In this essential introductory guide, noted sailing designer and author Roger Marshall acquaints the beginner with all of the basics-the language of sailing, the equipment choices involved, the safety precautions-needed to get out on the water. He also provides further instruction on "the rules of the road," as well as how (and with what) to navigate, how to read charts, and how to purchase a boat. Beyond recreational sailing, Marshall explains how to get involved in competition and plan an extended cruise. There are also full chapters on the important matters of emergency situations, assessing the weather, and reading flags and buoys. The easy-to-follow instructions in this complete, no-nonsense guide present all the fundamentals needed to get into a boat and sail away-and to enjoy this ever-popular activity.
Roger Marshall
Roger Marshall's work has appeared in magazines worldwide as well as the New York Times, The Daily Telegraph (UK), The Providence Journal, Sports Illustrated, Sail, Yachting World, Australian Sailing, Seahorse (UK), Kazi (Japan)and many other newspapers and magazines. He has appeared on Boating Today TV as host and commentator and is now the editor of Hobby Greenhouse magazine and contributor to several boating magazines. He has been a editor and contributor to many other magazines and has written more than 700 magazine articles. Marshall is the author of fifteen books, two of which were translated into Italian and Spanish. He has also won a number of prizes for his writing. His latest novel Soliton is available on Amazon's Kindle.
Marshall's day job a designer of sailing and powerboats. After completing a program in small craft design at Southampton College in England, Marshall moved to the United States to take a position at Sparkman & Stephens, Inc. in New York. He was a designer there for over 5 years and then left to establish his own yacht design studio. He was project manager for the Courageous Challenge for the 1987 America's Cup campaign in Australia. Before going with the Courageous group he lectured a six-semester program leading to a minor in small craft design at Roger Williams University. In 1999 one of his designs was selected for inclusion in Ocean Cruising magazine's American Yacht Review. The Avid 24, a production bass boat is currently under construction.
Marshall has extensive sailing and boating experience. He has sailed at all levels including with the British Admiral's Cup team on Quailo III and aboard Prime Minister Heath's Morning Cloud and once with the Japanese team. He has also sailed in many world and national championships, 11 Bermuda races (twice with the British Onion Patch team), and 5 Fastnet races (twice with the British Admiral's Cup team), and the 1997 Atlantic Challenge from New York, to Falmouth, England, placing third. He has cruised on both power and sailboats in many parts of the world, especially the European, Mediterranean, and North American coastlines.
He is past President of Boating Writers International, former chair of the Innovation Awards committee, is also a member of the jury for the prestigious DAME Awards held at the METS show in Holland. He a member of the American Society of Journalists and Authors and the Garden Writers Association.
