Customer Reviews

Multihull Voyaging

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

 

 

The word aptly describes the authors cruising style, and unfortunately his writing style. Chris White's "The Cruising Multihull" covers all of the same subjects in much greater detail, providing information which will let the reader make his/her own intelligent choices.

By his own right, Jones should have enough experience from which to draw upon without trashing the work, lives, and experiences of some of the most respected multihull designers, builders, sailors, and what the hell...the entire multi industry. This guy was dated, ten years before writing this book. His is a voice which severely disservices the entire world of multihull design, building, and sailing.

At the very least, I had hoped to read a personal account of Jones' experiences aboard his multihulls, but what I found was banal generalities foisted up as specific facts. Contained within this assemblage of piss and vinegar are mostly Jones' observations of everyone else's mistakes and shortcomings without ever allowing that he may have a few chinks himself. I was tremendously disappointed with this book.

I found no discussion of recent multihulls, with the exception of the Gemini cats and a few words on the production Farrier tris. A better title for this book would have been, "How to Cheaply Sail Aboard Multihull Designs of the Sixties, Putting Yourself and Fellow Sailors at Risk of Collision, Injury, and Death".

A more sound discussion could be found within the pages of Chris White's, "The Cruising Multihull" and would leave one with the feeling of having been educated, rather than having listened to the disertation of a megalomaniac.

This excellent volume is one that persuaded us that it was time to build our own boat, which is nearing completion as I write.

The book describes multihulls and rigs from a variety of designers, and goes on to detail how the two Joneses voyaged widely at modest cost and with safety, despite their very own hurricane experience in a tiny catamaran.

It covers the choice between cat and tri - and they have designed, built and sailed both, so have no axe to grind. The chapter on boat designs is most useful, and contains warnings that are worth heeding if choosing a boat for deep ocean.

Jones' writing style is admirably clear and direct, and the illustrations are well executed. He is a boatbuilder and designer himself, after all.

I recommend this book heartily to anyone who is going voyaging, in either mono or multi. Even if the voyage is in the mind of the reader, it is well worth reading for the tales.

If you thinking about buying this book for tips on cruising in a multihull it will be extremely disappointed. If your thinking about buying and cruising in a multihull it will give some food for thought about what you need for a boat.

It's an average book that reads more into design instead of what the title leads you to believe and some of the information is out of date for the faster designs by K. Hughes, J. Shuttleworth, D. Newick. Chris White has a book (amazon has it for sale) which is far better and suggested reading by most Multihull fanatics.

Sorry to say, I consider this one of the worst wrote books in my nautical library. Purchased it (used) for a friend, read it first and felt it was so poor I didn't make a gift of it.

The sad thing about most books on specialized subjects is that they are written by people who may respected in their chosen field, but are terrible writers. Tom Jones is the rare exception. His writing may be spartan (as another reviewer noted), but that's because his diction is concise, his words aptly chosen.

Of the couple of hundred books I've read on nautical subjects this is one I return to regularly. The clarity of thinking and expression is exceptional.

It's about economical, practical voyaging on 2 or 3 hulls. Rather than an exhaustive list of production multihulls and their features, it is about voyaging, what to bring along, what not to, heavy and fine weather sailing, and multihull design.

I find it far better than other books on multihulls.

Jones has crossed the Atlantic ocean numerous times in multihulls of his own design. He is cheap to a fault, so if your dream is a 2 million dollar catamaran then this probably isn't the book for you. Jones is a small time boat builder of generally simple boats, and his thoughts run to those subjects. I find his ideas relevant, particularly to those who still build their own boats. Sure there are many more sophisticated boats available from other designers, and I probably wouldn't build a Jones boat. But his ideas are a useful reference to what is really needed to get out there.

Jones has figured out how to cheaply do a very expensive thing - take-off to go sailing for months at a time. His ideas are structured around that activity. Many of the expensive multihull features he dislikes (like folding systems) actualy make the occasional sailor's life easier and less expensive. But it's still the case these systems ad cost without doing much to asist your transat.

I agree with others who like Chris W's book (you might as well buy both). I recently coresponded with Chris about one of the cheaper of his cruising designs, featured in that book, the E-34. Sorry, no longer available, he suggests his 44' trimaran instead. When I find $2-300 000 I'll get right on that. It's like anything else there is room for all kinds of budgets.

An excellent book about mutihulls, practical, for people who want to sail. Not for people who sail one week a year and have $200,000 holes in the water or people who want air conditioning and tv in their boats. If you want to experience sailing and the ocean, this is the book for you. This book will tell you what you need, what works and doesn't, and how to be safe, written by a man who has done some hard thinking on the subject. Entertaining and enjoyable reading. I wish he would write more books. Highly recommended.

The author used a multihull length which most couples or a small family would choose to cruse on. Mr. Jones gave concise details on what is required for a safe voyage in these mid-sized multihulls. Well written and informative.

you can spend a fortune building and using a multihull. this auther has known many of the worlds best designers and give you the benifit of his experience and why. if you feel that you need to have a boat that is like a house on the water. Then read this book and he will attempt to talk you out of it.