Skipper S Cockpit Racing Guide

The Skipper's Cockpit Racing Guide is an at-a-glance reference for dinghy and yacht racers, covering everything they need to know to improve their performance – and win. From those in their first year of racing to old hands wondering why they're not winning, this guide covers an enormous amount of detail in a simple, easy to follow format. Topics are broken down into photo sequences, boxes, flowcharts, hints and tips, and cover: - setting your goals - assembling the right boat and gear - practising and tuning (straight line, tacking, gybing, rounding marks, doing penalties) - starting (planning, set-up of rig and foils) - race strategy (beating, reaching, running) - tactics against the opposition - crewing skills (trim, weight) - tides and currents (what affects the flow, using them to your advantage) - wind (wind shadows, wind bends, forecasts) - spinnakers (symmetric, asymmetric, hoist, gybe, drop) - rules (start, beat, reach, run) A final section on troubleshooting enables readers to rate their performance and identify areas for improvement, handily linking back to those pages in the book.

A splash-proof quick-reference guide for all dinghy and yacht racers, packed with information on how to improve your racing performance and become a winner.

Whether planning a day sail or a longer passage, at home, at the wheel or at the chart table, the Skipper's Cockpit Navigation Guide is the perfect at-a-glance handbook for all skippers and crew. It covers all the essential navigation skills and techniques with a user friendly, easy to follow and succinct approach. Spiral bound to lie flat, and with laminated splash-proof pages, it is the hands-free ready reckoner to help you get where you want to go. Written in clear, practical language, with clear photos, step-by-step diagrams and actual chart extracts, the book covers: - Using nautical charts - Understanding buoys, marks and lights - Using the compass, log and depth gauge - Plotting positions (including by dead reckoning), courses and bearings - Understanding tides (heights, streams, including using tide tables) and currents - Factoring in the weather - Making a passage plan, keeping a logbook, and more An essential title to have on board, this accessible book is aimed at skippers and crews of all levels, whether as a primer for those new to navigating or the perfect aide-memoire for those with prior experience.

Invaluable for experienced sailors as an aide-memoire, as well as for beginners and students, this essential quick-reference guide covers a wide range of topics such as seamarks, buoyage, pilotage, lights, boat handling, anchoring and mooring, ropes and knots, heavy weather sailing, man overboard, grounding, fire aboard, distress signals and VHF radio. This North American edition covers the IALA-B Buoyage System.This guide has been a favorite with skippers around the world for many years, as shown by these reviews:'A brilliant aide-memoire or instant revision for exams' Kelvin Hughes'An ideal companion above or below decks' Practical Boat Owner'A handy reference... one of the most comprehensive guides that I have seen' Lifeboat'A lot of good information... a useful aid to have on board' Gaffers LogThis is the first edition of this popular guide for boaters in the US and Canada.

This quick reference guide contains all the navigational information and practical seamanship needed by skippers or crew. Its accessible and concise presentation makes it ideal for instant reference at sea, and its splashproof pages and spiral binding enable it to stand up to the demanding marine environment. Invaluable for experienced sailors as an aide-memoire, as well as for beginners and RYA students, it covers a wide range of topics such as seamarks, buoyage, pilotage, lights, boat handling, anchoring and mooring, ropes & knots, heavy weather sailing, man overboard, grounding, fire aboard, distress signals and VHF radio. 'A brilliant aide-memoire or instant revision for exams' Kelvin Hughes 'A handy reference… one of the most comprehensive guides that I have seen' Lifeboat 'It has a lot of good information… is a useful aid to have on board' Gaffers Log

The Skipper's Mast and Rigging Guide is a new title in our popular series of cockpit guides that are designed for easy reference on board in all weather conditions. Of all the elements that are hard to set up on a sailboat, gauging how mast, running rigging and standing rigging should work in combination with each other is perhaps the trickiest of arts - some might call it a black art. And of course it is essential to get it right in order to stabilise the mast, reduce undue stress and consequently ensure the safety of everyone on board. This handy cockpit guide will simplify and explain to the reader exactly how to set up their mast, rigging and running rigging for whatever size of yacht and with whatever rig combination. It will take the reader through the basics of setting up and adjusting their rig step by step with helpful diagrams and detailed colour photographs throughout. With this book in one hand and a spanner in the other, skippers will be able to make their own adjustments without having to call in expensive riggers.

Whether racing dinghies or yachts, every sailor wants to drive through the fleet and cross the line first. In this groundbreaking book, international racer Fred Imhoff shows how to do just that. By means of on-the-water action shots and detailed commentary about a sailor's tactics, sail trim, helming, crew positioning and psychological attitude, Fred shares the secrets of competitive racing success. Whether first-time club racer or international America's Cup hotshot, every sailor's goal is to constantly improve and stay one step ahead of the competition. Fred's logical, clinical analyses accompanied by fantastic action shots, including many from the 2012 Olympics, will be a godsend to budding and improving racers alike. From advice on mental preparation, honing your gear, working the weather and analysing the course, to briefing your crew, sussing out the other competitors and analysing your mistakes, this book is full of never-before-discussed gold dust that will be absolutely indispensable to all racers, whatever their age or level.

Spiral bound with laminated pages to protect against the effects of the weather, this is an invaluable quick cockpit reference for anyone finding themselves in an emergency at sea. Packed with practical accessible advice on the most common emergencies requiring rapid action, it covers- Storm tactics, Man overboard, Gear failure, Fire, Dismasting, Sinking, First aid, and much more. In the same series as the popular Skipper's On-board Diesel Guide, this handy reference is filled with checklists, sequential action points and helpful diagrams. A godsend to anyone in trouble at sea.