The Complete Sailor: Learning the Art of Sailing

• #6 in Best Sailing Books

43 Reviews

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After sailing for 30 years, I was looking for a book for my children to use to give them a solid foundation. I ordered another 5 star book recommended by sailing schools, but ran across this one at the library.

This book is head and shoulders above the other. It covers all the basics in an easy to read style, and the huge number of detailed drawings are both beautiful and incredibly informative.
In addition to the basic stuff you need to know to sail a small boat, it also has a wealth of deeper information, about everything from bouyancy and balance, to boat construction and history.

I'm buying a copy for each of my kids, and recommending it to my sailing friends. As for the other books, I will probably either return them, or leave them to gather dust on a shelf.

I bought this book, as well as "Sailing for Dummies" and "Learning to Sail - the Annapolis sailing school guide for all ages", and I have to say, the Complete Sailor is the worst of the three, at least for someone who has no previous knowledge of sailing. It was an interesting book with a wide variety of topics covered, but I think it would be better suited to someone with at least a basic knowledge of how to sail. If you truly want to LEARN to sail, the Annapolis book is the best and simplest of the three, particularly if you're learning on a dinghy like me.

I wish I had gotten this before I bought Sailing For Dummies. Sailing For Dummies somehow left me with a lot of unanswered basic questions about sailing. Complete Sailor answered those questions. Complete Sailor also has more illustrations that provide a clearer understanding of just what the heck the author's talking about.

this is it!

If you are looking for a book that will give the basics of sailing, this book has it.

If you are looking for a long-term reference to remind you of the details, this is it.

If you are looking for a book to have on-board for novices during bareboat cruises, this is it.

If you are looking for a book that the novices could use to critique your skills, this is it.

Unfortunately, I purchased this book after going through ASA sailing school. I have read the ASA and the US Sail course books to the bareboat chartering level. From a sailing skills point of view, this book beats them hands down.

The illustrations are enchanting. They draw the reader into each topic. At the same time, the concisely present the key information needed to grasp the topic.

This will be coming with me on all of my bareboat trips!

Anyone got a scuba book like this?

A few years ago, I became interested in sailing, and came across this book at a local bookstore. I'm glad I did; it's a great introduction. It includes a lot of useful information presented in a straightforward manner, and also gives a good feel for nautical tradition (without being the least bit preachy). I've since done a bunch of sailing. I still think highly of this book, and have occasion to refer to it on questions of nautical terms and techniques.

We operate a sailing school (Women In The Wind) here in Minnesota. Because of how this book is written, for the past two years we've selected it to be included in a packet of information we present to our students.

Our classes are taught "hands on". That is that the studnets learn by doing. Therefore we don't use a "text book" as such. We do, however, encourage our students to read The Complete Sailor, at their leisure; to use it to refresh their memories of what they experienced and learned; but most of all, to ensure their view of sailing remains always challenging, and always positive.

It's as if this book were written for us. Perhaps it was.

The best introduction to sailing I've found. The illustrations- cartoons, really- are attractive, and clearly show exactly what you want to know without excessive detail or abstract diagrams. Along with instruction from a friend, this is the book that taught me how to sail my little Potter 15. Recommended for all beginning sailors, and those who are intersted in learning more about sailing.

With superb illustrations and minimal text, this superb primer is the basic text for our sailing school (Orca Sailing). We emphasize key concepts, and this book is perfectly aligned with that intention.

There are a few historical sections and small boat pages we ignore in our larger boat cruising classes, but after 10 years of reading everything about sailing (and often feeling disappointed), this is the one!

As I said, I own many sailing books, but this is my favorite. It teaches while still catching the essence, the soul of sailing. (so many sailing books of this type are so dry).

I recently took up sailing and bought this book, along with some others, as a general reference to accompany my lessons. The first time I read it through it seemed OK but nothing special, but having now acquired some skills it is really becoming useful. Every time I re-read it (as I have done several times) the amount of detail and practical information seems to increase, and that is not necessarily the case with other books.

The author has packed an immense amount of information into a small book, but it is best for refreshing the memory or consolidating practical knowledge learned in lessons - sort of a second opinion. Reading Seidman after a lesson is like talking things over with an experienced sailor who straightens everything out for you.

It is not, however, the best book for absolute beginners, simply because it is so very packed with concise information, and a lot goes over the neophyte's head. For absolute beginners the very best books are the RYA (Royal Yachting Association) sailing series - they are exceptional.

The Complete Sailor is a very good reference book for advanced beginners and intermediate sailors. The title of the book is a bit exaggerated, as the book, being concise as it is (approx 200 pages), cannot possibly aim to turn one into a complete sailor.

The most outstanding feature about the book is the illustrations. For intermediate sailors who are not yet completely familiar with sailing vocabulary (such as myself), the illustrations make it very easy for one to understand what is being exposed. The book is divided into small topics, each ranging from 2 to 4 pages, which allows the reader to get a good glimpse of many topics, learning the basics and some of the wisdom of longtime sailors without having to get the bad experience.

The Complete Sialor is a good reference book for intermediate and advanced beginners -- advanced sailors will not be satisfied by the shallow descriptions and early beginners will not be able to appreciate most of the insights.

I ordered this book from Amazon in August of 2006. It's now January of 2007 and I still don't have it. Every month, Amazon has asked me to be patient and has given me a new anticipated ship date. I can't understand why they offer a product that is not stocked and not available.

More than any introduction to sailing I have come across, this book conveys the magic of moving across the water by sail. Mr. Seidman is passionate about sailing and is also quite gifted in his ability to charm the reader. This is not a dry technical read. That said, it is also loaded with clear, easy to follow information. The art work is also first rate; sometimes I will open it up just to look at some of the great drawings.

My first sailing instructor used this book as a text. It was a great introduction and years later still remains on my bookshelf.

I bought it for a friend and ended up reading it myself. I've sailed little boats ever since I was young and was amazed at what I didn't know. This book is fun to read and darn helpful, whether you're just taking up sailing or been doing it awhile. See you on the lake!

A book that's useful for both the novice and the experienced sailor, one that's really worth the space it takes up onboard. Filled with info that we refer to on every cruise, yet also beautifully illustrated and fun to browse at home. The Staneks - Chicago, IL

We are just learning to sail and this book is very helpful and easy to understand for the beginner. You don't need to know the lingo to learn, in fact, this book explains much of the sailing language in easy terms for anyone to understand. We are attending 10 days of sailing school this Feb and I intend to bring this book with me. I have two sons, ages 10 and 13, and they will be reading this book as they too, learn to sail next summer. I think it will become even more valuable while actually sailing our boat.

This book covers a wide area in sailing. Some things aren't relevent to the learning to sail. The author tried to fill the pages with words. I was unable to pick up much valuable knowledge from the book. This book is only suitable for beginners or people who want to know a little about sailing.

This book offers straightforward and concise advice about the core skills of seamanship, which apply to virtually any vessel you sail. Like most sailing books, it is skewed noticeably toward the Bermudan/Marconi (triangle) rig, though not to the same severe degree as most other books. Unlike most other sailing books, its focus on core skills (interpreting the wind, shaping a sail, anchoring, approaching a dock, etc.) are fairly easily translated to other rigs, such as the cat ketch rig that I sail, and Seidman does pay passing attention to other rigs like the gaff, as well as offering some historical background on a number of early rigs (proas, junks, etc.).

Some parts will be of little or no use if you don't use the rig in question (the sections on tending the jib, for example, won't apply if your boat doesn't have a jib), but most concepts are universally applicable to sailing. There is superb advanced-introductory level information about right-of-way, navigation lights, audible signals, etc. which are among the clearest, most concise explanations I've seen... not densely technical or constantly digressing about exceptions-to-the-rule. The author assumes a captain of a small boat (under 30') and so gives no-nonsense advice that applies to most any small sailing vessel (and could readily be applied to larger vessels to, in the case of the core skills addressed).

Where the book really shines is in the beautiful hand-sketch-style illustrations that complement the text, proving the old axiom that "a picture is worth a thousand words." There are thoughtfully-conceived diagrams, for example, of how the wind pours across varying terrain, spilling out across water in the form of puffs, gusts, baffling winds, etc. These illustrations are matched by occasional moments in the text where the author's passion for the art of sailing really pours across the page and fills you with a palpable enthusiasm to go sailing. Not every moment in the text reads beautifully, but all of it reads clear, and the passionate sections are every bit as evocative and exciting as any I've encountered in a sailing book. You really get the feel that Seidman is trying to write about the zen of sailing, not just the practical aspects, and trying to distinguish the true "sailor" from the far more common "guy with a boat."

For a true beginner--someone with little or no sailing experience--this book is not ideal because it has some noticeable gaps or assumes a little too much knowledge on the part of the reader. For example, when describing how to trim sails for efficiency, the author moves without warning between the Bermuda/Marconi rig and Gaff rig, and thus, a reader not already aware of the various terms that denote those rigs (peak halyard, etc.) might not notice the subtle shift in focus on rigs and become confused. It would be nice to see the treatment of sails divided into rig types, but that would almost certainly ruin some of the free-and-easy tone the author is attempting to maintain as he discusses concepts which are usually dense and intimidating.

That is the main benefit of this book (besides the thrilling passionate sections about the joys and art of sailing): it inspires confidence by applying a keep-it-simple philosophy in which the competent sailor need only understand the basic core tenets of what moves and affects the boat. To this, Seidman also adds some interesting but non-essential information on hull shapes, ballast, keel types, etc. Intermediate sailors will already likely understand this stuff, but may still appreciate the concise summary format by which Seidman moves so swiftly through concepts that usually occupy many pages in other books--usually in a "Choosing the right boat" section. Thankfully, Seidman does not address how to choose a boat, nor attempt to identify the essential characteristics of a "seaworthy" craft, nor ponder the relative merits of trailer-sailors versus live-aboards, inboards versus outboards, etc. (the stuff that most sailing books waste a full third of their pages on). Instead, he assumes you already own (or have access to) a boat and want to improve your skills.

My personal sailing skill level is difficult to describe since I am entirely self-taught, and have only sailed 2 boats, both of which I built myself (the first was a 14' cat gaff sharpie; the second was a 20' cat ketch sharpie). However, I would characterize myself as a novice-intermediate sailor with an unusually advanced knowledge of sailing jargon (boat-building teaches you how to name all the boat parts). Very little in Seidman's book felt entirely new to me, but all of it felt very well presented and focused on exactly the sorts of things that have been making me (and will continue to make me) a better sailor. This is my favorite book on sailing out of the many dozens I have read. It has a real gift for conciseness, clarity, and confidence-building with its sometimes-passionate, sometimes-nonchalant tone.

If you have at least a few dozen hours of sailing time under your belt, or have already read a very basic introduction like Sailing for Dummies, this is the book for you. If you're still totally new and have not yet picked a boat or attempted much sailing, this book will not be very helpful at that stage because Seidman's concise descriptions definitely require some experience to appreciate fully. If you are an intermediate or advanced sailor, you may find Seidman repeating concepts you already know, but you will appreciate how well, concisely, and sometimes beautifully he states them, to the point of making this an ideal quick-reference for general advice on improving your skills.

I highly recommend this book, and rated it at 4 stars (not 5) only because its title "The Complete Sailor" is slightly misleading: It is NOT a complete guide for the total novice, who would need to supplement it with other sources of information in order to avoid many of the common problems a brand new sailor encounters at the beginning of his/her initiation into the sport.

KINDLE USERS: I read this book on the Kindle 2, which is fine, but small text in a few of the terrific illustrations or charts are unreadable on the Kindle 2's screen. It might be wise to buy the book in paperback since it really is a beautiful book. Kindle DX users might find that the illustrations are fine on the larger DX screen, but I don't know.

If I were told I could keep only one sailing reference book, I would choose "The Complete Sailor". The style and layout of every page is a work of art. This book was clearly crafted with love. Virtually every important topic relating to sailing is covered with great clarity. The illustrations help the reader understand the concepts. Absolutely the best!

This was a great book; it has lots of information for a beginner. I like the illustrations a lot, one of my favorite chapters that usually is not covert in other books was the "Rules of the Road" Great book!!

As a non-sailor just getting into the world of sailing, I've found this book extremely helpful and easy to digest. The explanations are accompanied by beautiful drawings, which helps explain topics such as wind direction. My boyfriend, who is a competitive sailor, says that the book is very accurate and explains important topics well. We both give this book five stars.

New at sailing? Don't go further without buying this book. Delightful, informative, artistic, succinct. I bought 5 books on sailing after falling inlove with it and this is the best one.
Buy two and give one to a friend.

For the skilled sailer the book will be a dissapointment.
That said, the book will be an important source of all kinds of maritim knowledge for the beginner.

Great book for beginners and the online book is handy to have for printing small sections. I enjoyed reading the book.

Excellent book. Talks about the lifestyle as well as how to sail. I recommend it.

My partner dreams of cruising across oceans. He gave me this book, along with Lin Pardeys Care and Feeding of Sailing Crew. I am truly hooked. Seidman makes sailing accessible. Lin Pardey makes crossing oceans in a boat we can actually dream of owning, do able. I recommend both!

The book was in very good shape and I received it sooner than expected. Thank you for the good service

I read this book after a couple of years of sailing lessons and sailing experience. While you can't go sailing with just this book and a boat, once you actually have some very basic sailing experience, this is a wonderful book.

It covers all major areas a recreational sailor would encounter and explains them with beautiful illustrations. The illustrations are plentiful and make it easy to understand the material. I should emphasize that they are also very pretty to look at. It certainly makes you want to go sailing and try things out!

The Complete Sailor is a fantastic book. Well written with great illustrations. Covers everything a beginner sailor needs to know. Easy to read and understand. Couldn't put the book down.

This is an excellent book for new sailors. The writing is easy to understand and the illustrations are great. We refer to it frequently.

The book came in better condition than advertised and within a few days. The price & quality were very good and the service excellent.

Covering all aspects of sailing, in an entertaining way, this is an easy read that can take you from novice to knowledgeable. The illustrations alone (pen & ink) are worth the price. I use this book to teach children to sail on a small Adirondack lake and recomend it to adults after lessons on Lake George, it works for me!

I OWN LOTS OF BOOKS ON THE SUBJECT. THIS ONE IS BY FAR THE MOST READABLE WITH OUTSTANDIGN DIAGRAMS. WORTH EVERY PENNY.

This is the book I needed to learn sailing. Clear and well written. Ample pictures and simple explanations. Learning the Language of sailing was very well prepared in this book.

If you are looking for the book which has all info in one and gives you simple and interesting advises and knowledge - this is great buy!!! You will Love this book.

lots of black and white drawings make the info clear..very basic..great starter, add to your library

After sailing by bits and pieces since I was a child, I had no formal instruction of any kind. when I finally succumed to yacht ownership, where mistakes can be costly, I looked arund to find a single, straightforward book what would confirm what I had been doing right, let me know what I was doing wrong, and show me volumes of stuff I never would have figured out. ...and the illustrations are cool!

If you've been sailing for a little while and are looking to expand your knowledge, this book will give you many great tips.

This book is not for the very novice sailor. Actually no book alone is but a good teacher and book is what is needed for newbies. The details and topics discussed were great, though the section on knots left some to be desired. Why can no sailing book acurately cover knots? I would give it a B+.

As a person who really like the sailing and try to find out more and more reading, "the complete sailor" book is a very good reference book with wonderfull drawings which helps the readers to understand the cases easily.

I am a novice at sailing and had purchased two other books. This one is easy to read, somewhat fun and easy to understand for the landlubber. I wish I had read this one first, it made the others easier to understand

This is a very clever book which clearly explains lots of basic details about sailing and being around boats. I used it to clarify many points. Great drawings. Every sailing school should recomment it.

Sailing is filled with intricacies of terms and techniques. The more knowledgeable I become of sailing, the more questions I seem to have. Wish I had found this book when I started sailing. Now, as a sailor of some experience, I find this book re-teaching me the basics in a way that answers more questions than it creates. Other books leave out explanation of terms and/or subjects and otherwise assume reader knowledge. This book covers sailing in a way that is thorough yet concise. The drawings and diagrams are extremely successful in deploying the author's subject. The information is complete without being textbook. It is enjoyable. If I had to rebuild my sailing library today, this would be the first but on the self!