Handling Storms At Sea

The definitive guide to a critical, hotly debated topic How should a sailor cope with storms at sea? Some advocate heaving-to, others running off. Some say trail a sea anchor over the bow, others a drogue astern. The stakes in the discussion couldn’t be higher, or the consensus lower. Finally, preeminent sailor/author Hal Roth offers a practical strategy that can evolve and respond as storms grow stronger.

"There is nothing imaginary about Junger's book; it is all terrifyingly, awesomely real." —Los Angeles Times It was the storm of the century, boasting waves over one hundred feet high—a tempest created by so rare a combination of factors that meteorologists deemed it "the perfect storm." In a book that has become a classic, Sebastian Junger explores the history of the fishing industry, the science of storms, and the candid accounts of the people whose lives the storm touched. The Perfect Storm is a real-life thriller that makes us feel like we've been caught, helpless, in the grip of a force of nature beyond our understanding or control. Winner of the American Library Association's 1998 Alex Award.

"I know you'll want to read more after you finish Sailing a Serious Ocean. And be warned, you'll very likely want to sail with John, perhaps across an ocean." -- DALLAS MURPHY, AUTHOR OF ROUNDING THE HORN After sailing 300,000 miles and weathering dozens of storms in all the world's oceans, John Kretschmer has plenty of stories and advice to share. John's offshore training passages sell out a year in advance and his entertaining presentations are popular at boat shows and yacht clubs all over the English speaking world. John's talent for storytelling enchants his audience as it soaks up the lessons he learned during his oftenchallenging voyages. Now you can take a seat next to John--at a lesser cost--and get the knowledge you need to fulfill your own dream of blue-water adventure. In Sailing a Serious Ocean, John tells you what to expect when sailing the oceans and shows how to sail safely across them. His tales of storm encounters and other examples of extreme seamanship will help you prepare for your journey and give you confidence to handle any situation—even heavy weather. Through his personal stories, John will guide you through the whole process of choosing the right boat, outfitting with the right gear, planning your route, navigating the ocean, and understanding the nuances of life at sea. Our oceans are beautiful yet unpredictable—water that is at one moment a natural mirror for the glowing sun can turn into a foamy, raging wall of fury. John knows our oceans, and he is one of the best teachers of taming and enjoying them. Before you set off across the big blue, turn to John for his inspirational stories and hard-learned advice and discover the serious sailor in you.

"There is an island named Pushkara, and the people who control the world don't want you to know it exists. But one man, one woman and a cryptic manuscript are going to change all that. Storms at sea is Mark Schult's heavily illustrated novella exploring the border between what we want to believe is true and the reality we prefer to keep concealed. It starts as a hard-boiled mystery and opens up into a breathtaking journey through cryptic history, cautionary science fiction and a scpeculative vision of the deep future"--Back cover

The fear of storms has kept many otherwise competent sailors from venturing into the open ocean. This book explores the myths that have sprung up about ways to bring small boats through storms and shows tried and true methods that work for all types of sailing vessels. Special sections explain storm sail design, sea-anchor technology and tips for preventing gear failure at sea. Included are a series of check lists designed to help potential voyagers chose, then outfit their boat for safe voyaging plus others to prepare them as a storm actually approaches and reassure them once they are in the midsts of heavy winds and seas. Marrio Vittone, a U.S. Coastguard Rescue Swimmer for 14 years, in an unsolicited testimoney, wrote: I have been on several rescues (and heard of many more) that would have been completely unnecessary if the sailboat captains aboard would have practiced the skills taught by Lin and Larry Pardey. Not knowing how to heave-to in bad weather is as inexcusable as not knowing 'red, right, return'.

‘There’s water in the engine,’ he said. ‘The engine has stopped.’ This changed everything...