From the Author
There are four major themes to this book: making boat and boat system choices, organizing a boat's operating manual, planning for a cruise, and dealing with some of the unique social and institutional complexities of living aboard a boat.
A serious cruising or liveaboard boat is a complex collection of systems, engine, fuel tankage and plumbing, electric battery charging, fresh water plumbing, cooking stoves and fuels, electronic navigation aids, safety equipment and procedures, provisioning and storage, and many more. Unless you are a long-time marine mechanic, it's impossible to be an expert in several or all of these areas. However, everyone should be prepared for normal preventative maintenance, some rudimentary repairs, a few spare parts and replacements, good tools and, most importantly, a boat operating manual with the specifications and descriptions of their boat.
The operating manual illustrated in this book was prepared for my sailboat, SABRA. It shows how easy it is to prepare one's own operating manual. It's a fun messing-around-with-boats project. The result will be an invaluable resource when it's time to maintain or repair something on the boat either docked in a marina or in the middle of an ocean crossing.
In addition to the sketches, tables, and lists needed for the preparation of a boat's operating manual and cruise planning, the guidance is accompanied by a wide ranging discussion . The topic, how to get oneself organized for the rewarding cruising and liveaboard life. These include arranging for a mailing address, managing the facts of life, and financing the getaway.
About the Author
Michael L. Frankel lives, cruises and writes aboard SABRA, his 32-foot, Chinese junk-rigged schooner. He has sailed to Europe, throughout the Caribbean, along the eastern seaboard and the Gulf of Mexico.
He served as Chairman of the Center for Marine Conservation, an environmental policy research group founded to preserve ocean habitats and marine life. He is a former management consultant specializing in environmental and socioeconomic impacts of large-scale development projects and public land uses. For several years he was the editor/publisher of Living Aboard, a magazine for boaters enjoying or dreaming about the unique lifestyle of liveaboards. He is an electrical engineer with extensive experience in boat maintenance and outfitting.
Michael Frankel's current adventure is a "round the world" sail with the Millennium Rally, sponsored by the World Cruising Club.
