Sailing - A Sailor's Dictionary - A Dictionary for Landlubbers, Old Salts, & Armchair Drifters [Paperback]

Henry Beard (Author), Roy McKie (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 4, 1981

With text by Henry Beard, founder of the National Lampoon and illustrations by Roy McKie, here is the New York Times bestselling lexicon of sailing--or, the art of getting wet and becoming ill while slowly going nowhere at great expense.

Sailing embarks upon uncharted waters, diving authoritatively into terms like adrift (a boat that is drifting), aglub (a boat that is sinking), and flotsam (anything floating in the water from which there is no response when the offer of a cocktail is made).

Full-sail ahead, flying the flag of obsession, the book lists close to 200 definitions and presents more than 50 full-page cartoons--to bring new meaning not just to the anchor and Aneroid Barometer, but to the boom, buoy, brightwork, and Beaufort Scale, too. The book plumbs the depths of the sea's rich traditions, providing a fix on the catamaran and dinghy, the gunwale and jib-boom, the mizzen, porthole, and ketch (a disagreeable clause in many boat-purchase contracts). 710,000 copies in print.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

sailing the fine art of getting wet and becoming ill while slowly going nowhere at great expense. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

From the Back Cover

. . . Quite simply the funniest book I have ever read.

--William F. Buckley, Jr., Captain of the Suzy Wong

A lexicon bringing new meaning to the things said at sea.

From: ABANDON: The wild state in which a sailor buys a boat.

To: Zephyr: A warm, pleasant breeze named after the mythical Greek god of wishful thinking, false hopes, and unreliable forecasts.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 95 pages
• Publisher: Workman Publishing Company; 1981 edition (January 4, 1981)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0894801449
• ISBN-13: 978-0894801440
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 7.8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,629,395 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Side-splitting hilarious humor for sailors!!, January 31, 2004

By 

annesailorgirl "annesailorgirl" (Michigan, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sailing (Paperback)

I crew sailing on Lake Michigan, and I brought this book out on the boat with me last summer. I had our whole team holding their sides, everyone laughed so hard. My copy is a little wet from the spray, but this makes it even more dear to me since it now holds sun-drenched memories of summer sailing days. Anyone who loves sailing will love this book. There are also funny drawings with technical definitions, such as the tiller is labelled the "Steerer," the mainmast is the "Big Sail," the prow is the "Front End," and the stern is the "Back End." Very helpful to learn the official technical terms, in between laughing.

Here are just a few of our crew's favorite definitions:

Catfish -- Popular dish on seafood restaurant menus, where it appears under a variety of names, including haddock, scallops, bluefish, swordfish, and lobster Newburg.

Chart -- 1. A large piece of paper that is useful in protecting cabin and cockpit surfaces from food and beverage stains. 2. A common decorative motif on place mats. 3. A nautical map that assists the boatman in determining whether he is on the water (blue on charts) or on land (yellow on charts).

Flashlight -- Tubular metal container used on shipboard for storing dead batteries prior to their disposal.

Hull speed -- The maximum theoretical velocity of a given boat through the water, which is 1.5 times the square root of its waterline length in feet, divided by the distance to port in miles, minus the time in hours to sunset cubed.

Jiffy reefing -- Simple adjustment system that makes it possible to change from too much sail to too little sail in no time flat.

Ocean racing -- Demanding form of sailing practiced by sportsmen whose idea of a good time is standing under an ice-cold shower, fully clothed, while tearing up $100 bills.

Spinnaker -- Very large, colorful, lightweight pennant traditionally flown from the top of the mainmast when running downwind.

Toe -- Stub your "toe"? Well then it's time to brush up on your nomenclature! In nautical terms, a toe is a catchcleat or snagtackle. A few others: head-- boomstop; leg-- bruisefast; and hand-- blistermitten.

Yacht Club -- Troublesome seasonal infestation in coastal areas of a particularly unpleasant marine organism with a stiff neck, cold shoulders, and clammy extremities that tend to clog inlets, bays, and coves during warm summer months, often making ordinary recreational boating difficult.

Well, you get the idea, this is just a sample of the dozens and dozens of definitions. If you love sailing and like to laugh, you'll love this book. Also a great gift idea for the sailor in your life.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Two different editions..., June 5, 2006

By 

D. Meenan (Massachusetts) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sailing (Paperback)

William F. Buckley, Jr. is credited with saying this is the funniest book he ever read. It IS hilarious, and a must for every sailor. Be aware, however, that there are two versions. The original edition was 8.5"x5.5". The current publication is a 4"x4" "pocketbook". In this newer edition, several things have been changed: the design and layout are different, and several definitions have been 'updated'. The content is essentially the same, but if you're a purist, check private sellers or eBay for a used original.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Buy this for yourself.. get copies for your sailing buddies !, March 15, 2006

By 

J. Stevens "wondermom !" (PA, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sailing (Paperback)

You need to be sailing for about a year before you "get it" with this book.. and when you do, you will be howling. I love this book.. I own it.. have bought several copies for friends and it is always well received. This is a great addition to your collection if you love to sail and love to laugh.