Advanced Bluewater Cruising

A new ocean cruising handbook, Advanced Bluewater Cruising provides a comprehensive guide for coastal cruising sailors wishing to make the step up to ocean cruising.
In an easy-to-use format, Advanced Bluewater Cruising first outlines key differences between coastal and offshore cruising, offers some sound criteria for selecting a boat, and presents the pros and cons of major equipment options. Following chapters include such practical topics as voyage planning, fear as a guide to action, the skipper as leader, crew responsibilities and routines, watchstanding, managing personal affairs (mail, money, bills, emergency contacts), provisioning, stowage and cooking, medical preparedness and more. The weather and up-to-the-minute communications sections will help in interpreting weather systems and in using today's onboard communications tools to get the best forecast information. Sail selection, care and trim chapters will prove useful both before and during ocean passages.
The first two-thirds of the book set forth practical steps to successful passagemaking under sail. The remaining third presents methods of coping with adversity in various forms: heavy weather, illness and injury, dismasting, fire, flooding, with specific sections on troubleshooting your engine, your steering and your electrical system. Illustrated, and with radio frequency lists, watchstanding schedule options, medical prescription information and more.