Ocean Sailing

It could be said that the British RYA Ocean Yachtmaster Syllabus contains all anyone who speaks English needs to make the jump from coastal passagemaking to worldwide cruising. Certainly, with the exception of detailed instruction regarding ice navigation, my own experience has borne this out. Ocean Sailing was put together as a concise guide to illuminate the RYA syllabus. As such it handles the theory and practice of navigation, weather, passage planning and a number of other associated topics. It does not set out to be a compendium of all you could ever want to know about deep-water seafaring. 

The book begins with a large section on celestial navigation which is, to all intents and purposes, my original text for the same publisher on that subject (see below), so don't buy both books. It goes on to discuss ocean weather, passage planning and making, plus the realistic use of GPS in an ocean context. 
Navigators coming to terms with 'astro' might be relieved to learn that maths was never my strong point. This vital area is therefore written from my own experience of navigating around the Atlantic in the days before GPS was heard of. Ten pages in, you already have your sextant in your hands. Thereafter, the practice marches hand in hand with a theoretical explanation based on as few numbers as possible. 

The publishers have down a fine job with full colour and a number of leading schools are recommending the book as a course companion. I hope Ocean Sailing helps you out.  Fernhurst Books at £12.95

buy from www.bookharbour.com

Other titles in the Fernhurst series

Celestial Navigation

The progenitor of Ocean Sailing (see above), which uses almost its entire content to cover the astro side of the RYA ocean syllabus. Equally relevant to the US-based student, this is a hands-on book for the beginner at sextant navigation. It assumes a sensible level of coastal navigation skills. Given these, a sextant, an almanac and a set of sight reduction tables, Celestial Navigation supplies all you need to find your way around the oceans in the age-old way using sun, stars and planets. Don't wait to begin practising until your GPS goes out the port-hole, though. Like any worthwhile skill, this most beautiful one of all demands more than a last-minute swot-up if you are to do it justice.  Fernhurst Books £8.95

buy from www.bookharbour.com

Inshore Navigation

A beginner's guide to classical navigation and pilotage. Friendly, sensible and realistic about what you can expect from yourself in your early days afloat, this book will keep you safe as you learn. Planned originally in the days before GPS, it is now somewhat dated, but if you favour a hands-on approach first and foremost, it won't let you down.  A more comprehensive approach for beginners who wish to use GPS will be  found in The Complete Day Skipper

  Fernhurst Books  £8.95

buy from www.bookharbour.com

Coastal and Offshore Navigation

The Yachtmaster's navigation companion. All you need to know to pilot a yacht on successful passages in tidal waters anywhere near the Continental Shelf. This book was written some years ago and is somewhat light on GPS navigation, but if you want to develop a sound classical foundation on which to build a complete navigational armoury, it is still hard to beat. For a more comprehensive modern picture, see The Complete Yachtmaster   Coastal and Offshore Navigation is published by Fernhurst Books £11.95

buy from www.bookharbour.com

Heavy Weather Cruising

I wrote this as a sort of 'pocket book' for practical cruising sailors. Much of the material considers the realities of bad weather on coastal passages in ordinary boats, but those looking to wider horizons will find plenty to help cope with breaking waves and high winds far out at sea where land is not an issue. The concise section on yacht stability demystifies the business of why yachts occasionally fall over, and might be considered required reading for all skippers. Highly illustrated.           Fernhurst Books   £11.95

buy from www.bookharbour.com

Boat Handling under Sail and Power

Bill Anderson, the retired training manager of the RYA and I wrote this one together. We designed it to lead you through the minefield of coming alongside, mooring, anchoring and open-water seamanship in a practical way that is as effective short-handed as when you are enjoying the benefit of a full sailing-school crew. The whole book is a 'helm's-eye view' and is comprehensively illustrated with diagrams and photographs.          Fernhurst Books  £11.95

buy from www.bookharbour.com