Customer Reviews

Changing Course: A Woman's Guide to Choosing the Cruising Life

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Because my husband and I plan to go cruising within the next couple of years, I have tried to read everything I can get my hands on concerning cruising from a woman's perspective. Most of what I've read was either written by men extolling the virtues of cruising for women, or they were scary travelogues by women about huge waves, wet bunks, and life-threatening injuries. Deb Cantrell's book tells it like it is from a wide variety of female perspectives. She shows both the good and bad about cruising from the women who have done it, some more successfully than others. Instead of being a cruising "how to", she focuses on what is to be gained, as well as what one risks losing, by taking the plunge. I am especially grateful for the section on fears, as I now know that many of the fears I have about this lifestyle change are shared by women of all ages. The author also provides valuable insights and suggestions for dealing with those fears in ways to which women can relate. But the most special aspect of this book is the fact that it draws on the experiences of women of all ages, economic circumstances, and sailing skills. The rich diversity of comments and experiences makes this a truly invaluable resource for the cruising "wannabe" and the more reluctant among us. Without belaboring the point, I can't imagine being realistically prepared to move aboard and cruise without having read and reread this book until it's tattered.

Ms. Cantrell's survey of 107 women , both surprised and overwhelmed me. The woman pared down their lives to spend varying lengths of time living aboard a sailboat with their partners, discovering paths and places that cannot be experienced in life on land. I bought this book for its sub-title, -A Woman's Guide to Choosing the Cruising Life. I was going to present it to my wife, as a part of my gentle persuasion, hoping it would help me to encourage her to begin to feel the excitement I feel about the prospect of spending a part of our lives together on a boat.

The next day on my way out to ride the bus to work, I grabbed it and began to read. If I had been walking while reading, I would have been stopped in my tracks. I have read a lot of magazine articles about sailing, places to sail, and places not to sail and passed some of them on to my wife with hopes that she would brush up against some of my enthusiasm.

However, Changing Course gave me a different and more robust excitement about the prospect of the two of us casting off the land and sailing, 'round a bit. As I read, I was unable to restrain my excitement and found myself constantly interrupting her to read some of the wonderful parts and passages. This concise little book will answer most questions about the fears and mysteries of cruising the oceans of the world and living a different and more rewarding life with the one you love.

When you asked what your wife thought about buying a bigger boat and sailing away, was your suggestion received enthusiastically?

If not, YOU NEED THIS BOOK! It is worth its weight in gold. It will answer all her questions, and it will give you a better understanding of her point of view, and let you know what you need to change about yourself to help get her on board.

I couldn't put it down! This book is NOT just for women, but for COUPLES considering 'cruising' or any major life change for that matter. The author shares a personal side of herself along the way which is both unique and comforting. Ms. Cantrell certainly allays any fears or trepidation in taking that foreboding step - in fact, she thorougly convinces one to GO FOR IT! An excellent read!

As a female cruiser and sailing gal, I found "Changing Course" a useful guide. Although I seem to be in the minority, (I sought out the cruising partner,) rather than the usual - mate of the cruiser "going along for the ride," I learned some valuable lessons in Debra Ann Cantrell's book. I actually read it already a year into my first voyage. Yet, the chapters on managing fear and interpersonal dynamics were especially useful. You can't take enough skills along with you. The chapter on ways to make cruising more rewarding also proved to be fun! I was excited to see just how many I had already accomplished. I'm now working on # 48, and of course, #23 is underway again!
Debra, thanks for writing a useful guide for women!
-Nancy Birnbaum - svsaga@pocketmail.com

"Changing Course" is about partnerships in life, from roommates to spouses, and how they can resolve their differences and make the most of their togetherness. It is about the fear that resides in each of us, and how that fear can not only be calmed, but how it can be replaced with understanding, with hope, and with enjoyment. It is about how the individual can become an understanding, sharing, and contributing partner. I cried when I read the book, and am crying now as I try to describe what it would have done for us, over the past 50 years, as we struggled through life style changes without help. When my wife decided that the cruising life style was the answer to her fears of eternal entrapment in an unpleasant environment with a workaholic husband, my fear of leaving my business and associates did not allow a rational discussion of how to resolve our differences. It took a separation, counseling, and a great deal of pain before we could agree on a plan to go cruising. How very much easier it would have been with "Changing Course" as a guide to expressing our fears to each other, and how those fears could be overcome. Anyone, and everyone, who truly wants to understand what partnership is all about, needs to read and discuss this book with the partner, then rejoice in the growing depth of the relationship. And that is not all. Ms. Cantrell is a very erudite writer, and just researching her epitaphs has provided pleasures seldom found in a book today. Her work is easy to read, and most rewarding.

Practical advice and deep insights for anyone who is thinking about making a major lifestyle change. CHANGING COURSE focuses particularly on women deciding to join their husbands on long sailing trips, but I too find the advice and insights useful even though I am a man with no interest in sailing! The author writes so well that this book is entertaining and useful for anyone who is fascinated by the phenomenon of personal change.

An excellent book on making the transition from the current life you know to one of great change and adventure. Debra Cantrell brings forward all the pros and cons that she and other women in her study experienced in choosing the cruising life.

I felt that this book would be a great source of information and inspiration for women faced with this life changing decision.

From my prospective, it provided me with a greater understanding of what my wife was struggling with in making my dream of cruising a reality. Through our discussions surrounding this book, we have now reached a common goal of cruising that will be exciting for both of us.

Contrary to what the title Changing Course : A Woman's Guide to Choosing the Cruising Life says, this isn't really a book for women who are single, don't care to have a partner etc. Its for women who are married and basically the issues that a couple will have when living on a boat in such small living quarters. Am still looking for the book someone has written, that deals with the single person who chooses a compact life living on a boat, much like we did when in college. But if you can over look what I consider marriage advise (after 37 yrs I am now a widow) and pick the bits of advise that are useful as far as actually living on a boat as your main home, then its worth a read.

I read this book in a day, it was very interesting and informative. It gives some great advise about what to think about before you go cruising whether you're totally into it or apprehensive.