Best boating books according to redditors
We found 169 Reddit comments discussing the best boating books. We ranked the 70 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
We found 169 Reddit comments discussing the best boating books. We ranked the 70 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
The grand-daddy of them all: Chapman's Piloting and Seamanship
The Complete Sailor
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. Extremely easy to read and well written.
I highly recommend "Sensible Cruising: the Thoreau Approach" if you're wondering whether you can afford cruising. It doesn't need to be expensive and chances are you're richer than you think once you eliminate car/lodgings/starbucks expenses from your budget nd instead live on a (potentially frugal) boat. How frugal depends on you.
Great great book.
Btw "OP" or dude in pictures posted about his costs. About $15k/year
http://www.amazon.com/Voyagers-Handbook-Essential-Guide-Cruising/dp/0071437657/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1452207362&sr=8-1&keywords=voyagers+handbook
Bought that and it was delivered last Saturday
it is like the cheat code walkthrough for how to buy a boat and sail it a month, a year or forever.
I didnt think the book could be this good. It really is.
The Complete Sailor, Second Edition, by David Seidman is the best beginner book I have found. It covers a lot of ground and is very clear in what it covers.
In spite of the hostility you're likely to receive here (we get this question weekly), if you're highly industrious, a quick study, and have enough money, what you want to do is absolutely possible.
A few things to keep in mind:
Having said all that, if you have the money and the drive, the rewards are immense, and unique. We do these things for a reason, right? :)
I would actually start by buying an older keelboat (1970 - 1980) between 20-30' and sailing the hell out of it. Pick some projects, and see them to completion. Try to sell the boat at a profit. All of this will teach you what's important to you in your bluewater boat, and you'll be able to narrow your list down on your own.
The longer you spend developing the required skills, the safer the trip will be. The tradeoff, of course, being that it takes that much longer before pushing off. There is always the risk that life interferes, and that you never push off. Like sailing in general, everything's a compromise.
You may want to get and read this book: The Voyager's Handbook
My $0.02CAD.
I recommend the Voyager’s Handbook by Beth Leonard... taught me a lot and will stay on my future boat!
The Voyager's Handbook: The Essential Guide to Blue Water Cruising https://www.amazon.com/dp/0071437657/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_rmgEDbWHN8RN5
I was pretty much you last summer. Land locked state, no sailing club close by, no relatives or friends who sail, and a burning desire to get out on the water.
I was able to learn to sail in four steps:
I was able to go from no sailing experience to flying hulls in 20~ mph wind inside of a summer with this method. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c105II-L8OA Far from perfect, but we are having a blast. I think a teenager would be able to pull of a similar feat with no problems. You will find fumbling around on the water is far better than dreaming from the shore.
To credit the source, this is from David Seidman's Complete Sailor (p17 on the 1st edition) which I highly recommend.
I really wish I could describe how good this book is - I've read two other beginners books and Seidman makes them look quite poor. I don't think this is because the other books are really so poor, but a reflection on the brilliance of Seidman's writing.
I believe this book may be exceedingly and rarely well-written - it starts off talking about the wind, in basic terms that anyone can understand, and every topic thereafter uses terms and concepts that have already been explained.
Here are some more sample pages which I copied when someone asked for some more details on a previous occasion.
I think this is possibly the best: The Complete Sailor. Cleanly written, beautifully illustrated, and I learn something new every time I open it.
Btw, professional lessons are a relatively new invention. People have been learning to sail from their friends and neighbors for thousands of years, and all of the sailors I know are happy to pass that knowledge along. You might be better off, and save a ton of money, by joining a sailing club. Plus that way once you have a boat you'll have a group of peers to crew with you, go on cruises together, etc.
Every sailboat is rigged differently, although there are many common basic features. So, there's no way for anyone to provide much of a response to an overly broad question. But, if you are just getting going, there's plenty you can do to get a bit more know-how.
When I began, before I started taking some lessons, I read a lot. My brother got me this for Christmas and I read it through and through:
http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Sailing-Manual-Third-Edition/dp/0756689694
That should get you going. The next step is to find instruction and get on the water.
Things you can do while you figure out how to get on the water:
But, there is no substitute for getting out on the water. What city are you in?
If you haven't already check out this book. It offers a very, very comprehensive view on the sort of things you need to know for sailing around the ocean, what type of boat to buy, and how much everything will cost. It should give you a pretty good estimate of how much money you need to save up.
It's going to run you about $20k a year to cruise around on a 40' catamaran, assuming that you work on a budget and don't expect too many frills (e.g. no water maker, freezer, washer/dryer, etc.) So you're going to want at least $500k after you buy your boat and make any necessary repairs/alterations. So you're probably going to need at least $600k total. You're going to have to make a choice between saving a boatload and completely retiring in 20 years, or saving a boatload and semi-retiring in 10-15 years.
Oh wow, I have not read that one - I'll have to get a copy.
I've gotten much enjoyment out of reading Royce's Sailing Illustrated, Capable Cruiser by Lin & Larry Pardey [along with everything else by them], and the Annapolis Book of Seamanship, among others.
The Annapolis Book of Seamanship
http://www.amazon.com/Annapolis-Book-Seamanship-3rd-Revised/dp/0684854201
The Complete Sailor is an awesome book - use the Look Inside feature to check out the illustrations - they give the book a lot of character so it's great for a coffee table or for casual reading. Might be a little too novice for a 1-year sailor, unless your dad hasn't had much formal instruction.
As mentioned already, Chapman's is good - it's the bible for any waterman. However, it has so much stuff there's very little on sailing (only 40 pages on the topic). It won't tell you much about sail trim, for example. But it covers a lot - I read it cover to cover last year and if I retained anything (I didn't) I'd be a damn genius.
I can't wait for The Annapolis Book of Seamanship to come out with it's much needed 4th edition in January. I hear this is the bible for sailors, but I haven't picked it up since I'm waiting for that new edition. But only because it has more electronics/GPS mentions - I'm sure all the actual sailing stuff is the same between the two.
Sensible Cruising is both incredibly practical and timelessly wise. Don Casey, one of the authors, has written some of the best manuals on sailboat maintenance and repair in existence. If you want to extend your cruise, this is your book
http://www.amazon.com/Cruisers-Handbook-Fishing-Scott-Bannerot/dp/0071427880
It's offshore focused but has great details on how to successfully fish from a sailboat.
The RYA books are good, but better exists once you reach Yachtmaster level. The RYA's Yachtmaster material is far too brief, or at least it was for me when I was doing it.
I never get on a boat without my Reed's Skipper's Handbook. Truly essential. Yachtmaster for Power and Sail got me through my exam first time and I didn't get asked anything that wasn't explained clearly and concisely within it.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Reeds-Skippers-Handbook-Malcolm-Pearson/dp/1408124777
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Yachtmaster-Sail-Power-Alison-Noice/dp/1472925491/ref=pd_sim_14_14?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=1SZTBHGP5TBDENET1P26
Perfect book for you is one I've recommended before - Breaking Seas: An overweight, middle-aged computer nerd buys his first boat, quits his job, and sails off to adventure
I'm quite seriously considering a sailing wander about early retirement/escape. I recommend r/sailing. There are some experienced sailors there, and sometimes the discussion addresses cruising. I'd also recommend The Coastal Cruiser: A complete guide to the design, selection, purchase, and outfitting of auxiliary sailboats under 30 feet--with a portfolio of successful designs , . Twenty Small Sailboats to Take You Anywhere , and Chapman Piloting & Seamanship 66th Edition
You might watch this series:
https://www.youtube.com/user/WhiteSpotPirates
Which features a young, single female solo sailor with limited experience. It is, to some degree, an example of how to do everything wrong and still succeed.
By way of contrast, S/V Delos is an example of a larger, more experienced crew on a much larger boat:
https://www.youtube.com/user/briantrautman
This is a pretty good YouTube channel that will give you an idea of the many, many things you can repair on your boat,
https://www.youtube.com/user/madsdahlke
A well regarded book if you get serious is:
http://www.amazon.com/Voyagers-Handbook-Essential-Guide-Cruising/dp/0071437657/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1458677598&sr=8-8&keywords=cruising
Ultimately, there are many ways to cruise, and you need to design the style that works for you. And then be very realistic about funding, planning, etc.
Read this book. It has almost everything you need to know about boats. (Sorry about formating, on mobile)
Chapman's boating and seamanship.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1588169618/ref=cm_sw_r_other_awd_5GT2wb82GNEB5
Annapolis Book of Seamanship is the modern equivalent of Chapman's. Highly recommended and a great coffee table book.
This is the Chapman's that people are thinking of, and it's still completely legitimate, but I would recommend ABOS over it. You need to go into ANY reading regarding cruising with this anyway:
Chapman's is outdated but it's not wrong. There are better ways of doing many things in it but you're going to do well to know the history as well.
John Kretschmer is my favorite (right now) author as far as long distance sailing and storms. There are lots of good ones out there though.
I recommend this podcast as well. Unbelievably good cruising podcast; Andy and Mia are great. And it will turn you on to a wealth of information.
If you want racing resources or tell me specifically what you want to get into as far as sailing goes I can tailor my response to that.
High Performance Sailing by Frank Bethwaite link
Although targeted at racers (specifically dinghy and high-performance racers) there is so much good info about how wind works, how sails work, how to approach waves in different scenarios, why some boats that look fast aren't...
I read dozens of books before starting the voyage (perhaps half sailing stories and the other half practical books), but this one was probably the most helpful in terms of understanding what voyaging was all about. http://www.amazon.com/The-Voyagers-Handbook-Essential-Cruising/dp/0071437657
Good luck and swing by my IAMA at 1pm EST if you have any more questions!
I've got the Sailing Bible. I hear the Annapolis Book of Seamanship is a must have as well.
I just finished Confessions of a Long Distance Sailor, and it was interesting. When I told my father I wanted to sail around the world, he recommended Once Is Enough. I'm half way through We The Drowned and Two Years Before the Mast at the moment and enjoying both. Master and Commander is next on my list. Chapman Piloting and Seamanship is always good for leafing through and studying up on technical skills.
The Voyagers Handbook covers this well; the essential tradeoffs have already been distilled here as I recall them:
I've been aboard when webbing and hollow webbing + low stretch have been used and neither gave me trouble getting around or underfoot. Looking forward to hearing other experiences.
this is the book you are looking for
Bethwaite's High Performance Sailing is the bible of dinghy sailing.
I also found Helming to Win to be helpful
This one?
This varies largely by the size of the boat. Small boats that are still big enough to sleep in covered and dry are way cheaper than vans, larger boats -- well you can spend as much as you have.
The subject has been given considerable thought and an excellent resource about it can be found in the book Sensible Cruising: The Thoreau Approach : A Philosophic and Practical Approach to Cruising
EDIT: a word
Unfortunately there are no tricks. But all it needs is a bit of practice. It looks complicated at first but really is rather simple. And remember that it is always the same steps you have to do. What helped me is writing down these steps on a clean sheet of paper.
 
Maybe one of those videos can help also help you, not sure how good they are though:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IfkwKTyYqeI
RYA Day Skipper: The Height of Tide
Leith Nautical Sailing Academy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=793F-Ha4T2U
RYA Coastal Skipper: Secondary Port tidal height corrections
Leith Nautical Sailing Academy
 
And this book also helped me with my theory. It has step by step instructions for all tidal calculations
Yachtmaster for Sail and Power Hardcover
by Alison Noice
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Yachtmaster-Sail-Power-Alison-Noice/dp/1472925491
 
The secondary ports here are subordinate stations btw.
If you're asking this on reddit, you are laughably far away from actually going cruising. I'll say this as politely as I can, but questions like this get really tiring when 99.9999% of the time the person is just an absolute dreamer.
Go pickup a copy of the Voyager's Handbook:
https://www.amazon.com.au/Voyagers-Handbook-Essential-Guide-Cruising-ebook/dp/B0072UO1VA
or one of the other many, many intro to cruising books to get a base framework of what to actually think about when considering long distance cruising.
Safety, comfort, speed, etc are all relative terms. If you're comfortable with shitting in a bucket, catching rain water, relying on your ability to catch fish at sea, etc, your needs would be very different to someone who needs a washing machine. People have crossed oceans in ridiculously small vessels: https://imgur.com/gallery/CbysZ the question is what you need.
I have a copy of that book - I don't remember it as being very good.
David Seidman's The Complete Sailor - it's so good that it defies words; it's hard to explain how clear and well-structured it is.
I am 6'1" and liveaboard a 45' Gibson houseboat. It's pretty tight but I have about two inches of space above my head. My knowledge of boats is limited but I have been on a few larger vessels that had about 7' ceilings so they do exist.
It's mostly okay but sometimes it can feel a little bit claustrophobic.
Here are some must have books that will help with the mechanical end of things:
http://www.amazon.com/Chapman-Piloting-Seamanship-Edition-Handling/dp/1588169618
http://www.amazon.com/12-Volt-Bible-Boats-Miner-Brotherton/dp/0071392335/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1457992044&sr=1-1&keywords=12+volt+bible+for+boats
Here is a good book on canvas canoes.
And you can look around the forums on the whca website for more advice and tips.
Voyagers handbook by Beth Leonard
http://www.amazon.com/Voyagers-Handbook-Essential-Guide-Cruising/dp/0071437657/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1459294127&sr=1-1&keywords=voyagers+handbook
If you want to race in a straight line in strong wind then yes wider is better. But races for small sailboats are usually conducted on short courses with many turns, and if the boat is too wide it becomes too slow to turn.
This book has a section explaining this: https://www.amazon.com/High-Performance-Sailing-Faster-Techniques/dp/1408124912
Coast Guard Auxiliary has courses and information, too. Or get yourself a copy of Chapman's Piloting & Seamanship. You should be able to pick up a used copy for under ten bucks, and it has all the info you need. Anybody who's serious about the maritime arts should own a copy.
Highly highly recommend The Complete Sailor by David Seidman. Not sure why but I find myself reading and re-reading this one more than Chapman (which is another must have). Happy hunting!
http://www.amazon.com/Fast-Track-Sailing-Learn-Three/dp/0071615199/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=1J4DZ3N7YF0RQ&coliid=I2B25B3Z0DNFA9
http://www.amazon.com/Annapolis-Book-Seamanship-Edition-Revised/dp/0684854201/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345094921&sr=8-1&keywords=Annapolis+seamanship
As former instructor and 45+ years of sailing...2 good books for beginners. Colgate's Fast Track gives a very concise, clearly written 3 day program. A better 3 day jump start than any other I've found. Focuses on the core skillset to survive your first few missions. The Annapolis book is your in-depth comprehensive reference for all sailing related subjects. Way to thick to read straight through. Use it like an encyclopedia.
A fantastic resource for all types of fishing:
The Cruiser's Handbook of Fishing
Don't be turned away by the focus on cruiser fishing. It covers fishing from land, big boat, small boat, all types of environments, etc.), all types of fishing, gathering other types of seafood, health/safety issues, etc. Highly recommended.
One caveat: it doesn't really cover fresh-water fishing. But many of the lessons learned can be applied to fresh water
I wasn't thinking of wind exposure on the large windows, more like what can happen when a really big wave hits them :)
It really comes down to personal comfort. For myself after I do some island hopping I've been looking at maybe getting a Tayana 37 cutter for ocean hopping. Small windows, full keel, small cockpit, plenty of sail and fuel, a proven world cruiser.
You might consider buying this book: http://www.amazon.com/Seaworthy-Offshore-Sailboat-Essential-Features/dp/007137616X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1342194688&sr=8-1&keywords=offshore+boat
Basically learn up on the sort of features you need and then make a call on whether or not your boat can be modded to get it to the point where you'd be comfortable make the trip.
But at at certain point, to me, it becomes better to buy a different boat. For example I have a Pearson 323 now and I could mod her for an Atlantic trip. Re-inforce the rigging, maybe add another compression post in the cabin to add structure, toss on a liferaft and rig her up for a drogue.
But considering she's worth 20k and for 50k I can get a nice Tayana 37 it doesn't make much sense to toss 20k into her to rig her up for a trans Atlantic trip. Especially when you consider that any buyer looking for an offshore boat isn't going to be shopping for a heavily modded coastal cruiser. I'd basically be tossing "offshore boat" money into a "coastal cruiser" market. I'm better off buying that Tayana and putting offshore money into her.
But maybe you don't need to add much to your boat for a 1 off Atlantic trip. In that case it may make sense to get to the bare minimum of your comfort level, wait for the best time of year and then head on out, enjoy yourself and come back home.
I'd just really research up, learn the risks and just talk with your significant other what level of risk you're comfortable with. That's really the important part and everyone is different in that regard.
Knot books:
This book is great for the basic, every day kind of knots. I'd suggest this one to get the basics down.
If you have a lot of time/money/desire to learn knots, this is the knot bible. It is awesome. I found a used copy in good condition for cheap, so if you have a used bookstore, I'd suggest poking around in there for a copy. This book is HUGE (600+ pages) and incredible. However, it is somewhat excessive, with a lot of knots you'll probably never use.
As for sailing books, I like this one for explaining the basics. It not only explains how to do certain maneuvers, but why. The example on proas tacking is one of my favorites.
I find there's a lot of information on forums for popular boats regarding their mechanical and construction deficiencies. E.g. Discussion on certain boats getting blisters, or needing bulkhead replacements. However, there's basically no information on design deficiencies, and most of the discussion you do find is pure speculation. The reason for this is because boat design is more of a tradeoff of different qualities. You want to research these qualities as much as possible. For instance: displacement, sail area, keel type, hull construction, cabin layout, cockpit size and layout, water line length, ability for the boat to right itself and how it affects stability, etc. Most of the information on these subjects is available on books and not necessarily easily accessible on the web. Here are some good books:
Now, these books are slanted on offshore sailing which is what I'm interested in. You didn't specify where you'd be sailing or how you'd be using it. My guess is general weekend cruising.
So no, I haven't seen any discussion on the differences between boats like that. You have to make an informed decision on the data available (e.g. of sailboatdata.com, class association sites, owner postings on forums, etc). Best thing to do is ask people who have knowledge once you've narrowed it down. The truth of the matter is, no matter what boat you get you will have to deal with the tradeoffs. Some guy saying that "X" boat is slow or fast is completely subjective and doesn't mean a damn thing to you. You have to figure out what the qualities you want are first and find the boat that best fits those qualities.
Lastly, if this is your first boat please go small and with something that you can easily sell again. Chances are your wants and needs will change, and dumping a whole bunch of money into the wrong boat may be a big mistake. Get something simple that is easy to maintain, so you can learn how to properly maintain a sailboat. The mistakes you will make will not be a big deal on a small boat, but if you buy a 40 ft Catalina a small mistake can balloon very quickly.
I've kind of amassed a library. I'm a rank amateur, but here's what I've found helpful in at least orienting myself so far (I'm still working my way through these on a "total readthrough" basis, but I've flipped through and skimmed all of them) in the order that you should probably read them. Also, I've spent the last six months skulking around every sailing forum on the Internet.
I've found the greatest barrier of sailing for someone trying to get into it for the first time is understanding the language, and the second greatest is understanding the mechanical workings of the rig and how it physically interacts with the wind. These books have been super helpful in that respect. I can't speak to how much in the way of practical skill they may have imparted, but I know infinitely more about the subject than I did a few months ago.
Those last two are because I despearately want a Gaff rig. If you're not planning on ever dealing with a Gaffer, you don't need them at all. If you only want to buy one of the books on the list, make it The Complete Sailor.
There's also a bunch of online resources, such as about.com's "how to sail a small sailboat" article and ESPECIALLY the boating section of Animated Knots which can teach you a ton of knots.
Hope that helps!
I have enjoyed these:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0756689694/
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0071350993/
Edit 1 to add: Also, for entertaining reading, Joshua Slocum's book and Voyage for Madmen
Start HERE. There are a dozen other sites on how to do this on a budget. I just put a track mounted Bimini on my boat using this site. Looks real nice. Going to prevent a lot of sunburn. I spend a lot of time on Minnesota lakes and after a few days in the sun a Bimini will be worth it's weight in gold. I've added half a dozen control lines and many other goodies.
This book will get the gears grinding and inspire you to greater things. It's your boat, run amuck.
According to Larry and Lin Pardey three things are necessary for cruising. Cockpit cushions, a stern rail and a Bimini top.
Ebay is your friend. There are tons of parts for Catalina 22's available cheap.
That's awesome to hear, and once you get one welcome to the club. If you were anywhere near West Michigan I would invite you to join us but I'm guessing your not.
In response to a few things I have read while skimming this thread:
Hobie 16 are not hard to recover from a turtle. I would not recommend using a bob (giant float at the top of the mast) because I had heard of people suffering from a lost of speed due to wind resistance. Unless you and your crew are both tiny people or you will only be sailing it in lakes less than 20ft deep righting a 16 is fairly easy. All you have to do is release all of the sheets, pull out as much slack as you can on the main sheet, and then get all of your weight on the back of one of the pontoons. This will cause the bow of the opposite pontoon to rise and you can get it back to being on its side where you can do a normal recover. On that note I highly recommend a Hawaiian style righting system.
Yes they are big to trailer, but without going to a mano-slug with a drop keel or a bigger catamaran you won't find any dingy with that much sail area and or power to weigh ratio.
The one down side of any type of multi-hull that that they can almost always be out pointed by a mano-slug. If you are unfamiliar with pointing that is how close to straight into the wind you an go while still producing thrust with the sails. With a Hobie 16 you can get in the ball park of 45* off straight into the wind where with a mano-slug you can get about another 10 to 15 degrees closer. Where multi-hulls make up for that is in the speed. To make it to an upwind mark we may not be able to take a more direct route, but we can cover more distance faster. Plus, on a reach we can blow anything else out of the water.
Tacking (changing direction with the bow passing through directly into the wind) is more difficult than on a mano-slug, especially having to cover more of a change of angle thanks to not being able to point as well. This can be compensated with good technique. The basics of that are to keep the jib on the same side until and then let it back wind for a moment to let the wind push the bows through the dead zone and then bringing the jib over on the new tack. This can also be assisted by crew weight distribution to bring the new leeward bow out of the water so there is less resistance to turn.
You absolutely want to sail with a jib. While there are other designs of cats like the Hobie 14 (non turbo) that don't have a jib, the 16, as someone else mentioned, uses the jib as the forestay when when the jib is up. The jib and the main work in tandem by controlling the air moving over the main that helps generate forward force, and without a jib you are really SOL when it comes to tacking as the main alone is just going to act like a giant weather vain.
The name of the book may make it seem comically outdated but Catamaran Racing for the 90's is still often referred to as the Bible of cat sailing
http://www.amazon.com/Catamaran-Racing-For-Rick-White/dp/1880871009
If you have any other questions you are more than welcome to send me a PM. I have sailed little sail boats, raced big sail boats, and I have owned a Hobie 16 for about 4 years now (my girlfriends name for it is "The Mistress").
Great book written for coaches http://www.amazon.com/High-Performance-Rowing-John-McArthur/dp/1861260393
I don't have any experience... but the most recomended book I have seen is "Cruiser's Handbook of Fishing by Scott and Wendy Bannerot"
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cruisers-Handbook-Fishing-Scott-Bannerot/dp/0071427880/
Also of course the internet is full of info which needs caution to take :D
http://www.yachtingworld.com/video/bluewater-sailing-techniques-fishing-on-board-67163
Some feel that rods are just extra hassle and handlines are the way forwards.
https://www.sailboat-cruising.com/handline-fishing.html
I taught myself to sail with this book.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0684854201
Read it, bought a boat, and started practicing. Have fun!
Boat Race before last the bowman of the winning boat was 5'10", huge heart and lungs, and weighed in the mid 80's (KGs) if I recall, so built pretty solid.
To go sub 6 is the elite standard, but don't forget weight adjustment, there's no point going sub 6 mins if you weight 200kg, no one's going to enjoy dragging a hippo in thier boat if he's not pulling his own weight and then some, the calculator and an explanation of weight adjustment are available here http://www.concept2.com/us/interactive/calculators/weight_adjustment.asp
Train on sliders, or take out a single, there is 10x the chance of an injury in land training than on the water.
long steady pieces are also good, don't even go for distance, just sit on an erg for 30 mins, an hour or even 90 mins, it won't wreck you because it shouldn't, but it will improve your times.
READ: You're going to have to live and breath rowing, I'd recomend the following (Not that I've read them all, but i've ordered them and almost finished the original print of Rowing Faster)
http://www.amazon.com/Rowing-Faster-2nd-Volker-Nolte/dp/0736090401/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1314681440&sr=8-1 http://www.amazon.com/High-Performance-Rowing-John-McArthur/dp/1861260393/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_b http://www.amazon.com/Lactate-Threshold-Training-Peter-Janssen/dp/0736037551/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1314681471&sr=1-1
You're gonna need to know more about rowing and training than anyone on the team, because the hours you'll be putting in will make you your own coach.
I'd recommend signing up for a basic class at a sailing school. Hands on learning will get you where you want to go much faster.
Additionally I'd recommend High Performance Sailing by Frank Bethwaite which is absolutely great even for beginners that only have a basic understanding of what a boat is made up of. This is probably why I say additionally, because you'll want to combine it with a class. Learning by doing is still a mantra even if you're a very theoretical person.
The book has a lot of information on wind, trim (sail shape and position), handling, and a bunch more things and presents it in a clear way on top of that. It's also a bit more in-depth than other books I've read that just preach old ideas about trim, this actually explains it.
In addition to the other great advice, I'd suggest reading The Complete Sailor, and to emphasize, sail as much as you can.
I've had people here recommend me some good books on this topic:
Inspecting the Aging Sailboat - Don Casey
For fiberglass specifically:
Surveying Fiberglass Sailboats - Henry C. Mustin
I'm surprised that nobody has mentioned [Chapman Piloting and Seamanship](https://www.amazon.com/Chapman-Piloting-Seamanship-68th/dp/1618372432/ "Amazon link"). Pretty comprehensive, and also serves as mobile ballast if you need to adjust trim.
"The Sailor's Sketchbook"- a great little idea book but more than just that. It's one of those books that you can flip through and feel inspired.
I really enjoyed Breaking Seas: An overweight, middle-aged computer nerd buys his first boat, quits his job, and sails off to adventure.
The voyagers handbook covers A LOT if you're planning to travel.
https://www.amazon.com/Voyagers-Handbook-Essential-Guide-Cruising/dp/0071437657
Go to your local library and check out any books they have on the subject. I found that my library has books for sailing in two different Dewey decimal system locations so check them both out.
The two big ones that I hear people recommending all the time are these two:
http://www.amazon.com/Chapman-Piloting-Seamanship-Edition-Handling/dp/1588169618/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1380854381&sr=8-1&keywords=chapmans+piloting+and+seamanship
and
http://www.amazon.com/The-Annapolis-Book-Seamanship-Edition/dp/1451650191/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1380854397&sr=8-2&keywords=anapolis+book+of+seamanship
Although that second one doesn't come out with the revised version until january. (The last update was 1999)
Always - hidden delams can cost you more than you're paying to fix. Maybe its had a hard grounding and the keep connection is iffy - can you tell? A surveyor usually can.
Failing that - at the very least buy and read this book.
> I've designed Tiny Houses.
Boats. Trust me.
This style of canoe was the origin of the more durable wood and canvas canoe. In his [book] (http://www.amazon.com/The-Wood-Canvas-Canoe-Construction/dp/0884480461) Rollin Thurlow details the construction and history of the wood and canvas version and relates it to these old bark canoes.
I know this is only semi-relevant, but I really like wood and canvas canoes, and if anyone is interested in making their own canoe, I highly recommend this book
Please buy and read this. Too many people on the water with zero knowledge. This is the bible of boating. In addition, a Coast Guard Power Rangers course is a great idea.
https://www.amazon.com/Chapman-Piloting-Seamanship-68th/dp/1618372432/ref=dp_ob_title_bk
Judging by your username it sounds like you already psyched yourself out of going so I'm not going to try to convince you otherwise.
However, I will recommend "Breaking Seas: An overweight, middle-aged computer nerd buys his first boat, quits his job, and sails off to adventure" by Glenn Damato. It's truly a great read and his story is so similar to yours. It may give you the courage and confidence you so desperately need.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00A6542M6?ie=UTF8&redirectFromSS=1&pc_redir=T1&noEncodingTag=1&fp=1
It looks like a non-affiliate link according to this.
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For a cleaner URL: amzn.com/0071437657