Books you couldn’t sail without?

[youngkath]

Hi there,
I’m new to the liveaboard life (six months in) and for Christmas I received a book voucher (£35!). So I’m looking for liveaboard cruising recommendations. Like many, I keep a blog (read mostly by my Mum!)... but I recently, wrote a post about the books we (so far) couldn’t sail without. Books that might not be read cover-to-cover, but those that have been excellent inspiration, reference texts or helpful guides. I’m curious to hear from others as to whether there are any we’re missing?! I’ll happily spend the voucher on your top recommendation and review afterwards!

https://www.thesailingnomads.com/log/15-sailing-books-that-helped-us-prepare-for-cruising-life

Many thanks in advance.
Kath
s/v Caladh

 

[Ladybirdgaffcutter]

Das Boot
The Seven Pillars of Wisdom
The Mind of the Sailor
Moby Dick
Reeds Almanac
The Marlinspike Sailor

 

[Poignard]

Apart from leisure reading, and obvious necessities such as an almanac and user manuals for the boat's equipment, why do you need any books?

You seem to be perfectly capable as you are, and not in need of inspiration. :encouragement:

 

[Spuddy]

Thanks for link to blog which I'll read when laptop is Handy. I always have Candide by Voltaire around - I think it's a work of genius

 

[Balticfly]

Take your favourite book of poetry. No one ashore has enough time to read poetry

 

[youngkath]

Thanks guys. I was curious more than anything, some really good suggestions. We have two (small) bookshelves on the Victoria 34, one for essential sailing books and the other for pleasure reading.

Das Boot - Heard of this, but never read - will google, thank you!
The Seven Pillars of Wisdom - well I definitely need this!!! So will check it out, thanks!
The Mind of the Sailor - not heard of this, will Google - sounds up my street, thanks.
Moby Dick - YES! We don't have a copy on board actually, which almost feels blasphamas!
Reeds Almanac - yes it's the bible isn't it.. we're heading out of Med, so will have to refresh all almanacs soon
The Marlinspike Sailor - good one
Candide by Voltaire - epic choice... I still haven't fully read through! Will keep trying though!
Favourite book of poetry - oh it's so hard to choose though! I have the sonnets, which I love! Palgraves collection, but yes maybe a book of sailing sea shanty poetry would be nice to dip into off watch!

Many thanks!

 

[laika]

Excluding those mentioned already, the Collins Bird book is invaluable
La longue route if you speak a bit of french and if you don't the translation works too. I've got a few books on the shelf by sailors but I've never felt the need to rummage through them for a knox-johnston or macarthur quote. Moitessier however..
On the poetry side, the complete works of coleridge has obvious nautical relevance and if your friends accuse you of being pretentious you can say you only bought it because you liked that Olivia Newton John movie
I've never read the riddle of the sands. There's copy on my shelf I'm saving for either a really really good day or a really really bad day

Can anyone recommend a book on cetaceans and other large marine wildlife? That's something I feel is missing from my on-board collection.

 

[Motor_Sailor]

I would say the 'Rough Guides' to the countries along whose border you're sailing, together with books like "The Scottish Islands" by Hamish Haswell-Smith or 'Love and War in the Apennines' and other Med travel books, depending on where you're cruising.

I know for many people that cruising is simply their country cottage with the ability to change the view from time to time. But I'm always conscious that we're travelling along the margin's of some spectacular countries, most of which lay inland.

So once the library is complete, buy a bike to carry on board and head off inland from time to time, book in hand.

 

[youngkath]

More good choices, thank you. I absolutely loved voyage for madmen... and became completely intrigued by Moitessier, never thought to read The Long Way in French, a great idea... thank you! I have ordered on Kindle

I like Motor_Sailors idea of buying books to accompany the borders... we are in Sicily at the moment, so lots of potential!

Thanks again.

 

[doug748]

......

Can anyone recommend a book on cetaceans and other large marine wildlife? That's something I feel is missing from my on-board collection.

I don't think I can recommend it but I like The Yachtsman's Naturalist:

https://www.abebooks.co.uk/book-search/title/yachtsman's-naturalist/

It's scope is too wide, from bugs to birds, to do justice to anything in particular and it was not new, even a long time ago.
However it has aged nicely, it's authors were sailors and you get sage advice about the weight of anchors and how to dredge and preserve specimens on a small boat. A book from another age it feels nice in the hand and has what used to be called "full colour plates" sandwiched between the text.

For youngkath - have a look at my suggestions on the Ten Best Books thread, I think you would enjoy them

 

[moomba]

Excluding those mentioned already, the Collins Bird book is invaluable
La longue route if you speak a bit of french and if you don't the translation works too. I've got a few books on the shelf by sailors but I've never felt the need to rummage through them for a knox-johnston or macarthur quote. Moitessier however..
On the poetry side, the complete works of coleridge has obvious nautical relevance and if your friends accuse you of being pretentious you can say you only bought it because you liked that Olivia Newton John movie
I've never read the riddle of the sands. There's copy on my shelf I'm saving for either a really really good day or a really really bad day

Can anyone recommend a book on cetaceans and other large marine wildlife? That's something I feel is missing from my on-board collection.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Marine-Mammals-World-Comprehensive-Identification/dp/0124095429
A very good comprehensive book ,(medically retired Marine Biologist field of study Marine )Mammals):encouragement:

 

[saab96]

You may not have heard of this one: John Caldwell, Desperate Voyage, Adlard Coles Nautical, the most astonishing story of a sailing novice who took on an ocean and survived. Just. I love the bit where he is starving, having bailed all his food overboard, and fantasises about gently catching, plucking and devouring a bird that has landed nearby. He grabs it and shoves it into his mouth, feathers and all.

 

[LittleSister]

I keep them at home, rather than on board, but for a good read that stays with you, and asks to be re-read, I'd recommend:

Passage to Juneau - Jonathan Raban
Ostensibly about a sailing trip from Vancouver to Alaska, but is so much, much more.

The Worst Journey in the World - Apsley Cherry-Gerrard
Beautifully written, moving, perceptive account of extreme adventuring. Reckoned by some to be one of the best travel books ever written.

Maurice Griffiths - The Magic of the Swatchways
A one-off, by a founder of yachting as we know it. He wrote numerous other books, but this is the one that takes you there.

The Unlikely Voyage of Jack de Crow - A J Mackinnon
What a hoot! Gloriously entertaining tale of the author's voyage from inland England, through Europe and on to the Black Sea. In a Mirror dinghy!



On my last long-distance trip the most useful book aboard was a Reeds Almanac. Not for its content but, by virtue of its bulk, when under engine and suitably placed it stopped the wheelhouse sole rattling!

 

[Poignard]

You may not have heard of this one: John Caldwell, Desperate Voyage, Adlard Coles Nautical, the most astonishing story of a sailing novice who took on an ocean and survived. Just. I love the bit where he is starving, having bailed all his food overboard, and fantasises about gently catching, plucking and devouring a bird that has landed nearby. He grabs it and shoves it into his mouth, feathers and all.

Thanks for reminding me of that. I read it years ago, and I might still have it. Didn't he chuck his engine over the wall too?

Time I read it again.

 

[saab96]

Thanks for reminding me of that. I read it years ago, and I might still have it. Didn't he chuck his engine over the wall too?

Time I read it again.

I don’t think he had an engine. Do you remember his leaving of Panama – his first experience of sailing? He fell overboard but too far from the clubhouse to be embarrassed by members seeing him. He became known as “Johnny coconut” in the Caribbean for planting nuts everywhere. Hell of a story.

 

[saab96]

I keep them at home, rather than on board, but for a good read that stays with you, and asks to be re-read, I'd recommend:

Passage to Juneau - Jonathan Raban
Ostensibly about a sailing trip from Vancouver to Alaska, but is so much, much more.

The Worst Journey in the World - Apsley Cherry-Gerrard
Beautifully written, moving, perceptive account of extreme adventuring. Reckoned by some to be one of the best travel books ever written.

Maurice Griffiths - The Magic of the Swatchways
A one-off, by a founder of yachting as we know it. He wrote numerous other books, but this is the one that takes you there.

The Unlikely Voyage of Jack de Crow - A J Mackinnon
What a hoot! Gloriously entertaining tale of the author's voyage from inland England, through Europe and on to the Black Sea. In a Mirror dinghy!



On my last long-distance trip the most useful book aboard was a Reeds Almanac. Not for its content but, by virtue of its bulk, when under engine and suitably placed it stopped the wheelhouse sole rattling!

Three great ones there. So I will try to get the fourth.

Do you know Peter Nichols, Sea Change A story of love and loss. Sailing his spartanly equipped 27 footer from England to the USA the boat springs a horrendous leak making the voyage a struggle to survive. Sheridan House, USA

 

[LittleSister]

Three great ones there. So I will try to get the fourth.

Do you know Peter Nichols, Sea Change A story of love and loss. Sailing his spartanly equipped 27 footer from England to the USA the boat springs a horrendous leak making the voyage a struggle to survive. Sheridan House, USA

Yes, I've read Sea Change (and probably still have it somewhere) and liked it a lot. I remember very strongly the feel of the book - his mood etc. - but have completely forgotten about any of the incidents. I think he wrote another book afterwards, but that I wasn't so taken by.[I may be getting confused - I think one of his books was 'Sailing Out of Silence', but can't remember which was which]

John Caldwell's Desperate Voyage, as someone has mentioned, is also a great read.

There's another I liked in that series, can't remember title [South Sea Vagabonds?] or author, but is about young New Zealander (maybe two) who builds a boat from logs found on the shore, and sails round the South Pacific having adventures, like making money by sailing a saloon full of oranges from one island group to another. Some of it seems pretty unbelievable, while other parts ring true.

Another sailing tale I liked a great deal - enough to re-read later - was about a lecturer taking a year off and sailing off from Whitby to go round the world. [Please remind me of the title, someone, it's bugging me!] Unlike the one above this is absolutely believable on both the human and boat issues fronts.

 

[Poignard]

I don’t think he had an engine. Do you remember his leaving of Panama – his first experience of sailing? He fell overboard but too far from the clubhouse to be embarrassed by members seeing him. He became known as “Johnny coconut” in the Caribbean for planting nuts everywhere. Hell of a story.

I have found my copy and had a quick skim read through it. He did have an engine but I can't find any reference to him ditching it; I must be getting mixed up with another intrepid voyager. It doesn't seem to have had much use and, if maintained to the same standard as the rest of the boat, it probably soon became unusable. One thing that caught my eye was his saying that he set off with a copy of "How to Sail".

Anyway, I have added it to my reading (re-reading) list.

ps can you imagine the reaction if there had been this forum available then and he had asked for advice. " I've never sailed before and I don't know how to navigate. I've bought a clapped out old boat and now I have no money left but I want to sail to Australia. Is this a good idea?"

 

[guernseyman]

Fastnet, Force 10 by John Rousmaniere. You can pick one up second hand for very little.
American guy who sailed through the disaster relatively unscathed.
His explanation of what happened changed my understanding of the sea even in normal conditions.

 

[mattonthesea]

Another sailing tale I liked a great deal - enough to re-read later - was about a lecturer taking a year off and sailing off from Whitby to go round the world. [Please remind me of the title, someone, it's bugging me!] Unlike the one above this is absolutely believable on both the human and boat issues fronts.

The inspiration for my journey! The Breath of Angels by John Beattie.