Customer Reviews

Handbook of Offshore Cruising: The Dream and Reality of Modern Ocean Cruising 2nd Edition

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Great book, easy to read, you do not have to be an expert to read it. A must have for any sailor even if he/she is not a cruiser. Jim Howard deals with all the aspects of cruising under sail with a lot of common sence and safety. If you are a "wannabe" cruiser this book is of great help to organize your dream.

This book seems to be very thorough, well constructed and executed. I've been collecting alot of cruising books over the past few years in anticipation of a round-the-world cruise (someday), and this book not only answers many of the questions I have, but also is a very enjoyable (and effective) read when your dream needs a booster shot. For this reason alone, it has aearned a place of honor on my nightstand, where it has already, and will I am sure, many times more give "the dream" the neccesary "kick".

Nigel Calder's books, although detailed, don't really rub me the right way. Calder tends to analyze boats with everything but a hot tub onboard, and treats HVAC and microwaves like they should be standard issue with a rudder and compass.

Howard, on the other hand, is much more basic and simple with his recommendations, but not nearly as spartan as the Pardey's (who are also excellent authors and sailors). Jim's book is generally the first one I'll read on any given subject, and if I can't get enough detail there, I'll look elsewhere.

But really, this book should be top of the heap for you. The large section on voices in the night speaks for itself, and shows that Howard obviously has many thousands of miles under his keel.

This book is the A-Z, top-to-bottom cruiser's guide. There is almost nothing that isn't addressed. Aimed exclusively at the 30-40ft off-shore cruiser. Lot's of good, solid, common-sense tips on every topic.

I especially appreciate Mr. Howard's very down-to-earth approach and emphasis on safety first.

Very well written with lot's of appropriate antedotes.

Highly recommended.

Jim's book is very entertaining and easy to read. His advice comes from real-life experience and it is explained in terms that any novice would understand. I recommend this book to anyone considering the cruising lifestyle, especially y you are not loaded with a bottomless cruising kitty. This book is full of practical, common sense advice.

Howard assumes some knowledge of sailing, but you don't have to be an experienced sailor to understand and appreciate this book. It is very well organized and is about as in depth as any *single* book on such a wide subject can be. He isn't afraid to name names when recommending equipment or other books and has a good bibliography and index. If you are at all interested in the *reality* of offshore cruising, buy this book.

Quite simply, Jim Howard is the voice of reason when it comes to casual offshore cruising. More then once while reading his book I've smacked myself in the head to the thought of, "of course, it's so simple, why didn't I think of this before!" Yet as informative as the Handbook is, it's an enjoyable read that never takes itself too seriously, often infusing crucial pointers with stories of what's happened in real-life situations and a word on other sailors' perspective of the issue. If you're an amateur sailor who likes to daydream of one day taking a boat around the world, or even just for a hop to a distant island and back, this is a fascinating and thoroughly entertaining read. It will fuel one's daydreams like gasoline on a bonfire, yet keep reality firmly in check.

On a more detailed level, Jim Howard ultimately is a cruiser at heart, and leans heavily on the idea of setting up a ship for comfort and, most especially, for bulletproof reliability, and never (as far as I can tell) suggests improvements solely for performance reasons. He'll point out that cruising costs as much as you're willing to afford, and while he'll go into great detail on effectively the cost-benefit of a myriad of ship components, he'll clearly point out what equipment cannot be skimped on, and will even suggest brand names of what is good, what is mid-shelf, and what is to be avoided. The book was copy-written in 1994, which means that while most of the material is still very appropriate (and should remain so for many decades thanks to the timelessness of sailing), information should be regarded with a grain of salt when it comes to more current material such as the cost and functionality of electronic systems, modern composite materials, brand reputations, etc. Everything is written in such as way as to cleanly present you the options, and (usually) not insist on doing things any one way, and so this book essentially forms a very useful framework of common sense with which to make better decisions regarding cruising.

If anything, it was a fun read, and one that will make me a better sailor in general, as well as keep an open-but-informed mind regarding offshore cruising.

I don't know all that much about sailing but I wanted to learn, especially about cruising, and this book is IT if you want to learn about that. It is not for beginners, the author assumes you already have a certain degree of knowledge/experience about sailing, nonetheless the basics are reviewed and I was able to quickly glean the basics from this book without buying "sailing for dummies" or something like that. If you are considering cruising this is a great book because it has many realistic tips on how to equip your boat for an extended cruise. The chapters about building your own boat are not comprehensive so if you are thinking in that direction you will need additional info there, but it does give you an idea of what you're in for if you decide to build your own. Detailed info on materials and cruising boats in general, plus many references for other sources of info, is a good cruising hand book indeed! Good for the (paperback) price, although I was surprised there was little info about using a sextant or setting up a shower in your boat when on the High Seas for 66 days! Yes you can sail around the world in a 24 foot sloop...

Enjoying the breeze of the ocean for an extended period of time is the relaxation many dream of having. "Handbook of Offshore Cruising: The Dream and Reality of Modern Ocean Cruising" is a guide to the offshore cruising; while the reality is never truly like the dream, there is still much to enjoy and embrace during the trip. A how to manual, "Handbook of Offshore Cruising" contains chapters on the boat itself, maintaining it along with other vital cruising gear, the daily tasks one must do while at sea, and what to do when one is ready to return to land. "Handbook of Offshore Cruising" is a must read for those who want to make their nautical fantasy into a reality.

The best book I have read on the subject. Anything related to the subject is very well covered.