On Board Library

Captron

Member III
The question about books for cruising BC not too long ago, prompted this little idea. How about an index of books for the 'compleat' cruising library?

I'll lead off the discussion by suggesting the following (not in any particular order)

Chapman's
Ship Captain’s Medical Guide
Navigation Rules
The World Factbook
First Aid Reference

Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne
Sailing Alone Around the World by Joshua Slocum
The Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Samuel Taylor Coleridge
ALL ofPatrick O'Brian's Master & Commander Aubrey/Maturin series or
The Horatio Hornblower series by CS Forester or
Any of the Richard Bolitho series by Alexander Kent
Wake of the Red Witch by Garland Roark
Moby Dick by Herman Melville
The Old Man and the Sea by Earnest Hemingway
Airborne by William F. Buckley
Catch 22 by Joseph Heller
Slaughter House 5 by Kurt Vonnegut
In Harm's Way (the sinking of the USS Indianapolis) by Doug Stanton
Mutiny on the Bounty by Nordoff & Hall






And while we're at it how about the complete cruiser's movie library? Starting with

Dead Calm
Captain Ron
Moby Dick
(the Gregory Peck model)
Pirates of the Caribbean
Cutthroat Island
Message in a Bottle
Dances with Wolves
Jaws
The Bounty
(Mel Gibson version)


:egrin:

Ok Your turn!
 

Sven

Seglare
David Mellor sent me this wonderful list when I asked on the T&T list a while back. We are gradually buying them all via Amazon. I also have them in spreadsheet form (Mac Numbers but can transfer to MSFT excel if needed).


  • Advance First Aid Afloat Eastman/Levinson
  • Best of Things That Work SAIL magazine
  • Boat Cosmetics Made Simple Board
  • Boat Manager: Operating and Service Procedure Handbook Payne & Ellison
  • Boatowners Mechanical and Electrical Manual Calder
  • Celestial Navigation for Yachtsmen Blewitt
  • Celestial Navigation Step By Step Norville
  • Changing Course - A Womans Guide to Choosing The Cruising Life Cantrell
  • Complete Illust. Sailboat Maint. Manual Casey
  • Cruising Cuisine Pastorius
  • Fiberglass Boats: Construction, Repair and Maintenance Roberts
  • The Boatbuyers Guide to Motor Yachts and Trawlers McKnew
  • How to Read a Nautical Chart - Complete Guide to the Symbols, Abbreviations and Data Calder
  • Illustrated Navigation Dedekam
  • Illustrated Sail and Rig Tuning Dedekam
  • Illustrated Seamanship Dedekam
  • Just Cruising Copeland
  • Marine Diesel Engines: Maintenance, Troubleshooting and Repair 2nd Ed Calder
  • Maritime Radio Course - HF/VHF Cdn. Power Squad
  • Motorboat Electrical and Electronics Manual Payne
  • Navigators Library Dashew
  • Nigel Calders Cruising Handbook Calder
  • Offshore Cruising Encyclopedia - 2nd Ed. Dashew
  • Practical Seamanship: Essential Skills for the Modern Sailor Dashew
  • Propeller Handbook Gerr
  • Refrigeration for Pleasureboats: Installation, Maintenance and Repair Calder
  • Sailors Secrets Badham & Robinson
  • Skenes Elements of Yacht Design Kinney
  • Storm Tactics Handbook - Modern Methods of Heaving-to for Survival in Extreme Conditions Pardey
  • Surviving The Storm Dashew
  • The 12 Volt Doctors Practical Handbook (1983) Beyn
  • The Complete Guide to Sail Care and Repair Neri
  • The Radar Book Monahan
  • The RYA Book of Diesel Engines Bartlett
  • The Splicing Handbook Merry and Darwin
  • The Voyagers Handbook Leonard
  • Understanding Boat Wiring Payne
  • Voyaging Under Power Beebe/Leishman
  • Weather Predicting Simplified Carr
  • World Cruising Routes Cornell
  • Drag Device Data Base - 4th Ed. Shane
  • Independent Energy Guide Jeffrey
  • Living on 12 Volts With Ample Power Smead & Ishihara
  • Reed's Sextant Simplified Pike
  • The Merck Manual of Medical Information Merck
  • The Sailmakers Apprentice Marino
  • Marine SSB Operation Gale
  • OSMOSIS and fiberglass yacht Construction Staton-Bevan
  • Young Sailor - Learn To Be a Good Sailor and Have Fun Mosenthal
  • Stapletons Powerboat Bible Stapleton
  • 100 Fast and Easy Boat Improvements Casey
  • Why Didn't I Think of That Roberts
  • Sailors Assistant Vigor
  • World Cruising Handbook - buy paperback from Amazon.USA Cornell
  • American Practical Navigator Bowditch
  • Joy of Cooking
  • Chapman Piloting, 65th Ed. Maloney
  • Seaworthiness, the Forgotten Factor Marchaj
  • Ocean Passages for the World -1989 ed. British Hydrographic
  • Cruising French Waterways McKnight
  • Cruising Handbook of Fishing Bannerot
  • Cuba: A Cruising Guide Calder
  • Provisioning Haynes
  • The Cruising Guide to the Northwest Caribbean: Yucatan, Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, etc. Calder
  • Tropical Cruising Handbook Smaalders
  • Reeds Nautical Almanac
    East Coast 2004
    Caribbean
    West Coast
    Nautical Companion 3rd Ed.
    Nautical Ephemeris​

    "Offshore" Books
  • Offshore Advantage OUT OF STOCK Laight
  • The Tax Haven Guide Book OUT OF STOCK Finkelstein

    Route Planning Publications
  • US Publications from NOAA
  • Pilot Chart Atlases - Northern, North Atlantic, Central American, South Atlantic, South pacific, Indian Ocean
  • Worldwide Marine Weather Broadcasts - NOAA
  • US Sailing Directions & Coast Pilots - 38 vol, purchase en route
  • Planning Guides - North Atlantic, North pacific, Southeast Asia, Indian Ocean, North Sea & Baltic, Arctic Ocean
  • British Publications - from Hydrographic Dept, Min of Defence,
  • Taunton, Somerset, TA1 2DN, United Kingdom
  • Ocean passages for the World - one volume (US$95)
  • Routing Charts - North Atlantic, South Atlantic, Indian Ocean, North Pacific, South Pacific, sold by the month as chart sized sheets
  • Admiralty List of radio Signals, Vol. 3 - Radio Weather Services and Navigational Warnings
  • British Pilot Books - 72 vol.


-Sven
 

Lucky Dog

Member III
more books

1. The Compleat Cruiser by L. Francis Herreshoff the art, practice and the enjoyment of sailing.

2. Wooden Boats by Michael Ruhlman, the lives, the craftsmanship of life building wooden boats today.

3. The Wake of the Green Storm by Marlin Bree, for those of you who don’t think the Great Lakes can get big water, this is great read.

4. The Sailor Dog by Golden Books, a children’s book (my first book) that is fun an our boat was named after.

If you can find it the video of The Riddle of the Sands (VHS) with Michael York

ml
 
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Lucky Dog

Member III
Riddles of the Sand - audible

The is audible version at Good Old Boat magazine web site. I am a podcast/audible book fanatic. I can still keep working and "read". great for single handed sailing or driving.

ml
 

exoduse35

Sustaining Member
You also can include Dove by Robin Graham. In the fun section. And The Marlinspike Sailor by Harvey Garrett Smith, and The Rigger's Apprentice by Brion Toss to the technical section. Happy reading, Edd:egrin:
 

gareth harris

Sustaining Member
Only a couple of books on weather mentioned so far - I have the Dashew book which is thorough, but would welcome other recommendations.

The Art and Science of Sails by Thomas Whidden is a good book for understanding sail use.

Marchaj is good for the technically minded who really want to undederstand every detail of sail use.


For underway reference, Chapman's, Calder's Mechanical and Electrical, Chart 1 symbols.

For sailing stories, Arthur Ransome.

Gareth
Freyja E35 241 1972
 

WBurgner

Member III
Richard Dana

Written in the mid 1800s, Richard Dana's "Two Years Before The Mast" is still a good read. After two years as seaman aboard a Boston based fur trader that forms the basis of the book, he went on to advocate labor protections for seaman in the later days of sail. Dana Point in California is named for him.
 
Library

Everything by Tristan Jones, Frank Mulville, Reese Palley, and Jonathan Raban. And yes Captron, I'll need a much larger boat also :egrin: .

Chad
 

u079721

Contributing Partner
One thing to keep in mind is that a lot of this reference type stuff is available on CD. Less reliable than a real book perhaps, but a lot easier to stow.


For example, the Dashews sell a CD with all this stuff below on it for just $20 at

http://store.setsail.com/

but if you have broadband, you can download most of it yourself from

http://www.nga.mil/portal/site/mari...i_baseMenuID=e106a3b5e50edce1fec24fd73927a759





American Practical Navigator (Bowditch)

The standard reference for generations of sea-going officers, even today “Bowditch” has
information and tables that can be very helpful. From figuring your distance away from
an object of known height, to advice for passaging in foggy conditions, this publication
contains a wealth of information.

The World Factbook

Put together by the CIA, this is the U.S. government’s complete geographical handbook,
featuring 268 full-color maps and flags of all nations and geographical entities. Each
country profile tracks such demographics as population, ethnicity and literacy rates, as
well as political, geographical and economic data. Note: These are HTML files, not PDF
files, which you can view with any browser.

Chart No. 1

Symbols, abbreviations, and terms used on United States charts. Worth spending a few
hours perusing to better acquaint yourself with the information contained in the charts
that we usually take for granted. Invaluable when trying to understand some of the details
in chart-makers’ code.

Nautical Chart User’s Manual

This detailed look at using charts picks up where Chart No. 1 stops. A more detailed look
at using NOAA charts, filled with interesting examples. Provides a good review even for
experienced navigators.

Distances Between U.S. Ports

Covers distances between ports along the coastal U.S., as well as inland bodies including
the Intracoastal Waterway, various river systems, and the Great Lakes.
International Code of Signals (Pub 102)
It wasn’t that long ago that this manual was in constant use aboard commercial and
military vessels. Today, with all sorts of communication options, it is more of a curiosity.
Still, the day might come when your ability to communicate is compromised, in which
case this manual would become very valuable.

Navigation Rules – Inland and International

A U.S. Coast Guard publication detailing the current rules of the road and legal
requirements. Serves as an excellent reference for how regulations change when you
switch from offshore to inland areas.

Radio Navigational Aids (Pub. 117)

A listing of maritime radio, direction finding, and radar stations around the world. Gives
the location, frequencies, call signs, and other pertinent data. Also included is a list of
stations that can be used for emergency traffic. Good information on how to use your
radio gear.

World Charts with Magnetic Variation Outlined
World Chart – Orthographic Projection
World Chart – Polar Projection

United States Coast Pilots

In the era before local cruising guides, the Coast Pilots were the ultimate reference. They
still are for commercial operators. These regional manuals have valuable information
about weather, currents, and tidal anomalies, as well as important details on navigational
issues. Even if you are using a cruising guide, it is always a good idea to cross-reference
with the Coast Pilots, paying particular attention to navigational hazards.
Vol. 1 – Atlantic Coast (Eastport to Cape Cod)
Vol. 2 – Atlantic Coast (Cape Cod to Sandy Hook)
Vol. 3 – Atlantic Coast (Sandy Hook to Cape Henry)
Vol. 4 – Atlantic Coast (Cape Henry to Key West)
Vol. 5 – Atlantic Coast (Gulf of Mexico, Puerto Rico, and Virgin Islands)
Vol. 6 – Great Lakes (Lakes Ontario, Erie, Michigan, Superior, and St. Lawrence
River)
Vol. 7 – Pacific Coast (California, Oregon, Washington, and Hawaii)
Vol. 8 – Pacific Coast Alaska (Dixon Entrance to Cape Spencer)
Vol. 9 – Pacific and Arctic Coasts Alaska (Cape Spencer to Beaufort Sea)
Pub 249 Sight Reduction Tables
Also known as the Air Reduction Tables, “HO249” has been the standard for working
celestial sights for more than half a century. The three volumes are presented in the same
format as the printed versions.
Vol. 1 – Selected Stars
Vol. 2 – Latitudes 0 to 40 degrees, Declinations 0 to 29 degrees
Vol. 3 – Latitudes 39 to 89 degrees, Declinations 0 to 29 degrees
Domestic Light Lists
Even in the age of GPS navigation, lights are still an important back up to confirm your
position. Charts – electronic and paper – can quickly become outdated. So double-check
the characteristics of important lights on your passages with the appropriate light list.
Vol. 1 – Atlantic Coast (St. Croix River, Maine to Shrewsbury River, New Jersey)
Vol. 2 – Atlantic Coast (Shrewsbury River, New Jersey to Little River, South
Carolina)
Vol. 3 – Atlantic Coast and Gulf Coast (Little River, South Carolina to Ecofina
River, Florida, including Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands)
Vol. 4 – Gulf of Mexico (Ecofina River, Florida to the Rio Grande, Texas)
Vol. 5 – Missisippi River System (Mississippi River and its navigable tributaries)
Vol. 6 – Pacific Coast and Pacific Islands (Pacific Coast and outlying Pacific
Islands)
Vol. 7 – Great Lakes (Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River above the St.
Regis River)
Radar Navigation Manual (Pub 1310)
An interesting and detailed look at the theory of radar operation. Many helpful tables for
determining radar range. You might not read this in depth, but skimming it will yield
valuable insights.
World Port Index (Pub 150)
A listing of major ports around the world, along with their geographic coordinates. You’ll
find basic information on facilities and requirements for each port.
Distances Between Ports (Pub 151)
In the age of GPS, it’s no longer essential to have a worldwide source of distances
between ports. However, having the latitude and longitude of all major world ports is a
big help when playing “planning games” with your GPS.
Worldwide Marine Radiofacsimile Broadcast Schedules
As the name implies, this is a list of the weather fax stations around the world, their
frequencies, and most important, a schedule of information to be transmitted.
Atlas of Pilot Charts
These are the traditional pilot charts with which we all grew up. Organized by season (or
monthly in some cases), they contain a variety of data on “average” winds, gales, fog, ice,
ocean currents and other info of interest to mariners.
Pub 106 – North Atlantic Ocean
Pub 107 – South Pacific Ocean
Pub 109 – Indian Ocean
NIMA List of Lights, Radio Aids, and Fog Signals
Each of these publications lists the location and characteristics of the lights, radio aids or
fog signals in question. The seven volumes cover the entire world outside of the
continental U.S.
Pub 110 – Greenland, the East Coasts of North and South America (excluding
continental U.S. except the East Coast of Florida) and the West Indies
Pub 111 – The West Coasts of North and South America (excluding the
continental U.S. and Hawaii), Australia, Tasmania, New Zealand, and
the Islands of the North and South Pacific Oceans
Pub 112 – Western Pacific and Indian Oceans, including the Persian Gulf and
Red Sea
Pub 113 – The West Coasts of Europe and Africa, the Mediterranean Sea, Black
Sea, and Sea of Azov
Pub 114 – British Isles, English Channel, and North Sea
Pub 115 – Norway, Iceland, and Arctic Ocean
Pub 116 – Baltic Sea with Kayyegat, Belts and Sound, and Gulf of Bothnia
Sailing Directions
These are the bibles for the offshore voyager. They contain literally everything you need
to know about weather, currents, clearing procedures, navigational dangers, and general
navigation data. The Sailing Directions are also filled with photos, chartlets, and
drawings.
Pub 120 – Pacific Ocean and Southeast Asia
Pub 123 – Southwest Coast of Africa
Pub 124 – East Coast of South America
Pub 125 – West Coast of South America
Pub 126 – Pacific Islands
Pub 127 – East Coast of Australia and New Zealand
Pub 131 – Western Mediterranean
Pub 132 – Eastern Mediterranean
Pub 140 – North Atlantic Ocean, Baltic Sea, North Sea, and Mediterranean Sea
Pub 141 – Scotland
Pub 142 – Ireland and the West Coast of England
Pub 143 – West Coast of Europe and Northwest Africa
Pub 145 – Nova Scotia and the St. Lawrence
Pub 146 – Newfoundland, Labrador, and Hudson Bay
Pub 147 – Caribbean Sea Volume I
Pub 148 – Caribbean Sea Volume II
Pub 153 – West Coasts of Mexico and Central America
Pub 154 – British Columbia
Sailing Directions (continued)
Pub 155 – East Coast of Russia
Pub 157 – Coasts of Korea and China
Pub 158 – Japan Volume I
Pub 159 – Japan Volume II
Pub 160 – South Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean
Pub 161 – South China Sea and the Gulf of Thailand
Pub 162 – Philippine Islands
Pub 163 – Borneo, Jawa, Sulawesi, and Nusa Tenggara
Pub 164 – New Guinea
Pub 171 – East Africa and the South Indian Ocean
Pub 172 – The Red Sea and the Persian Gulf
Pub 173 – India and the Bay of Bengal
Pub 174 – Strait of Malacca and Sumatera
Pub 175 – North, West and South Coasts of Australia
Pub 180 – Arctic Ocean
Pub 181 – Greenland and Iceland
Pub 182 – North and West Coasts of Norway
Pub 183 – Northern Coast of Russia
Pub 191 – English Channel
Pub 192 – North Sea
Pub 193 – Skagerrak and Kattegat
Pub 194 – Baltic Sea (Southern Part)
Pub 195 – Gulf of Finland and Gulf of Bothnia
Pub 200 – Antarctica
 

Captron

Member III
Written in the mid 1800s, Richard Dana's "Two Years Before The Mast" is still a good read. After two years as seaman aboard a Boston based fur trader that forms the basis of the book, he went on to advocate labor protections for seaman in the later days of sail. Dana Point in California is named for him.

That was a favorite that I some how omitted ... oldtimer's disease I suspect.
 

Captron

Member III
list

Thanks Steve,

Most of the Coast Pilots, etc that I have read over the years are full of gems of wisdom especially when it comes to ports of call, shipping lanes, potential weather, currents, etc. A veritable wealth of information and not uninteresting.
:egrin:
 

Sven

Seglare
I thought I first saw it mentioned here, but after looking I guess not. Anyway:

Maximum Sail Power by Brian Hancock

Is like a Skeene's Elements of Yacht Design, but for sails. I think it is out of print (so fabric technology is probably not quite up to speed) but Amazon has used copies. I really like what I've read in it so far !


-Sven
 
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