Things I Wish I'd Known Before I Started Sailing

Maybe I should have read this book ten years ago. Instead, when I started sailing, I picked up a copy of John Rousmaniere, The Annapolis Book of Seamanship, which is very serious and covers a little of everything. Since then I picked up a few other books that deal with sail shape and racing techniques, which I can only take in small chunks at a time (or I can read them and quickly fall asleep). But this book was fun to read. It’s sort of a dictionary to random things about sailing. Each entry, which appear alphabetically (there are approximately 200 of them), covers different topics. By drawing from a variety of entries, one learns incredible things. Like the chance of a boat being hit by lightning is 6 in 1,000 (according to the insurance industry). But you’ll probably not be hurt, but you might if you’re hugging the mast or holding on to a wire shroud. But it’s more likely that lightning will blow out your electronics. However, occasionally it’s been known to blow a hole through the boat in which case you’re really screwed because a 2 inch hole a foot underwater will allow 4000 gallons of water an hour to seep into your boat (and what self-respecting lightning bolt only blows a two inch hole into anything). But 4000 gallons of water an hour is about a 1000 gallons more water than a good bilge pump can remove, so you’ll be playing a losing game. But that doesn’t matter because with your electronics fried, your bilge pump won’t work. This led me to look at his recommendations for life jackets (there’s no entry for what is essentially an important piece of equipment when you have a two inch hole in the hull. There is, however, an entry for life rafts. The author basically says they’re worthless. Despite this, there’s some good information in this book and it’s conveyed in a humorous manner. Just in case you wanted to know, there are also some formulas that are obviously provided as a way to make celestial navigation seem easy. To determine how much water will be flooding into a boat, one only has to take the diameter (in inches) times the square root of the height the water must rise to equal the outside water level (or how far below the water level the hole is). By the time you’ve done this calculation, you’re probably no longer breathing air. Another helpful formula predicts the resistance of a given boat to capsizing. All you have to do is to divide your boats displacement (in pounds) by 64, find the cube root of that number. Take the beam (in feet and tenths of a foot) and divided it by the cube root above. If your answer is less than 2 you boat is relatively safe from capsizing. It would be advisable to do these calculations before you sail into a rogue wave, and regardless of your boat’s number on the capsizing scale, you might want to put on your PFD while the wave is still on the horizon. Remember the Poseidon Adventure! Of course, don’t think this is a technical book. The author also discusses luck and suggest that the most valuable instrument in sailing around the world is a depth finder. And there is ideas for a “boat renaming” ceremony to placate the ocean gods.

Great book to read to bring you back to earth on the reality of the sailing experience. With time and money being as expensive as it is today. It is good to have this author write this book to clearly let you know what you are getting into. It does not discourage you from experiencing what I feel is one of the greatest recreational activities. But it has opened my eyes so that I can make more decisions, knowing exactly what I'm getting into.

Though quick to read, this book has much content, providing general overview in, and of, the "MANY' facets both for, the experienced enthusiast, [otherwise known as the obsessive ol' salt], as well as beginners. A strait to the point general alphabetical index, that does indeed have content, requiring serious considerations, and further depth, [deeper fathom] of understanding, to be found in more specific detailed manuals, and or professional guidance. Yet still, provides humorous incite into, and of so many areas of contention factors, that are sometimes overlooked, forgotten, neglected, and right-to-the-core, fundamentals necessary, for the most satisfaction, least anxiety experience(s), of the sailing lifestyle. Calling attention to so many issues that even myself from days of past, have now been reminded of. Truly enjoyable writ, with just the right amount of content, that will provide the reader a basic understanding enough to either give cause to delve into an facet for more details or just a simple reminder of some few issues or items that perhaps have been overlooked. Recommended Read!

John Vigor does not go into any great length discussing numerous sailing issues and topics, but rather gives concise information on many aspects of value to the novice and many seasoned sailors. Topics are presented in a humorous but insightful manner. Vigor gets immediately to the point without wasting words and points out in sailing there are often various acceptable solutions to problems with no single solution being the best; he describes what has been time tested and has worked for him over the years. This is an easy read and one can pick up the volume and start reading at any point. While the reader might be familiar with many of the recommendations presented, if he or she benefits from simply a couple pointers, then this book is well worth its purchase price.

I bought this book thinking it would provide insights into what to avoid in sailing within a humorous context. I found some of the information useful and thought provoking. But it is written in an alphabetical arrangement of topics, so it is more of a dictionary or reference style that you can come back to and quickly find topics. The cover indicates a wide use of comedy, but I found that sparse. I read it cover to cover, and it is not a compilations of stories detailing funny "don't do it this way."

Having just purchased my first sailboat (am a past power boater), I not only enjoyed Mr. Vigor's way of writing but the manner in how things were described. Every topic seemed to be just enough information to give me comfort in understanding and more confident as I grow in my knowledge of sailing. If his other books are written with such clarity and informative manner he can expect my purchase of more of his books for sure. Great and easy reed that I finished in two day of leisurely reading. Thanks for the education.

Very clear and usefull tips

disappointed by the content of the book.

as I expected and it seems to be new