A Terrific single-source for boat-towing information
343917
Steve writes in a clear, hands-on style. He combines the thoughtfullness of someone who has thought a lot about the topic with the practicality of someone who has done many, if not all of the things he writes about. Here is someone who has towed a great number of boats with a number of tow vehicles and and write well on the subject. This is a great book for someone who really wants to know what's up with trailering boats.
849715
I just returned from 3 weeks sailing in the San Juan and Gulf Islands in  the Pacific Northwest.  Navigation was ultimately derived from marine  charts (NAD27) but also from daily tracking with my newly acquired Garmin  12 Map. I supplemented the charts with GPS coordinates (NAD83) for harbor  entrances, moorings, and anchorages given in a regional marine guide book  (Douglass and Douglass).
Good: The GPS 12 Map is easy to use for marine  navigation.  It's waterproof.  It has a non-slip rubber bottom. The size of  the GPS and its display is just about right for use in small craft like a  30-ft sailboat. Button size and separation is good even for cold, wet  hands.  The overlay of the land maps proved quite helpful for generally  locating the boat position with respect to nearby land masses like islands  and continental coasts.  I found the overlays more useful than the  traditional "highway" views.  Creating, entering, and modifying  waypoints is easy.  The wide choice of waypoints symbols proved quite  useful. Battery life is adequate.  Sailing only during the day, I changed  batteries every 5 or 6 days with periodic connections to a 12VDC outlet on  the boat's electrical panel.  I could have used the external DC power  exclusively if I had brought a 10 ft extension with me.
Bad:  Believe the  warning on startup.  The land mass overlays are approximate.  Even with  care as to the correct datum, several anchorages in small coves were shown  to be on land even at maximum zoom.  The data included for positions of  marine buoys and lights were not always correct. Some buoys were shown in  incorrect locations or absent altogether. The US Waterways MapSource may  fix this for US waters but will exclude the contiguous Canadian waters  (Gulf Islands).
Conclusion:  A good product for coastal navigation but  the pre-loaded land mass and navigation data are not always accurate. I  suspect loading ad hoc navigational databases would greatly improve the  unit's usefulness.
3060696
This is a very comprehensive guide that provides basic information about safe boating.  It includes topics such as understanding the Lateral Waterway System and how to read buoys, day markers and flags.  It talks about hypothermia, safe fueling and on and on.  I do not understand why the prior reviewer did not receive his certificate.  The contact is the USCG Auxilliary 9449 Watson Industrial Parkway St Louis MO 63123 314-962-8828.
4264719
For the Reader who's unfamiliar with the word lighter, the second edition of the Oxford English Dictionary defines it as "a boat or vessel, usually a flat-bottomed barge, used in lightening or unloading (sometimes loading) ships that cannot be discharged (or loaded) at a wharf. etc. and for transporting goods of any kind usually in a harbour."  This book is a history of the lighter and the men who designed, built, and sailed them between Nevis and St. Kitts as well as to and from other adjacent Caribbean islands.  These sailing boats were built from 1900 up to the mid 1950s, and continued in use until the early 1990s.  In other words, in the early stages of a period of time before the advent of electricity, motor-propelled or steam driven boats.
The author is a retired US naval officer with over 20 years service.  Plus he has been licensed by the US Coast Guard as a commercial captain for nearly 20 years and has also operated a crewed charter and yacht delivery service.  Capt. Hackett stays during the winter in Nevis and St. Kitts for many years and conducted in-depth research of both government and commercial ship registries and other documents to obtain the information used in writing this book.  Since there is much that happened that isn't part of recorded history, he uses oral history to bring variety to his style and to enhance the history of the craftsmanship involved in designing, planning and building these boats.  Included in this oral history are many anecdotes obtained from personal interviews of those still living who experienced the hitory in how these boats were built, peridically maintained from the wear and tear of weather, and personal accounts of experiences remembered from their sailing adventures on these boats.
It must be kept in mind that these boats in many aspects were the means of survival of a very hearty people.  Plans originally intended for small sailing ships dating back to the early 18th century may have influenced the design of these boats.  In some cases, the boat's construction plans were literally drawn in the sands of the beach were the boat was constructed.  Most of the lighters were about 20 feet in width and 50 feet in length.  There's no question that the men who captained and crewed on the lighters were highly skilled sailors and masterful navigators.
The reviewer learned of these boats when he lived on St. Kitts from 1997-2000.  One of these saling boats, Pioneer, was taken from Gallows Bay in Charlestown, Nevis and is now being restored by the original shipwright, Wilmouth Liburd, who with Ralph Harris built it back in 1958.  It's now blocked up and being restored behind the Lord Nelson Museum.
The book is only 65 pages but has a wealth of information.  It's written in a style that makes for a fast yet entertaining history to read.  It's highly recommended to the maritime history buff as well as anyone who loves to read about sailing boats and the sea.
One related book that his highly recommended for further reading is Vincent K. Hubbar's book "Swoards, Ships & Sugar (Corvallis, OR : Premier Editions International, Inc., 1996)
  Submitted 1/9/04 by Guy Coffee
  KSU Librarian "semi" Ret.  Manhattan, KS
3593515
I own this book.  It is in my reference collection.  Serious ocean-going sailors and boaters need this information -- it is more than saying "stay out of the way."  Unless you spend serious time on the bridge of a huge ship, you have no better way of knowing the limits of their instruments, the limits of the humans on watch, the turning abilities of huge ships, and other information you really want to have when you see that monster heading towards you out at sea, especially at night.
Yeah, some of you are actually kind of funny, but this book is very good for its intended audience.
1989763
This guide accomplishes exactly what it sets out to do in a thorough and stylish layout. The reader can flip through the pages until they see the river in question at the bottom right and have immediate access to nearly all put-ins and take-outs along the prospective float. Included with every river is a great summation of popular routes for fishing and white-water, and info on major hazards that the floater should be aware of. Even a nice summary of each route's notable fishing or whitewater features. If you're a boater, floater, or just a curious hobbiest, this book is an essential starting point for any Montana river exploration.
  I found that the points other reviewers took issue with were inconsequential to the scope of what the authors attempted to accomplish with this book. As a starting point for the clue-less, there really is no better publication available for us Montanians. If you want advanced or indepth information about the potential float, such as new seasonal hazards (strainers, landslides), the fishing report, or legal information, contact the local authorities on the river - listed conveniently at the beginning of each chapter.
  This book deserves prominance on any Montanian's collection of hikes, floats, and maps section of the book case. The authors did a great job!
4653870
A great book densely packed with information and no padding or waffle. This is a book for those who want to understand the core issues of systems on small boats, it is not a 'how to fix a tap' book.
3414377
Very informative book on anchoring and line handling. Mostly covers smaller pleasure craft, but the concepts apply to larger vessels as well. Lots of detail and a great reference on the type of equipment as well as the correct and safe way to handle it.

Lots of diagrams to explain the text and black and white pictures to show detail. Covers windlasses and winches too. Shows how to stow items aboard your vessel and how to maximize use in a small space. Explains anchor watches and what to do if you are on anchor for extended periods of time.

Get this for your knowledge and to become a safe mariner. A lot of space is given to making dock lines, modifications to docks, and line handling. Emergency towing and sea anchors are covered as well.

Hand signals and when to use a whistle are covered but some information is a little dated. For instance, using walkie-talkies from Radio Shack. "For less than thirty dollars, Radio Shack sells a hands-free set of FM walkie-talkies." This is still valid, but more detail could have been given. Newer handheld VHF marine radios can also include additional LMR channels, and FRS/GMRS could also be used. I did not rate this book down for this, as the concepts are still pertinent.

Get this book so you don't look like a fool on the water.
261155
This book has a wealth of useful tips that any boat owner can (and should) use.
173418
I love how easy to read Basic Keelboat is.  I am glad I made this purchase for this sailing book.  It's an amazing reference to have at hand for future needs.
2236370
Of the many guide and reference books that mention cruising in the Mediterranean, I think I may have come across the ultimate reference book on the subject -- "Mediterranean Cruises", a compilation of expertise from a number of well-known journalists, editors and contributors.

Like other reference guides, this book arms the reader with all the information required to decide on when and where one might select as cruise destinations within the Mediterranean. However, apart from the detailed and accurate descriptions of places, sites, cities and towns, I would also recommend this book solely on the quality of its photography. Should any college or university offer credit- hours on Mediterranean Cruises, here is a book that, in my mind, would certainly qualify as required reading.

However, I wouldn't suggest the book be read like a textbook. You may want to pick and choose your areas or places of interest. Here is where you will find the book's index to be second to none. And, while surprises are oftentimes pleasant, I believe when it comes to cruising, being prepared with as much information as possible prior to departure can prevent an unpleasant cruise experience. Having taken several Mediterranean cruises years ago with my family, I would have welcomed having this "bible" handy during those preparations.

Like all other Insight Guides, in addition to providing detailed maps and superb descriptions of all destinations, this book offers its readers a wealth of travel tips. If I may borrow the motto from the Boy Scouts, I believe anyone who reads "Mediterranean Cruises" prior to actually taking one will certainly be prepared.
2635600
I learned to sail keelboats in 1995, centerboard boats in 1996, and "bareboat" crusing in 1997; this book proved to be an effective refresher course on all that I had learned.  Except for small boats it does not replace taking a sailing course from an approved and qualified sailing school.

In any event it is a good, quick reference for many sailing aspects
4467115
The absolutely best source for model specific Nissan 720 series pickup truck information than you will be liable to ever need. Lots of good tips and advice in addition to full testing procedures, rebuilding instructions, etc., etc., etc.

Well organized, voluminous, well illustrated (for the most part), a few slight problems with minor typos/word substitutions in translation, but it's usually easy to determine what word has been misused.

The cover stains easily, so I used clear packing tape to cover it entirely before getting it grease soaked.
4676968
I am a first time buyer, beginning my search for a used 28 to 35 foot motor boat.  Knowing the many pitfalls that can happen to an inexperienced boat buyer, I searched for a buyers guide and found the perfect solution.  David Tomen's small, inexpensive book provided all the answers I need to begin my boat search and purchase.  The writing is concise, covering many issues.  It is clearly written by someone who is obviously an experienced professional, and loves the sea.  With the knowledge I gained from reading the guide, I am ready to begin the process with confidence.  Peter Bogdan
2706909
May just be starting to get a little dated in places but , my goodness , it still packs an incredible amount of information that any keen fisherman will find useful . Well-written and well-illustrated throughout it has inspired me to get heavily into producing my own inline spinners and crankbaits , in addition to restoring several classic rods . A great book .
4901585
Although significantly over-priced for the cheezy paperback presentation. Trimmer's work is right on target. Should one find one's small craft, say, traversing Tampa Bay, San Francisco Harbor, or even the windy reaches just north of Antarctica, the necessity of avoiding huge ships is ever-present. A valuable resource for any yachtsman, or, more especially, the kayaker. The danger's presented by huge ships should not be overstated, they are huge!
1501354
This is a wonderfully helpful book for the landlubber thinking of buying a boat or those who have just taken possession of their own shiny new cruiser. This book covers everything from soup to nuts and then some. The author has clearly spent many years on the water
The book covers everything from the basics of boating to the intricacies of maintenance and even how to behave in a boat, be it power or sail, at anchor or underway. The only improvement I can suggest would be to somehow highlight the safety tips to give them a little more emphasis. The book is well organized and an easy read. And, as a former sailor myself I highly recommend it.