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Average Customer Rating:

Cornerstone to any Sailing library

Customer Rating:

We were introduced to sailing from friends. They let us borrow their 2nd addition copy of this book. When they purchased a different boat we finally realized it was time to get one for ourselves. We have found it to be an invaluable reference tool, but not so "encyclopediac" that you can't enjoy reading on. In fact, when I refer to it, I always find myself distracted with other interesting topics. It is a book for any sailor to keep out on their coffee table.

Fantastic Sailing reference

Customer Rating:

I highly recommend this book for any aspect of sailing knowledge. My brother found a first edition of this book in someone's trash, and grabbed it for me, as he knew I was a sailor and thought it might be useful or important. I had learned to sail from "Sailing for Dummies"; this, however, is (or should be) the bible for learning to sail. It is the only sailing book I've read that has described how to fly a spinnaker in a useful manner.

The Annapolis Book of Seamanship	Customer Rating:
Reading this book will shorten any sailor's learning curve. It covers all aspects of the sport. John Rousmanierehas compiled an amazing reference/textbook that is interesting, informative and invaluable. I highly recommend this book to sailors at all levels of proficiency. Thank you Mr. Rousmaniere for this wonderful resource.

Covers all basic and intermediate seamanship knowledge	Customer Rating:
Great book for acquiring basic and intermediate seamanship knowledge. Also very useful as reference for refreshing your knowledge.

One Hand For Yourself, One Hand For The Ship

Customer Rating:

THE ANNAPOLIS BOOK OF SEAMANSHIP by John Rousmaniere is the ur-text on sailing used by virtually every sailing school as its primary educational source. Now in its third edition, this eminently readable and well illustrated book is encyclopedic in its scope, crammed full of practical information about sailing vessels, the mechanics of sailing them, and the traditions of sailing. It's a measure of the excellence of THE ANNAPOLIS BOOK OF SEAMANSHIP how familiarly Rousmaniere presents this largely alien topic with its many very specialized terms of art. Rousmaniere wisely eschews most of the romance of sailing in favor of much more important considerations, such as boat care, boat handling, and especially safety at sea. Sailing may be enjoyable and it may be challenging, but it is also a dangerous avocation by its very nature, and the author never lets "salty talk" befog that issue. This is NOT a quick reference book for those who want to hoist the jolly roger and give no quarter while tied to the dock; this is a bible for serious SAILORS, whether on the local lake, Puget Sound or the South China Sea While it can't give you the hands-on experience that being before the mast confers, THE ANNAPOLIS BOOK OF SEAMANSHIP will give you the theory and information you need to make the most of that experience.