Showing posts with label sailing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sailing. Show all posts

How to Build a Tin Canoe: Confessions of an Old Salt Review

How to Build a Tin Canoe: Confessions of an Old Salt
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Robb White's descriptions of growing up along the Florida Panhandle sets the stage for one of the funniest, most entertaining books I have read in years. Beginning with a gang of kids, toddlers in diapers to gawky teenagers, who wandered shallow bays and sandy beaches from dawn to dark, White moves on to his Navy years in Puerto Rico, where he spent his off hours (and there were a lot of off them) watching local boat builders, and finally beginning his own boat building business. Stateside, he followed the boat-building trade as best he could, struggling to earn a bare living, with long periods of cash-money work such as crewing aboard tugboats which pushed oil-laden barges around the Gulf Coast and up tiny tidal waterways. I practically rolled on the floor laughing at his accounts of life aboard the tugs, which included ritual trading of tattered "porn" magazines and a crewmate who literally "gutted" an annoying tug captain. Interspersed through lively, often hysterical, accounts of his travels and travails, are delightful chapters about small boats and boating: jury rigging ancient outboard motors, building classic fishing skiffs and featherweight sailing canoes, capturing and cooking the sealife of the Gulf. I couldn't put the "Tin Canoe" down, read it through without stopping and loved every page!

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Sailing Skills & Seamanship, BOOK (Us Coast Guard Auxilary Assoc) Review

Sailing Skills and Seamanship, BOOK (Us Coast Guard Auxilary Assoc)
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Unlike many other sailing texts, this book covered a broad range of boating topics. Clearly not a sailor's fine-tuning tome, this book surprised me, however, by covering sail trim and boat balancing very adequately, and in some cases more clearly than more advanced sailing manuals. Since it's written for sailors in U.S. waters, it covers topics such as trailering, waterway navigation, and rules of the road for the U.S. more specifically than any other text I've seen.
All in all, I'd say this is my top choice for a text for a new sailor who's got down the sailing basics and needs to know the many practical aspects of safe sailing in U.S. waters.

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One Hand for Yourself One for the Ship: The Essentials of Single Handed Sailing Review

One Hand for Yourself One for the Ship: The Essentials of Single Handed Sailing
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I stopped buying Tristan Jones books because I felt there was little substance to them and some fabrication added to help sell them to the publishers. All the books are skimpy fast reads. I hope my opinion is changed, but I'm unwilling to invest in any more of them to find out.
He has a some of good advice for sailors at sea. However, I have to say, that like most of his books I take what he writes with a grain of salt. And, some of what he recommends, I doubt he ever did himself.
That is not to say his advice is bad, just not practical in some cases. I doubt many seaman would follow all of his advice.
For example, he recommends that single handed sailor drag a line behind the boat hooked up to a trip wire arrangement to heave the boat to. Great advice. I doubt anyone follows it or that Tristan Jones did so. That doesn't mean it is not good advice. This sort of thinking is smart thinking, planning ahead for an emergency.
Likewise his advice for having a triangular patch of canvas ready and rigged on the bow with control lines all set ready to cover a hole below the waterline should the unlike event happen that one gets holed below the waterline. This is just something that would get in the way, foul up something else on the boat and cause more trouble than it's worth. I think a better idea is have one ready to go and practice rigging it.
Perhaps these ideas may make sense when you are sitting at a typewriter trying to put enough substance in a book so you can sell it to a publisher. This is my impression of Tristan Jones.
If you get something out of a book like this, you got something that may give you an idea that will save your boat or yourself.
I gave it 3 stars because I felt it was like some of his other books, short books made in an attempt to make money to fund his roving lifestyle as a wandering seaman.
Hey he pulled it off.
Maybe you can too! Bring a laptop if you go cruising, there is bound to be a story in it.

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In One Hand for Yourself, One for the Ship, Tristan Jones offers a course on single-handed sailing as filtered through his singular perception of the art and science of that time-honored tradition. Bearing the unmistakable stamp of one who has lived on and for the sea, the text is aglow with memorable anecdotes and detailed insights.

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Spanish for Cruisers: The Boater's Complete Language Guide for Spanish-speaking Destinations, 2nd Edition Review

Spanish for Cruisers: The Boater's Complete Language Guide for Spanish-speaking Destinations, 2nd Edition
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I had the first edition while we cruised the Sea of Cortez for 6 years. Used it extensively -- it was indespensible as we repaired many items and made many runs to the hardware store, etc. Looks like the second edition is even better.
We also found it very helpful in getting a taxi driver to take us to the right store -- we'd show him the picture and Spanish word for what we'd need, and it never failed that we'd end up at the right shop (sometimes the driver would even phone a buddy to figure out where to take us).
There just isn't any other Spanish-English dictionary that covers all the bizarre parts you need to keep a cruising boat working.
P.S. Have a great time out there!

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This second edition of the popular Spanish for Cruisers has been greatly expanded so that it now covers ALL the language and vocabulary necessary to cruise the Spanish-speaking countries of the Caribbean, Central and South America and Europe. There is no other source that provides boaters and marine interests with the practical, specialized phrases they need to communicate with port captains, dock attendants, marina and boatyard staff, mechanics, marine technicians, rescuers, fishermen and divers. Spanish for Cruisers is just as useful ashore for food provisioning, shopping, dining, medical care, banking, phone, internet, transportation and directions. Completely indexed in English and Spanish, with easy-to-use pronunciation for every word, plus illustrations and diagrams of systems and boat parts, Spanish for Cruisers will be the boater's essential companion throughout their stay in Spanish-speaking countries.

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Marine Diesel Engines: Maintenance and Repair Manual Review

Marine Diesel Engines: Maintenance and Repair Manual
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Walk into any yacht club full of sailors and mention a diesel problem and watch their eyes glaze over as condolences are expressed. Benign neglect and wishful thinking often summarize a sailor's attitude towards the iron beast below decks. Some try to prevent problems with their checkbook and credit card, others roll up their sleeves and hope for the best. I was part of the latter group, but no more.
Self-sufficiency is ingrained in the sailing culture. Sailors who have no fear of tackling fiberglass repairs, solving rigging problems, or intricacies of onboard plumbing shy away from their diesel and its mysteries. Yet, a diesel is a very simple machine and understanding the workings of a diesel engine is made equally simple and understandable with Jean-luc Pallas's manual.
MDE begins with an overview of how a diesel runs and the systems involved in keeping it running; fuel, air, and electric. The Manual is richly illustrated with large clear photos and simple understandable schematics. Pallas avoids lengthy passages describing a concept, providing instead a short paragraph or two with bullet points highlighting essential information. Each maintenance item is rated for difficulty, simple, technical, or complex to guide the neophyte diesel mechanic. Estimates of the time needed to complete the task and a list of necessary tools accompany the rating.
Marine Diesel Engines is a welcome addition to any sailor's book locker, it certainly was to mine! I just wonder how well it will hold up to the inevitable greasy thumbprints and spilled diesel.
Dave Lochner
NauticalReads

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Modern Boat Maintenance: The Complete Fiberglass Boat Manual Review

Modern Boat Maintenance: The Complete Fiberglass Boat Manual
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If you own a boat then you understand that B.O.A.T is an acronym for Bring Out Another Thousand (dollars). Anyone who owns a boat, unless that boat is new, and has not yet been used will be forced to deal to boat maintainence issues. This book will help you to do some if this maintainence yourself so you don't have to spend a fortune to keep your boat running.
If you have a powerboat, a rowboat, or a sailboat then I recommend this book. This also makes a great gift for any boat owner.
One thing that I really like about this book is that there are lots of pictures and diagrams to help you understand what they are talking about. When you are doing work on a boat, sometimes one picture can be worth a thousand words.
It is obvious that the people writing this book really know what they are doing. This was not written by amatuers.
So if you have major repairs to deal with, or you just want to understand how your boat was built, this is the book for you.

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If you own a fiberglass sailboat or powerboat, this is the book to turn to when dealing with questions of maintenance, improvement or repair. Here you will find clear explanations and easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions covering the fiberglass hull,

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The 12-Volt Bible for Boats Review

The 12-Volt Bible for Boats
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Good book for the Beginner
The book was published in 1985, so a lot of the technology has changed and improved. It was a real basic book- this is a battery, this is a circuit. I was looking for help rewiring a small boat and this boat was of no major assistence.

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This Old Boat, Second Edition: Completely Revised and Expanded Review

This Old Boat, Second Edition: Completely Revised and Expanded
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The second edition of This Old Boat is a more professional production than the first edition. Not that the first edition was bad, on the contrary, it was a good resource, but it had a somewhat hand-made feel about it. The diagrams were freehand sketches and a lot of the information lacked depth. Although it was always a good place to start, it was usually necessary to turn to other reference works (such as Calder's "Boatowner's Mechanical and Electrical Manual" or Spurr's "Guide to Upgrading Your Cruising Sailboat") for precise information about how to carry out a certain repair or improvement. However, what it lacked in depth of information it more than made up for with its clear explanations of the "big picture" and Casey's ability to impart a sense of motivation.
This new edition improves on the first by being a good deal larger than the first edition, having information that is more in-depth, and illustrations that are much improved. It is now closer in "feel" to Calder's Boatowner's Manual. It also covers a lot of the information contained in Casey's several short sailboat maintenance handbooks, and to an extent it updates and replaces them. I wouldn't go as far as to say that this is the only book by Casey that you now need to own in order to have all of the information he has previously published, but it is close.

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Turn a run-down fiberglass boat into afirst-class yacht

Since it first appeared in 1991, Don Casey's This OldBoat has helped tens of thousands of sailors refurbisholder fiberglass boats and has become a revered classicamong boat rehabbers.This second edition is revisedfrom first page to last with new information on electricalsystems, diesel engines, refrigeration, resins, plumbingand more. Plus, more than 600 newly created illustrationsenhance the book's beauty as well as its utility.


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Don Casey's Complete Illustrated Sailboat Maintenance Manual: Including Inspecting the Aging Sailboat, Sailboat Hull and Deck Repair, Sailboat Refinishing, Sailbo Review

Don Casey's Complete Illustrated Sailboat Maintenance Manual: Including Inspecting the Aging Sailboat, Sailboat Hull and Deck Repair, Sailboat Refinishing, Sailbo
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This book is a must have for the occasional do-it-your-selfer. Being a compilation of all of the Don Casey books on sailboat maintenance, I find myself pulling this book off the shelf more often than any other maintenance book I own.
I find the drawings and step by step instructions to be well thought out and easy to follow. Geared for the occasional weekend warrior, this book shows you how to do it right while pointing out many of the pitfalls that often accompany a sailboat maintenance project.
I highly recommend it for those like me who own an aging sailboat but don't have a Pentagon sized budget laying on the side to give the yard.

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The definitive guide from the world's best-known sailboat maintenance expert
Don Casey's Complete Illustrated Sailboat Maintenance Manual combines six core volumes into a single, utterly dependable resource that answers every frequent question, explains every major system, and helps you keep your boat and its components shipshape.
More than 2,500 clear and detailed illustrations guide you step by step through every procedure. Casey's technical virtuosity, his user-friendly explanations, and Peter Compton's diesel engine expertise make even the more complicated repairs and improvements easy to understand. This must-have guide saves you time, money, and grief as you learn the fastest, easiest, most effective ways to:
Evaluate the condition of your boat or one you're about to purchase
Repair structural damage to your fiberglass sailboat
Improve or repair your sailboat's electrical system
Troubleshoot, maintain, and repair your boat's diesel engine
Put a professional-looking finish on your boat's hull, deck, spars, wood, and trim
Make and repair sails, sail covers, dodgers, awnings, sailbags, and bimini tops


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Marine Diesel Engines: Maintenance, Troubleshooting, and Repair Review

Marine Diesel Engines: Maintenance, Troubleshooting, and Repair
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I bought this in conjunction with Peter Compton's book. I like booth. Calder is more detailed and more informative, but I find Compton easier to understand and more direct. If I have an engine problem I might start with Compton's book to narrow the possibilites down and Calder's book for detailed explanation. This book is somewhat redundant with Calder's "Boatowner's Mechanical and Electrical Manual" which is definitely a must have. Overall, great book and well worth the money. Would I buy again? Definitely

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Praise for this boating classic:
"The most up-to-date and readable book we've seen on the subject."—Sailing World
"Deserves a place on any diesel-powered boat."—Motor Boat & Yachting
"Clear, logical, and even interesting to read."—Cruising World
Keep your diesel engine going with help from a master mechanic
Marine Diesel Engines has been the bible for do-it-yourself boatowners for more than 15 years. Now updated with information on fuel injection systems, electronic engine controls, and other new diesel technologies, Nigel Calder's bestseller has everything you need to keep your diesel engine running cleanly and efficiently. Marine Diesel Engines explains how to:
Diagnose and repair engine problems
Perform routine and annual maintenance
Extend the life and improve the efficiency of your engine


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Sailing Fundamentals Review

Sailing Fundamentals
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I had been sailing for only three years when I got this book as part of a sailing certification course I took at the North Texas Sailing School on Lake Ray Hubbard in Dallas. This is a great "how to sail" book and is the course material for the American Sailing Association (A.S.A.) course that I took. It did a good job of teaching all the requisite sailing skills and terminology. I would recommend it for general use in learning to sail at a basic skill level.
The Book includes numerous black and white photographs and lots of illustrations and diagrams to teach the skills required for the course. The book is divided into several sections that are used to teach three separate ASA certified courses. The sections are: Introduction to Sailing, Basic Sailing, Safety and Seamanship, Basic Seamanship Skills, Basic Coastal Cruising I, Basic Coastal Cruising II and Special Sailing Information. The book contains a good glossary and sailing terminology guide (very helpful for novices) and a good index. Review questions for each chapter or chapter series are included as well as answers to all the questions.

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