By Dag Pike

Published by Adlard Coles Nautical (January 2013)

ISBN 9781408181898

Cruising in a sailboat is so much more than a voyage from A to B. It’s about visiting new and exciting places, and gaining pleasure and satisfaction from making the passage itself. Getting it right and enjoying the experience is a real skill, and this book shows you how to do just that.

Ideal for novices starting out and all sailboat cruisers wanting to improve, this highly practical guide takes you through all the steps from departure to arrival, covering:

• the preparations before setting off
• assessing the sea and weather conditions
• briefing the crew
• navigating
• coping when things go wrong
• operating the boat under different and sometimes challenging conditions
• conforming with rules and regulations

With checklists, tips and personal anecdotes, all illustrated with superb photography, this is a hands-on book that will give you the confidence and know-how to carry out a safe and successful cruise.

Dag Pike began his career as a merchant captain, went on to test RNLI lifeboats, and took up fast boat navigation, winning a string of trophies for powerboat races around the world, including navigating Richard Branson’s Virgin Atlantic Challenger on the record-breaking fastest Atlantic crossing by powerboat. He did his first ocean sailing race in 1948 and has cruised and chartered sailboats in many parts of the world. He is now a navigation and powerboat journalist, in demand worldwide.