it blind, but it seems to fit into to what I think a good cruising philosphy might be.

[Zen]

A great book , several of the members here have copies. I have three ( long story)
2 of which will go to ebay once I get around to it.

[BobW]

Zen -

Can I reserve one of those extra copies of Sensible Cruising: The Thoreau Approach?  Save you the trouble of having to peddle it. :-)  Let me know what you want for it.

Thanks.

[CharlieJ]

Can I make that two? I'd sure be interested in the other spare copy. Maybe we can just pass 'em around  ;D

[AdriftAtSea]

Zen-

I sent you an e-mail earlier today regarding one of those books. :D

[Auspicious]

I would add "Dragged Aboard" also by Casey (I think) to the list.  Great book.

[BobW]

Thanks, Zen.  The book arrived yesterday.  Just glancing through it tells me this book is a valuable addition to the library.  I started reading it on the ride into work this morning and find it a good, enjoyable read.  This book expresses the Sail Far philosophy very well.

Thanks again.