Customer Reviews

One Hand for Yourself, One for the Ship: The Essentials of Single-Handed Sailing

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

 

 

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I stopped buying Tristan Jones books because I felt there was little substance to them and some fabrication added to help sell them to the publishers. All the books are skimpy fast reads. I hope my opinion is changed, but I'm unwilling to invest in any more of them to find out.

He has a some of good advice for sailors at sea. However, I have to say, that like most of his books I take what he writes with a grain of salt. And, some of what he recommends, I doubt he ever did himself.

That is not to say his advice is bad, just not practical in some cases. I doubt many seaman would follow all of his advice.

For example, he recommends that single handed sailor drag a line behind the boat hooked up to a trip wire arrangement to heave the boat to. Great advice. I doubt anyone follows it or that Tristan Jones did so. That doesn't mean it is not good advice. This sort of thinking is smart thinking, planning ahead for an emergency.

Likewise his advice for having a triangular patch of canvas ready and rigged on the bow with control lines all set ready to cover a hole below the waterline should the unlike event happen that one gets holed below the waterline. This is just something that would get in the way, foul up something else on the boat and cause more trouble than it's worth. I think a better idea is have one ready to go and practice rigging it.

Perhaps these ideas may make sense when you are sitting at a typewriter trying to put enough substance in a book so you can sell it to a publisher. This is my impression of Tristan Jones.

If you get something out of a book like this, you got something that may give you an idea that will save your boat or yourself.

I gave it 3 stars because I felt it was like some of his other books, short books made in an attempt to make money to fund his roving lifestyle as a wandering seaman.

Hey he pulled it off.

Maybe you can too! Bring a laptop if you go cruising, there is bound to be a story in it.

Tristan Jones shares the fast experience he has gained over the years in low-budget single handed cruising. He has sailed more miles in small boats than anyone else and it shows. The book is full of very sensible advice on sailing, cruising and surviving. But remember. this book gives his personal opinion. As a reader you have to filter out what you like and what not. A great way to learn!

This book has great information for solo sailors or those who could become solo sailors with the illness or injury of one person. My husband and I are the only crew for our 40 ft sailboat. He is the more knowledgeable sailor by far, so if he is out of commission for a while, I will be very grateful for the ideas I have gotten from this book.

I was particularly interested in the skills necessary to sail single handedly v. with crew. I was disappointed to discover that the author spent very little time discussing the skills needed for single-handed sailing.

A very good book written by a world class sailor. Good logical advice on very specific cruising and sailing situations. One of the better reads on practical sailing books. A most for a sailer's library.

Obviously Conrad spends his time reviewing books and not in a boat. Read any or all of the Tristan Jones books. You will enjoy them. They are fantastic tales and full of knowledge from an experienced seaman. This one in particular is full of great information especially for the small boat or solo sailor. I only sail on local lakes but learned a lot from reading Tristan's adventures.

Here is one of the worlds' greatest voyagers! His undaunting enterprise was to survive alone at sea and live to tell about it. As writing came about as a means to support his lifelong endeavor, he learned to shape his words into a fascinating accounting. So many tricks to learn about solo sailing!

Tristan Jones has packed his book with invaluable information and useful advice. This book is a must for any sailor choosing to venture beyond fair weather sailing close to shore.

While some of Capt. Jones off-shore sailing techniques are tinged with the shading of Britannic and slightly confusing for those of in the colonies, the result is a smashing good read. The pages carry important information gained the hard way...through experience.

Tristan Jones is the consummate single-hander.
The current attempts to discredit Tristan
now that he is gone are sad and pathetic.
This is the BEST book for single handed sailing
that I have ever found,
and is a page-turner to boot.
If you sail or just dream of it,
you need to have this book!