4 Classic How-To Books that Stay Aboard Our Boat

Last week, I asked you what’s on your bookshelf?

These are four books that I would not be without. These books cover the basics in a way that are inspirational for even the experienced boater. The first two (three) are full of basics and ideas for fine tuning your ship into a yacht. And the last ones are full of great illustrations on basic boating that are a bonus for explaining something to a new crew or reminding oneself how something is supposed to be done.

Hervey Garrett Smith. Arts of the Sailor: Knotting, Splicing and Ropework and The Marlinspike Sailor

I’ll write about both of these books together, as I have tended to see them as two volumes of one great work. These two books are not just about rope and rope work, although they have been my go-to books for reminding me how to tie a Turk’s Head, a back splice, various rope mats or what a ditty bag might look like.

There are also designs (and history) regarding wooden sailmakers benches and sea chests. There are also more “historical” notes regarding cotton ropes and hemp/manila rigging, etc. In addition, there are great descriptions on how to make buckets, bosun chairs, rope-stropped blocks, and notes on the use of “taykles.”

In addition, there are instructions on how you can use blocks to haul yourself up the mast with the use of a bosun’s chair and a set of block-and-tackle. This is similar to what the Pardey’s discuss but rigged slightly differently. I have found these books to be very handy to have onboard. It is often while out cruising that I find I have a moment of time to work on a new skill, and these two are an enormous help.

Bruce Bingham. The Sailor’s Sketchbook: 76 do-it-yourself projects to improve your sailboat

This is a great book full of ideas (and great sketches and stories). Some of the ideas I have never thought about doing. Other projects I did, only to see that Bingham’s method would have saved me many hours (and is a simpler more elegant solution). There is everything in here from a couple of ideas on guestbooks (like signing a table-cloth to then embroidering it later) to how to tow a dinghy (which Bingham has done for thousands of miles) to making a hiking-stick to adding teak to your fiberglass hatch to creating a “stained glass” hatch board. If nothing else, book is full of inspiration!

[Note: This is an Amazon link, as I couldn’t find a copy through the Bookshop.]

David Seidman. The Complete Sailor: Learning the Art of Sailing

This is a wonderful hidden gem. The book is clearly illustrated with pen and ink drawings throughout explaining all the maritime skills of the sailor.

Seidman starts with the basics of developing a sense of the wind, moves onto how to use it prior to getting the boat away from the dock. Once underway (and back at the dock), Seidman moves onto talking about rigs and hull and rules of the road. Later chapters cover anchoring, emergencies, marlinspike seamanship, sea and sky, navigation, racing and trailering.

The great thing about this book, is there is something for everyone: meaning for the beginner, there is lots of to learn; for the experienced, there is always a subtle detail to pick-up.

Ok, so here’s a 5^th as an extra.

Jan Adkins. The Craft of Sail: a primer of sailing.

This is a basic primer (as the subtitle suggests) that is basically illustrated with text and drawings. I have found this a great use (along with Seidman’s above) when wanting to explain a maneuver, hitch or the theory of sailing.

But I’m curious. What categories do you have? What do you bring along? How often do the books get changed out? Leave a comment below.

Blessed Be

Currently I’ve been reading Harry Pidgeon Around the World Single-Handed

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A Word About The Links

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