Swopping books whilst sailing

[BrianH]

I just can't see myself with a kindle, I'm with jeanne, I want the feel of a book in my hand..

I too like holding a book - paperback for choice providing the spine is flexible and substantial enough not to lose pages when forced open to keep the page from closing when dining alone.

However, the days of real books on my boat are over, other than the two racks of maritime reference, classics, pilot books and manuals that came with the navigation instruments. The Kindle has taken over. No other way could I depart for the entire summer aboard with a complete library of over 1000 unabridged books aboard - reference, classics, new novels, many (all the classics of Conrad, Slocum, et al) completely free for the download. And if I hear of something I just must read, how simple to connect with Amazon to have it instantly deposited into my Kindle via the free 3G connection anywhere I may be moored. Even the battery life is incredible, many weeks before the low battery warning and the need to plug into the 12V supply to charge up.

There's another blessing of this miracle of modern technology. My old eyes are not what they were and by evening focussing on small printed text becomes tiring, even impossible at times. The Kindle however, is easier to read with its white page, high contrast display - even allowing the size of text to be increased for us decrepit oldies.

Also, the Kindle doesn't need that forcing open when at table, usually having to jam under a spare plate to retain the right page - it stays obediently displaying the current page until the turn page button is pressed. What an improvement, even the gravy spot can be wiped off without staining the page.

I'm sorry, but it's no contest any more. I still have a small library of books like 'Down Channel' by McMullen, 'Cruising Under Sail' by Hiscock but no, they are not for exchange, they are too much loved and thumbed, nevertheless, Kindle rules on my boat now.

 

[guernseyman]

Two suggestions:

1: Google for bookswap in your area,
2: there are bookswapping websites, see Wikipedia 'book swapping'.

 

[Conachair]

I just can't see myself with a kindle, I'm with jeanne, I want the feel of a book in my hand..

I use a kindle all the time now. Books have started feel awkward, they keep wanting to close and you can´t change page with just one hand. Not what I thought would happen at all.

You don´t know what you want before trying both.

Anyway, you are allowed both, security at Waterstones won´t kick you out for having a kindle in your pocket

One benifit is that with a kindle you can keep books you really like, and have half a dozen throw aways for the book swaps to read in the cockpit on passage. But is a good Ian McEwan worth 3 Wilber Smiths? There´s an idea for a wesite - cruisers books author exchange rates

As for swaps, marina laundrys usually have a few lying around.

 

[rivonia]

I am a LUDITE and at first when eveyone was talking about Kindle. Well I thought it was some kind of storage device on the boats.

Hey Ho.

Me, I still store and read paper books.

fair winds

Peter

 

[temptress]

We just ASK other boats - worst that can happen is they say no best is we get new books.

 

[Tomahawk]

We are getting ready to cast off..The Kindle was early on the shopping list... Mostly for being compact

True you do not have the pleasure of finding a gem of some sort by accident... But we simply wouldn't have space for a lot of paper books. However on reflection we will take a number of paperbacks simply so as to have the excuse to open a conversation when we see a red duster....

 

[Downsman]

Book swopping has hidden pitfalls..Be wary of the, " I'll swop you a carrier bag full if you bring a bag full and we'll just swop"....
All my 'Boys Books.' Andy Macnab, Bernard Cornwell, books on pirates, etc:etc:...What did I get?? Doctor Simon looked lovingly into sister Clarke's velvet blue eyes...Ainsley Whatsit..20 ways to cook a freakin' mushroom..Persian Rug designs..1660-1800.
Aaaggh!! swindled..always double check the carrier bag contents..

 

[Conachair]

Book swopping has hidden pitfalls..Be wary of the, " I'll swop you a carrier bag full if you bring a bag full and we'll just swop"....
All my 'Boys Books.' Andy Macnab, Bernard Cornwell, books on pirates, etc:etc:...What did I get?? Doctor Simon looked lovingly into sister Clarke's velvet blue eyes...Ainsley Whatsit..20 ways to cook a freakin' mushroom..Persian Rug designs..1660-1800.
Aaaggh!! swindled..always double check the carrier bag contents..

Brilliant! And you didn´t actually make those names up, did you

Ever been overtaken by a book? Feeling quite the world girdler after a long passage only to find in the cruisers bar a book you swapped ages ago has got there before you

 

[Downsman]

Not overtaken by a book, but caught up with an old(ish) Admiralty chart that I had given to someone in Kalamata ages ago. (about 4 years ).. Someone had done a Time/speed/distance sum on the back in that purple colour chart correction pen so I recognised it. It was in a bar in amongst the swop books at the Marina International at Torrevieja, Spain.

I have an alarm system rigged now that sounds if anyone comes aboard trying to offload Jackie Collins books...

 

[BrianH]

I have an alarm system rigged now that sounds if anyone comes aboard trying to offload Jackie Collins books...

That's the big problem with book exchanges, isn't it. There's so much tat out there, airport newsagent rack trash, Jeffrey Archer and the like. How to refuse it without offending .... I just couldn't get myself to say, "no thanks, I've read that".

I had an attractive young lady hail me from the pier a few years ago, asking if I had any books to exchange. She asked in German as I was sailing under an Austrian ensign in those days (a long story), I answered that I only had a couple of English-language ones and she pulled a face and wandered off. Pity.

 

[tonybannister]

Most of the post here compare the Kindle with real books.
You can have both !!!

 

[Frankie-H]

Things must have changed Book swaps used to be a way of life and a good excuse for a glass of wine or beer. It seems a shame that many people do not stamp their books any more. It used to be great fun to see the travels of your latest book. Each year most people buy a few new books, perhaps at stations or airports, so there always seems to be a surplus, which can be left at marinas or clubs.

Do look at the books and then swap by book numbers or height of the pile. Some people are quite fussy.

 

[GrahamM376]

Fortunately we have plenty of book swaps around here, Jeannes being the best. The bookshelf in our boatyard used to be in the toilet so one had to check the last few pages weren't missing!

 

[vyv_cox]

Book swopping has hidden pitfalls..Be wary of the, " I'll swop you a carrier bag full if you bring a bag full and we'll just swop"....
All my 'Boys Books.' Andy Macnab, Bernard Cornwell, books on pirates, etc:etc:...What did I get?? Doctor Simon looked lovingly into sister Clarke's velvet blue eyes...Ainsley Whatsit..20 ways to cook a freakin' mushroom..Persian Rug designs..1660-1800.
Aaaggh!! swindled..always double check the carrier bag contents..

It can be worth persevering with some, rather than swapping them on immediately. We were passed one called 'a short history of Ukrainian tractors' and thought ' not in a million years'. Eventually I tried it and it was brilliant. One of the funniest I have read in a very long time.