The Skipper S Pocketbook

A pocket database containing everything a busy skipper needs to know but might find hard to remember. It is easy to take for granted how much a skipper needs to know : Navigation, how to pilot the boat into a new harbour, using the radio, checking the engine, keeping an eye out for things that need repair, monitoring the weather, feeding the crew and much, much more! This pocketbook is designed as an aide-memoire with checklists to make life easier for busy skippers and a must-have reference for first-time skippers. It should also prove an invaluable reference book for the RYA Yachtmaster syllabus. The book has been helping skippers for nearly 20 years and has now been edited and thoroughly updated by Yachtmaster Instructor and Examiner, Sara Hopkinson. (RYA and Yachtmaster are registered trademarks of the Royal yachting Association.)

A pocket database containing everything a busy skipper needs to know but might find hard to remember. It is easy to take for granted how much a skipper needs to know : Navigation, how to pilot the boat into a new harbour, using the radio, checking the engine, keeping an eye out for things that need repair, monitoring the weather, feeding the crew and much, much more! This pocketbook is designed as an aide-memoire with checklists to make life easier for busy skippers and a must-have reference for first-time skippers. It should also prove an invaluable reference book for the RYA Yachtmaster syllabus. The book has been helping skippers for nearly 20 years and has now been edited and thoroughly updated by Yachtmaster Instructor and Examiner, Sara Hopkinson. (RYA and Yachtmaster are registered trademarks of the Royal yachting Association.)

Pocket-sized reference provides a source for skippers to quickly refresh their memories on a broad range of essential topics, from seamanship and weather to chartwork and engine breakdowns.

Going aboard a sailing yacht for the first time is an exciting experience, but it can be a bit daunting. It introduces you to many unknowns: terra firma is left behind, the boat is propelled by something you can't see (the wind), there are ropes everywhere and a whole new vocabulary opens up! Your skipper will brief you on the key things you need to know, but this book is a great opportunity to learn a bit beforehand which will give you the basic knowledge to work the boat, be safe, have fun... and be asked back for more! Written in a friendly and approachable way, it assumes no nautical knowledge and uses diagrams and photographs to demystify the art of sailing. Devised to be read by new crew before they arrive at the boat, it is also great to keep on board as a quick and easy reference guide. Ideal for skippers to give to anyone joining them on board for the first time. As soon as a person steps aboard they are crewing: drawn into casting off, hoisting sails, winching and even steering. It's impossible to cover everything in your briefing, so any knowledge they can gain beforehand is a blessing and will make your yacht a happier, safer place for everyone. Additional chapters covering spinnaker handling are available online and in the eBook.

This book covers the practical syllabus a student skipper needs if they are to pass advanced sailing exams. It is also designed to be kept on board as a coaching guide covering common situations that may trip up even the most experienced yacht skipper. It covers the practical side of yacht cruising: how to be a better skipper, berth the yacht, handle her under sail, recover a man overboard, navigate and carry out safe and efficient passages. Illustrated with charts and diagrams, and including revision and test sections, this is perfect both as an on-board reference and to be used as exam preparation.

VHF Afloat explains how to use your VHF DSC radio. It covers licensing the equipment and gaining the operator certificate, and then takes you through each type of call. Each procedure is clearly illustrated using the yacht Sierra, to show how the radio is used on a passage to communicate with marinas, other vessels and the Coastguard, including how a MAYDAY is managed by the rescue services. Use VHF Afloat to help pass the assessment, and then keep it on board when you need to make a call - the facts will be right at your fingertips.

Two of Fernhurst Books' most popular compact, handy guides – the Cockpit Companion and New Crew's Companion – have been bundled together in e-book form for the first time. The perfect quick reference guides to keep on your phone or tablet, easily accessible when you are on board. They are an on-the-water aide memoire of everything the skipper and crew need to know – or find out quickly – when cruising. The Cockpit Companion provides a wide range of information: from lights, shapes and sound signals to knots, ropes and engine troubleshooting. With diagrams and illustrations throughout, this quick reference guide will help to keep you safe when out at sea. The New Crew's Companion is specifically designed for those new to sailing covering what clothes to bring, what the things on the deck are called, how to start helping with the sails and other deckwork. There is also an important section on safety and one on living aboard. It allows new sailors to know what to expect and get the most out of their first sailing experiences. This will be a valued companion for skipper and crew – even first-time crew members.