The Sailing Bible

by Evans, Jeremy

• ISBN13: 9781554074297
• ISBN10: 1554074290
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2009-02-01
• Publisher: Firefly Books Ltd

Summary

The ideal companion for enjoyable and safe sailing.Jam-packed with vital data, step-by-step instructions, explanatory diagrams, expert tips and lively action photos, The Sailing Bible is the most complete and user-friendly sailing handbook. Whether new to boating or experienced, whether sailing a Sunfish or a yacht, sailors will find all the answers in this hands-on guide.Organized progressively from starting out and learning to sail to navigation and boat maintenance, the authors cover everything sailors must know to get the most out of this fabulous sport and their particular boat. Topics include:Dinghies and yachts Cruising and racing Launching, helming, trapezing and capsizing Racing techniques and tactics Buoys, tides, charts and navigation Anchoring and marina berthing Knots, ropes and flags Boat etiquette and seamanship Rules of the road, safety and emergencies and much more.The Sailing Bible is the most comprehensive guide to the dynamic and exciting sport of sailing.

Table of Contents

Welcome to Sailing

Starting Out

Sailing for everyone

How can I learn to sail?

What is a dinghy?

What is a keel boat?

What is a multihull?

What is a cruiser?

Different types of boats

Learning to Sail

The 360-degree sailing circle

Sail power provides forward drive

Experiencing the wind

Wind in your sails

Steering with a rudder

Sail trim

Sailing maneuvers

Who has the right of way?

Basic knots

Ropework

Staying warm

Full protection

Dinghy Sailing

Enjoy the ride

Choosing a dinghy

Why choose a catamaran?

What to wear for dinghy sailing

What else do you need?

Dinghy design and construction

Fiberglass dinghies

Polyethylene dinghies

Asymmetric spinnakers and skiffs

Rigging a twin-crew dinghy

Rigging a catamaran

Rig controls

Where to sail

Inland and coastal sailing

Launching a dinghy

Leaving the shore

Sailing away from the shore

Sailing on a reach

Sailing into the wind

Sailing away from the wind

How is a catamaran different?

How to tack

How to jibe

Coming back to shore

Dinghy capsize

Catamaran capsize

Common-sense seafaring

Too much wind

Over the side

Dinghy skills

Using a trapeze

Trapeze techniques

Trapezing at speed

Sailing with a spinnaker

Rigging a spinnaker

Asymmetric control

Jibing an asymmetric spinnaker

Symmetric spinnaker control

Dingy care

Dingy damage

Dinghy and cat racing

Racing around the course

Cruising

Choosing a yacht

Choosing a cruiser

Inside a cruiser

On deck

Deck hardware

Deck safety gear

What to wear on deck

How a yacht is rigged

The mainsail

Raising the mainsail

Setting the mainsail

Handling the headsail

Reefing

Sailing upwind

Tacking

Sailing offwind

Jibing

Cruising with spinnakers

Using the engine

Boat handling under power

Entering a marina

Berthing in a marina or harbor

How a yacht is secured

Leaving a marina

Anchoring a yacht

Controlling the anchor

Retrieving the anchor

The perfect anchorage

Picking up a mooring

Using a tender

Using an outboard motor

Planning a cruise

Living on a yacht

Cooking and catering

Passage problems

Passage conditions

Man overboard

Good cruising

Navigation

What is navigation?

Navigation instruments

Keeping to a course

Latitude and longitude

Distance and direction

What is a nautical chart?

Chart depths and heights

The international buoyage system

What are tides?

What causes tidal flow?

Tidal height calculations

A position line

Fixing a position

What is GPS?

Using GPS for position

Traditional chartwork

Planning your destination

A route for your GPS

Interpreting GPS displays

Electronic chart plotters

The accuracy of electronic charts

Radar

Pilotage

A pilotage plan

Passage planning

Navigation on passage

Navigation at night

Weather

The effect of weather

Where does weather come from?

Weather systems

The boundary of an air mass

High-pressure systems

The movement of weather systems

Local winds

Stormy weather

What is fog?

Air temperature

What do clouds mean?

Weather forecasts

Beaufort scale

Maintenance

Refitting

Hull and deck

Mast, spars, rigging and sails

The engine

Electrical

Plumbing

Personal and boat safety

Pre-season preparation

Safety at Sea

Planning for safety

Safety equipment

Collision avoidance

Emergency procedures

First aid

Glossary

Index

Acknowledgements

Table of Contents provided by Publisher. All Rights Reserved.

Excerpts

Welcome to Sailing Sailing is a fantastic sport that relies on two great elements - wind and water - both of which are natural and free! It offers great value for all those who want to enjoy the wonderfully simple sensations of being blown along by a breeze in your sails. This book - arranged in the following sections - aims to tell you everything you need to know about this great sport.Starting out How did sailing evolve from tough working boats and millionaires' yachts to a sport enjoyed by millions of sailors today? Democracy and technology have taken over, providing an activity that can be enjoyed by all ages at all levels, ranging from recreational to professional. The first section of this book explains how you can learn to sail and get into the sport, and provides a guide to the similarities and differences between sailing small dinghies, larger keelboats, multihulls or larger cruising yachts.Learning to sail How does the wind actually drive a boat? In the old days, it was simple: the crew of a Viking long ship or square-rigger merely sailed with the wind behind them, but now we can sail in any direction except directly toward the wind. This section explains the difference between "points" of sailing known as beating, reaching and running, and the changes in direction known as tacks and jibes. It goes on to cover how sail power provides forward drive and how sail trim and the rudder are used to steer the boat. Sailing maneuvers involve changing direction, not least when you meet another boat, so a vital question is "Who has right of way?" Knots and ropework are also basic elements of learning to sail, as are staying warm and choosing the right gear.Dinghy sailing Dinghies and beach cats are the smallest sailing craft. They also provide the cheapest introduction to the sport and get you physically closer to wind and water. The choice of different boats is huge, so in this section we have made a selection of popular classes, explaining how they are designed and built, and how you launch and sail away from the shore. You'll find details here about all of these, plus information on racing around a course, dinghy maintenance, and trapeze and spinnaker technique for high-performance sailing.Cruiser sailing A cruiser or yacht provides the opportunity to live afloat. It's a wonderful lifestyle, whether you're sailing in sunshine or snuggled up somewhere in the comfort of the cabin down below. This section explains the principal elements of a cruiser, how to rig and reef the sails, how to sail in all directions, how to use the engine should the wind fail, how to leave or enter a dock or marina, how to deal with wind and tide, and how to choose an anchorage or pick up a mooring. It also explains what to do in rough weather or fog. Remember that you'll want to go ashore, so you'll need a tender - also covered in this section. Navigation and weather You need to know where you're going and how to get there. Navigation was once a difficult subject, but has become much more accessible due to the availability of GPS. The classic style of navigation, however, is still important - everyone who sails a yacht should know how to read a chart, plot a course and calculate the movement of tides. Weather plays a major role in sailing, and though we have never been more blessed by reliable forecasts, understanding weather systems and their effect on your sailing will be an invaluable help.Boat maintenance Many dinghies are virtually maintenance free: just hose off any salt and put them away. By contrast, yachts require annual maintenance to ensure that everything works perfectly the following season. This section explains how to look after every element of the yacht including the hull and deck, sails, engine, electrical, plumbing and safety equipment.Safety Finally, you need to sail safely, To do this, you must pl