I have selected some great sailing books that we have in our boats library. You must not go to sea without some of these books. They offer such a wealth of information and will get you out of a fix with simple \”how to\” instructions. Depending on where you do your boating select the ones that will suit you best.

Survival

Under the category Survival I have on board Alard Coles Heavy Weather Sailing by Peter Bruce. Always next to my bunk, I often refresh myself with its content, especially before a long passage.

Also Heavy Weather Tactics by Earl R Hinz is a favorite of mine and reading it keeps me from getting to complacent when all is going a bit to well. Get it if you are sailing off shore.

Hal Roth needs no introduction and I can highly recommend both his books. Handling Storms At Sea and How To Sail Around The World. These are rated 5 star plus by me.

You simply cannot go on a long distance cruise without Jimmy Cornel\’s World Cruising Routes on board.

I met Larry and Lin Pardy at the Knysna Yacht Club in South Africa many years ago. They were on their small 24ft yacht, Saraffyn. I remember them up anchor and go for a sail when it was blowing over 40 knots. My fellow yachties and I were in the club house hiding from the elements.

They have written some of the best sailing books available today.

Mechanical and Electrical

Under the category Mechanical and Electrical, I can only personally recommend Nigal Calder\’s Books. They are Mechanical and Electrical Manual and Marine Diesel Engines. Just about every sailor you meet on your travels will rave about them. Both are \”must haves\’ displayed prominently on every boaters book shelf.

Cruising

There are so many great Cruising books available. Start of with the Pardy’s Get Ready To Cross Oceans and you won’t go wrong.

Rule of the Road

You should have one Rule of the Road book at your chart table. Every now and then it\’s nice to check if you had made the right decision to avoid a possible collision.

Seamanship

The Seamanship books I have chosen cover such a lot of ground. I have realized long ago that I will never know it all. These are great reference books to help you become a better sailor. The most reviewed books are the popular choices. Chapmans Piloting & Seamanship now in its 66th edition or The Annapolis Book of Seamanship 3rd edition are the ones to begin with.

Log Books

I have both a ships log and a guest log. I wish I had bought a better quality log book in the past. My older one got wet and is now falling apart. This record of your boating history is something you will always refer to and treasure, so get a good quality one. Weemes and Plath fit the job.

Navigation Tools

Buy some reasonable quality navigation tools because over the years they do get abused. Mine have lasted a lifetime and that\’s thanks to a little super glue here and there.

How I wish that when I first started cruising I had most of these books on board. I only discovered many of them through other sailors recommendations. Often I needed some advice on a boating problem and not being the most technical guy some took ages to solve.

As my library increased my problem solving skills got better.

Frank Rijkers is a Certified Yachtmaster Offshore who has sailed the oceans around world in his home built 34ft sailing yacht (Footloose). As charter boat skipper in the Caribbean and as captain on private yachts, go to http://coolboatingsupplies.com for some cool ideas on yacht safety

Frank Rijkers is a Certified Yachtmaster Offshore who has sailed the oceans around world in his home built 34ft sailing yacht (Footloose). As charter boat skipper in the Caribbean and as captain on private yachts, go to http://coolboatingsupplies.com for some cool ideas on yacht safety

Author Bio: Frank Rijkers is a Certified Yachtmaster Offshore who has sailed the oceans around world in his home built 34ft sailing yacht (Footloose). As charter boat skipper in the Caribbean and as captain on private yachts, go to http://coolboatingsupplies.com for some cool ideas on yacht safety

Category: Recreation
Keywords: best sailing books,sailing books,,best cruising book,mechanical sailing book,electrical sailing book