High Performance Sailing [Paperback]

Frank Bethwaite (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 30, 2003

The techniques explained and the theory included in this book are original and based on the many years of experience the author has gained while coaching the highly successful Australian Olympic sailing team.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"One of the most readable books on the complex subject of sailing faster, and without doubt, a must for every racing sailor."—Yachts and Yachting

About the Author

Frank Bethwaite has been at the leading edge of national and world
class sailing for over sixty years. Apart from his own outstanding
racing successes, he has coached every level of would-be champion from
basic to Olympic standard. Within his own family, three are Olympic
champions and three are world champions in four classes. From a
background of aeronautical engineering and meteorology, Frank spent
thirty years in military and civilian aviation and finally in
scientific flying. When he retired he decided to find out how small
sailboats worked - so that he could make them sail faster.

Product Details

• Paperback: 436 pages
• Publisher: Adlard Coles (June 30, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0713667044
• ISBN-13: 978-0713667042
• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 7.6 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,722,016 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars THE resource for high performance sailing of our generation., February 20, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: High Performance Sailing (Hardcover)

This book is about high performance sailing, and how to go as fast, under sail, as you possibly can. It doesn't matter if you race keel boats, or sailboards, or dinghies or multihulls; if you read, understand and practice what is written in this book, you will be a faster sailor. Frank and his family have include three Olympic competitors, four World Championships, as well as several Grand Masters (over age 60) World Championships by Frank himself. Frank has been a coach on the Australian Olympic Team since 1972 and also pursued pastimes with model gliders (twice open world endurance record holder) and full size sailplanes. His latest accomplishment is that of codesigner (with his son Julian)of the latest sailboat to be selected for the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, the Bethwaite 49er. The book itself is laid out into four distinct parts; wind, water, the boat, and handling. Nothing is made in the book of tactics or rules. Frank assumes that once you get out in front, you stay out front. In all, a deeply technical book on how to sail faster. Highly recommended to serious sailors interested in performance. A must for any technical sailors library. Only once every 30 years or so does such a book come out, the last being C. A. Marchaj's "The Aero-Hydrodynamics of Sailing" from the 1960s. Don't miss it...

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars New information on wind and sail trim for serious racers, July 3, 1998

By 

Garandman (Boston, MA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: High Performance Sailing (Paperback)

Frank Bethwaite and his son Julian are probably best known for their role in developing the Australian 18 skiffs and the 49er.

However, Mr. Bethwaite's background as a meteorologist, engineer, and pilot gives him a unique perspective in analysing the sailor's wind and how to maximize performance. His studies of hull drag, sail drag, and sail drive give the serious racing sailor valuable new information on how to maximize performance in a variety of conditions.

This book focuses on high-performance sailcraft, but the lessons are applicable to almost any racing boat.

Mr. Bethwaite provides many charts, graphs, and illustrations to support his observations on maximizing performance. Although this is a technical book, it is written for the layman.

This book significantly advances understanding of wind, sail trim, and boat handling. It is a must-read for anyone racing the new generation of planing sportboats like the Viper 640 or Melges 24, new high-performance racers like the Mumm 30 or One-Design 35, and the high-performance dinghies like the 29er, 49er, 505, Flying Dutchman, etc. But serious sailors of all sorts will benefit from the book, and the chapters on the development of the Australian 18 foot skiff are very interesting and not found in North American or European sailing texts.

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best book ever on sailing or building faster boats, October 19, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: High Performance Sailing (Paperback)

I thought I knew about meteorology, waves, boatbuilding and sailing. I have a first class Cambridge degree in physics, have sailed and raced various boats (dinghies and sailboards) for 30 years and designed one fast dinghy. I thought I was one smart dude. Words begin to fail me. Wow! I wish I had known this lot 30 years ago. It turns out that I was pig ignorant. The book is the best I have ever seen on what the wind does. It's the best ever on how to handle it. It's extremely good on rigs and how to adjust them. It's not just the best ever, it's streets ahead. Don't expect to read it quickly. There is a vast amount to take in. If you really know your stuff you might get through it in a few weeks. Better to plan on a whole winter.