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Best Books for self teaching?

7K views 20 replies 13 participants last post by  ThereYouAre 
#1 · (Edited)
Hello all,

Inexperienced sailor here who is hungry to learn more. I'd like to hear some recommendations for books on sailing. I recently picked up "Sailing for Dummies" and really enjoyed it. Any other must reads out there that you would recommend?

Thanks!

(Just realized this should have been posted in Apps and Authors. Not sure how to delete or move. Sorry for the mistake!)
 
#2 ·
Your post is fine where it is, apps and authors is for, well, programmers and authors...

A classic that did very well for us, and I believe is still in print, and certainly hundreds of old copies are floating around thrift shops and used book stores is Royce's Sailing Illustrated. Simple, clear, to the point, it's an easy read providing a pretty good foundation, esp of terminology.
 
#4 ·
The American Sailing Association have three books that are for their first three classes. Expensive but top quality with a lot of 4 color pictures.
 
#9 ·
I think most of us would also add, that reading is no substitute for doing. You'll find the a lot of the recommendations for how-to, are a great "starter" or primer for you, but sometimes the practicalities of doing don't mesh well.

ex: always head to wind to raise both sails. I find that solo, its a definite to head to wind to raise mainsail, but if I crack off, or even head to a broad reach, its way easier for raising the jib, it fills up and pulls away from the deck that way as it goes up, keeping the deck clear... of course if the wind is honking, head to wind still wins.
 
#17 ·
No reading is not a substitute for doing... but considering books and so forth are available to anyone to use any time... it seems prudent to study up BEFORE you step on a boat.... There are lots to learn about boats, sails, knots, sea, wind, colregs. How do you learn colregs from "experience" for example???
 
#10 ·
Hey Shnool,

I'd definitely like to get more real experience before buying a boat. I'm struggling to find ways to get out on the water though. I probably should take a course; but I'd rather put that money towards a boat if possible. I've posted on the "Crew Available/Wanted" forum. Any other recommendations for getting experience? I thought about exploring some of the large harbors here in California to see if they have bulletins posted with opportunities.

Jon
 
#11 ·
My copy of Royce's Sailing Illustrated is printed in blue ink which makes it hard for me to read. Excellent resource otherwise.

As a fellow newbie here are my favorite book purchases so far
Sensible Cruising: The Thoreau Approach
The Annapolis Book of Seamanship
Chapman - Knots for Boaters

The books provided for the US Sail keelboat class is also good. I expect it's very similar to what you get with the ASA books.

As far as sailing goes, I've taken two classes as local Marinas and the Dinghy class provides a week of free weekday rentals as well as 1/2 price weekday rentals for eternity so it's a pretty good deal if you have time off during the week.

-Hugh
 
#12 ·
The book I always recommend is "The Complete Sailor" by David Seidman, it's a little book with drawings that's actually enjoyable to read, I re-read every decade or so for fun.
https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Sailor-Second-David-Seidman/dp/0071749578/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1498661750&sr=8-1&keywords=The+Complete+Sailor
Best places to start in OC is probably Orange Coast College in Newport,
OCC Sailing
Or a club like Aventura in Dana,
Aventura Sailing Assocication | Sailing Lessons, Charters and Club in Dana Point, CA
Also in Dana for small boat instruction try Westwind,
Home | Westwind Sailing | Dana Point, CA 92629
And many community colleges in our area also offer classes.
 
#13 ·
Most any book will work okay, sailing just ain't all that complicated, in theory at least..

In practice, you will put this book knowledge to use more quickly and intuitively, on smaller centerboard boats, because the "feedback" is immediate, your "body english" matters, and things you do right, or wrong, are "graded" more quickly than on larger, heavier boats where inertia is greater, and cause-effect takes longer.

In southern Cal, you should be able to find some crewing spots in smallish boats--Lido-14s? I wouldn't know, I'm not from there. But anything from a 9-foot sailing dinghy, up through about 17-foot sloop, would work. It's no secret that these are the boats the kids learn on, and not just because they are cheaper to buy. Maybe there's a sailing club around, with a fleet?

Sailing will teach you to sail way quicker than any book will. The book will serve as a double-check in case you are doing something the wrong way.
 
#15 ·
Lots of great tips/recommendations here, thank you everyone! I hadn't thought about renting a dingy to learn on. I assume renting a dingy wouldn't require the experience that a larger one does? Probably the best way to start practicing what I've been reading about until I can find a crewing experience.
 
#18 · (Edited)
I think there are different learning "styles", or personality traits if you will. Some learn intellectually, some experientially, most of us are a combination of both.

I teach, but it's fine if you self-teach. Just be openminded to suggestions from others, or from your book. My idea is to keep the first dose of shoreside learning short and sweet (because it's boring, though necessary), and use the boat, with students steering and trimming, as the "real" classroom (much more interesting, it seems). Then back to book to see how what you just did, is "right", which is considerably more interesting and less overwhelming than doing all the reading up front. But if you have a long cold winter to get through, read on... ;-)

Colregs should be read through, particularly rules 5 through 19. But experience with other boats we encounter is a chance to "realize" what we've read, discern between same tack/opposite tack situations, understand how running lights guide us at night, and so on.
 
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