Early Books on Cruising under Sail?

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Hi all,

Apologies if anyone thinks this is posted on the wrong forum, but I thought I might get more info from you folks than down in the Book Forum?

Do any of you know of any titles that would be worth reading? I have Hiscocks "Cruising Under Sail", but I am looking for something earlier? Maybe even turn of the century, that doesn't consentrate on posh owners with big yachts?

Sort of practical hands on stuff? Any ideas?
 
What about Hunts yachting? That was a yearly roundup of boating during the late 1700s ive got a few from the 1790s i think? Some articals make great reading!

Wonder if its out of copy right? If so i could scan it to somewhere??For all to read.

There are largeish yachts but there were also many 2 toners 5 toners and dingys they make the best reading! Like to make gravy dip a rusty chain in to add colour!
 
Hi! Thanks for your post.
Sorry to list the obvious ones near the turn of the century: Voss, McMullen, Worth and/or Slocum, et al - but for a few years later, I love the five volumes written in consecutive years from 1934 to 1938, by Uffa Fox - which have lots of references to cruising - including accounts of pretty 'rugged cruising' in a sailing canoe along the Brittany coast. And crossing the Channel - and back - in an open racing dinghy. Unfortunately, for your purposes, you also asked: "...doesn't consentrate on posh owners with big yachts?" - and the above five books deal with all sorts of boating, from the J-class downwards! But in my mind, that makes them all the more interesting! Err, and also, I believe these 5 volumes are now difficult to get hold of...
All the best.
 
Might be a bit too recent for you but try and get a hold of "Elements of Yacht Sailing and Cruising" by Alec Grenville. My copy's dated 1939. The author is unashamedly biased to gaff cutters in the 30' to 40' range but it's still a damn good reference book.
 
Have a look at this list of books for sale by FISHER NAUTICAL I posted about 4 Months ago. By the way I have no connection with the sellers only I have bought from them in the past.
F.B.Cooke's Books are very good for the practical info in them.
see here.
 
Hilaire belloc - Cruise of the Nona. In between the social and political comments lies a fadscinating account of an extended coastal cruise with descriptive passages as true today as they were a hundred years ago:

"..then, just when you think you are safely on your way, it (The St Albans Race) comes romping across the waves to greet you like a long lost friend..."

full of delightful anecdotes of British coastal sailing.
 
Cruise of the Dreamship by Ralph Stock. It's about taking an Archer boat to the south sea islands in the years following the First World War. Probably the most entertaining book i've read about yachting. It was published in 1921 though, and it's no longer in print, so second hand bookshops or abebooks if you want it.
 
Hi Charlie,

Peter Pye has written various books about his voyages in Moonraker pre WW II (I think) - some of them have been re-published, and are available on Amazon UK.

And then there is 'The Cruise of the Teddy' by Erling Tambs, published by the Mariners library - here is the synopsis from the 1989 paperback version :

"In 1928 Erling Tambs and his bride set off from Norway in their pilot cutter "Teddy", with no sextant or barometer and without a prearranged destination. This is an account of their adventurous three-year journey sailing amongst the islands in two oceans. Moments of high drama, such as a disastrous shipwreck and the Tambs' encounter with an earthquake in New Zealand, are offset by the birth of the Tambs' son and daughter and tales of encounters with people in some of the most exotic corners of the world".

Lots more books from the early part of the 20th century in the Mariner's Library - just type 'Mariners Library' into the 'search' on Amazon, and a 5 page list comes up.
 
Many thanks all for the info, loads there to be looking in to.

Never had much luck with Amazon, bloddy site just wont play ball with me, I always end up going round in circles! Just wont accept the information I give it! /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

So I will look elsewhere. What I am really looking for is practical hands on books about sailing small yachts (gaff Cutters and the like with no engine) about 4/5 ton max, at the turn of the 19th / 20th century, or maybe even the 1920's? Adventures are very entertaining reading, but what interests me more is the seamanship involved, the maintenance techniques, the materials used, that kind of thing.

The kind of sailing that I am really interested in couldn't be done by most people today. People just don't have the time, there is always the need to be somewhere, usually back at work, by Monday morning, that sort of thing, so going back to basics just isn't an option, I can't imagine any employer being very sympathetic to a message saying that one couldn't be in for work this morning because one is becalmed in the middle of the Irish Sea! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I have to confess, that I am probably becoming a tad eccentric, as I move nearer to my 60th birthday, but the idea of sailing as it used to be done, seems more attractive as the days go by. I have a "plastic classic", and she is very good, but I have been thinking of late, that if I were to finish of the little Devon Potter, that I am restoring, and bring the Nomad right up to snuff, sell both of them, I may have enough funds for the purchase of something along the lines of a fairly decent Deben 4 tonner, or Cherub, Hillyard 2 1/2 - 4 tonner?

Back to the books, whilst I have a good working knowledge of traditional sail, and wooden boats, you can never know it all, and I suppose I am looking for books that will further my knowledge in that regard.

It seems to me that a lot of people today, that go sailing, are supplanting seamanship with technology. For some, it is an absolute necessity, and yes, I understand why. Modern technology, (when it works) is a real asset for most people, but as I said earlier, my mind is being drawn to a different path. Imagine if you will, a pretty little 4/5 ton gaff cutter, oil lamps, solid fuel stove, no engine (pair of sweeps instead), alcohol stove or parafin, for cooking...................

Now add in, no need to be anywhere by a particular time......No need to be anywhere in particular..............Just point her where the winds and tides will suit her best........

Am I the only one here that finds this attractive? To answer my own question, yes probably, because most will be constrained by the demands and ties of modern life, but what if one was to severe those ties, ditch those contraints?.......

I know that some of you may think that these are the ramblings of a silly old fart, and I apologise for inflicting them upon you, if this be so. On the other hand, there just may be some of you that can empathise with what I am saying and maybe even have something to add, anybodies ramblings are most welcome! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
I agree on Cruise of the Nona - wonderful sailing passages. My favourite early one is Cruising by Claude Worth which has already been mentioned and describes Brittany when it was still rarely visited by yachts.

Of the 60s books then Crude Cruising (by Michael Green??) is great fun but I haven't seen a copy for a long time.
 
Commander Irving wrote a number of books, some illustrated by his wife Beryl. Click! and here Amongst others was The Yachtsman's weekend book and, "His many books, including histories of the royal yacht The King's Britannia and of great naval actions like Coronel and the Falklands. These and his glossary of naval slang Royal Navalese are standard works in naval libraries." Many others including some very practical ones.
 
I think I know what you want.

There are plenty of such books, books on “amateur sailing” in small boats, and they are a real joy!

FB Cooke’s books have already been mentioned; they are precisely what you are after. Written between around 1900 and 1950. Cooke himself lived to a great age, and his last article in Yachting Monthly (on the subject of mud!) appeared in the 1960’s when he was 100. I myself still get a sense, when sailing around the Thames estuary, that I am accompanied by two gentle, persistent, knowledgeable ghosts – my father and Francis B Cooke. They have always been there before and know what to do.

Any of Cooke’s books will do but look in particular for “Cruising Hints”, “Seamanship for Yachtsmen”. “Weekend Cruising” and “The Singlehanded Yachtsman”.

Now, stepping back a little further in time, there is a “MUST READ” and that is the grandfather of all sail cruising books – R.D. McMullen’s “Down Channel”. This covers the period from 1850, when he learned to sail by teaching himself in a 3 tonner to 1892 when his body was found with an arm over the tiller of his last boat, a 26 footer that he was single-handing on a fine moonlit night in the Channel. This is a “must read”, not only because it is very good indeed, but also because all the other writers that you will come across refer to it!

For example, moving on to the next “MUST READ” – Claud Worth’s “Yacht Cruising” (four editions, 1910 to 1936) almost starts with him meeting McMullen whilst trying to work down Channel in a rather inadequate old ship’s boat, and later on it has a description of his singlehanding the cutter TERN in the great gale of September 1896, which contains the words “I read a few chapters of “Sirius” (in McMullen’s book, above) and hardened my heart.”

The book to have on board is “A Manual for Small Yachts” by RD Graham and JEH Tew, the father and husband respectively of the late Helen Tew; this is intended as a pocket reference book for the sort of boat that you have in mind; it is very sound indeed.

As others have already said, look for any volumes in “The Mariners Library”, a very good series of reprints, edited by Arthur Ransome, which came out between the 1930s and the 1950’s. Some deal with small boats and some with sailing ships but they are all good.

And as has been said it is worth hunting down and collecting Uffa Fox’s five magnificent books from the 1930’s – these cover everything from the J class to 12 foot National dinghies but have a good deal of small boat cruising in them too.

If you are lucky enough to come by a bound volume of the “Yachting Monthly” from the days of Griffiths’ editorship, buy it at once, likewise any stray volumes of the RCC Journal, especially from the 1920’s and 1930’s.
 
Re: I think I know what you want.

Thanks Mate! I have copied all the lists that people have been kind enough to suggest, and I will print them off later.

Did you get anywhere with the lack of Power / speed thing?
 
Re: I think I know what you want.

I know the feeling you are talking about. I know for sure G.U.Laws has done a trip on Mercia III it is mentioned in one of F.B.Cooke's books and I would think it is not impossible that F.B.Cooke himself has sailed on her as he was a great friend of Laws and Mercia II and III are mentioned in F.B.Cooke's books. Both boats where on the River Crouch in 1900 to 1908. When we found her she was in a much modified condition and I had to really think out what she would have been like as far as her topsides lay out was, at the end of the day we had to pack in the forward end of the coach roof coaming by 2ins to get it right. I spent hrs sat on her pondering what I should I do and how would she have been in the first place. I really think inspiration came from somewhere. When we eventually found drawings of her it was quite amazing how close I got her back to her original lay out bearing in mind she had nothing of any originality above the top plank and gunwale..
 
Re: I think I know what you want.

For example, moving on to the next “MUST READ” – Claud Worth’s “Yacht Cruising”

Ive got that as well with large fold out plans of his boats. I could scan that for you as well?? When i get near my books scanner and a wi fi connection.

I suppose i could scan to disc?? Then find a fast wi-fi and send?? I have lots of books and yearly annuals from the late 1800 and earl 1900s im planing a trip for the 3/4 th January ill post a list of my books you may find interesting.

You must tell be before the years end if you want a scan as i will have to take a scanner with me!!

The scanner books & wi-fi conection are all in very differant places!!
 
Re folk sailing simple small vessels in more modern times, two authors come to mind :

Peter Hancock has written a book called 'Sailing out of Silence', about his cruise around the Atlantic on Kylie, a Contessa 26, who had no engine, just a big pair of sweeps.

And Lin & Larry Pardey, who sailed their 24' homebuilt timber bermudan cutter Seraffyn (also engineless) around the world (I think) before moving up to a much bigger (28' !) version (still with no engine), also home built, and designed by Lyle Hess.

I met an American family on a boat 32 years ago here in Barbados - they had just arrived from the Canaries. Two 'grown-ups', three kids under 15 and a dog. The vessel was 'Scud', an exact replica of Slocum's 'Spray' which they had built themselves. Like Spray they had no engine, no electricity (only oil lamps, and a coal stove (must have been very hot in the tropics!). They had just completed their 2nd transatlantic (after sailing to Europe from Connecticut), and subsequently went round the world with her.
I bumped into the eldest son Gary again 25 years later in Bequia - he was following in Scud's wake, with his own family, on his completely re-built Scottish Zulu 'Violet' (oooh, she was a work of art, absolutely gorgeous) that he had spent 3 years rebuilding in his boatyard on Marthas Vineyard- although he did have mod-cons like a diesel engine, electricity, a GPS........
 
There see! I aint the only mad person in the world! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif I have run this past 'er indoors, and she made the observation that what I wouldn't spend on engine requirements (fuel and servicing), fancy electronics etc. Would go a long way to keeping the boat shipshape and tiddly?

There is also the possibilty that if I bought a boat that had a decent diesel engine in her, that I would be able to sell it to gain extra money for other things (would I have the bottle?) /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

Well, in any event, I have a ways to go yet, two boats to get sorted, once that point is reached, I will have to stand back and take stock. Then if I decide that it's the way I really want to go, I will put them up for sale, and see what happens. I still have a yen to visit places up north, ie. Iceland and Greenland, just might be doing it in a different way to that I had first envisioned?

It's no good, I have to ask............where'd you get that hat? Did you pinch it off Gabby Hayes? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Re: Minimalist sailing.....

Charlie, it sounds like 'er indoors is anxious to be got rid of you, if she is agreeing with you re how no engine or electronics is a sensible move re keeping the boat 'shipshape and tiddly' - or is she planning on going with you on this spartan journey?

If you buy a boat with a decent diesel engine in it - leave the engine in it, you dont HAVE to use it - IMHO it will have a lot more value staying with the boat compared to trying to flog it off seperately.

Re voyaging to Iceland and Greenland, have a look at www.setsail.com , especially the voyaging logs of the Martins on Driver, and the Lairds on Seal, both of whom sailed extensively in (very) high latitudes.

Re my hat, who is Gabby Hayes? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
Is she also another eccentric hat owner?

Actually, I salvaged it out of a skip...... /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif
 
Re: Minimalist sailing.....

Martin, Gabby Hayes is a he not a she, I may not have the spelling quite right, but he was in a lot of old westerns with the likes of John Wayne, Randolph Scott, Roy Rogers etc. see

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_'Gabby'_Hayes

It's amazing what you can find in skips aint it? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Nope, 'er indoors is definately not planning to come with me, I have the feeling that she thinks it's a good idea for me to go with no modern electronics, and no engine, on the basis that she thinks I might just get lost for longer! /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I will have a look at that site in a bit, sounds interesting.
 
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