The Handbook Of Sailing

• #34 in Best Sailing Books

11 Reviews

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Extremely comprehensive of almost all aspects of sailing (but it covers boat trailering very little.) For beginners (you can learn to sail with this) through advanced levels including spinnakers; it covers the range from small OD monohulls, cats, through cruising inboards; weather; navigation & lights; tides; first aid; knots; recovering from various emergencies; entering & leaving difficult moorings; rafting (including it's good manners to walk on the forward part of others' boats to preserve their privacy); anchoring, etc. Experts in any area will want greater detail on a topic but others will be grateful for the help that's here. The 1250 drawings and photos are outstanding for their clarity and illustrative value.

This is by far one of the best sailing books available for both beginning and experienced sailors.

As I was learning to sail, a friend suggested it and I learned more from this one book than any other I have seen or bought and I own 10+ books on sailing. I carried it with me for over a year and read portions every time I had a few minutes.

Highly recommended reading for sailors or anyone interested in sailing or sailboats.

I have used this book for years to pass on my on the water experiences. Bob Bond sets out all the parts of sailing in their logical categories, so the beginner starts on the right foot and collects their lessons under the right topic. this makes for calm, safe and therefore completely enjoyable sailing during and after the learning phase. This logic to the structure of the book also makes it ideal for those wishing to progress to competition and some of the details explained are directly applicable and will only be appreciated after many hours of practice. The thinking behind the book is responsible for many successfull sail training and national racing programs. Its not new, but in a race for a practical, fully illustrated text, it is still daylight second. A former sailing instructor.

This book is really 2 separate books cobbled together from material the author used in some of his earlier work. The first half of the book is a treatise on dinghy ("one-design") sailing and the last half is a manual for cruisers; both books cover their material superbly, going in depth on many matters that don't get adequate coverage elsewhere, but it's truly unfortunate that the author and his editors tried to fit the 2 specialist books together under one cover. Keelboat cruisers cannot learn to handle their boats from a technical dinghy sailing treatise and dinghy sailors cannot benefit from discussions of cruising problems outside the scope of their equipment. It was especially unfortunate that the author didn't point out in his introduction that the cruising material starts in the second half of the book, which could have saved me many evenings of puzzling through centerboards, trapezing, and capsize drills! In spite of its awkward concept the book is profoundly detailed, profusely illustrated, and a must for whichever type of sailor you are...

Great book, covers all aspects of basic and advanced sailing on all types of boats. I was very impressed with its comprehensive coverage of the subject. I keep it as a reference book. No other book will cover nearly as much about sailing. If you want to buy only one book, then this must be the one.

Impressive breadth and sufficient depth to get you into the water. Particularly well-suited to the first-time, self-teaching small boat sailor. If you want to learn the basics from one book, this will do.

Colorful glossy print on durable paper. Brimming with illustrations and photos.

Bond's Handbook of Sailing could be aptly titled "The Encyclopedia of Sailing." The book contains hundreds of entries covering just about any and every topic relating to sailing that you can think about. From knots to boat systems to weather to basic and advanced sailing techniques -- it's all here. You won't find in-depth information on any topic, but there's more than enough detail to make this an excellent overall reference. In addition, the book is superbly printed in full, bright colors on paper that staunch enough to survive life on-board any vessel

Available from Editora H. Blum Ediciones. Verona Italy

if you are a novice or experianced sailor this book will help you. It was a great read and help for my sailing skills. If you want to learn easy tips for sailing you will find them hear. Also if you are intrested in some just facts of sailing buy this book.

I took up sailing this summer, and found that, while no book can replace the physical experience on the boat, one needs an instruction manual to keep up with all the maneuvers and terminology that are thrown at you. The Handbook Of Sailing provides concise and very well organized information, with ample illustrations. It’s the perfect accompanying textbook for someone who’s still trying to learn the lefts and rights of boating.

Sort of a shorter, and lighter to carry, Chapman's, this is a comprehensive review of topics relevant to most sailing situations. A good book to start with and a helpful reference to have. Lots of good illustrations and pictures. Also, the construction/binding of the book is high quality, so it will survive being bounced around.