Sailing For Dummies (For Dummies (Sports & Hobbies)) (Paperback)

by J. J. Isler (Author), Peter Isler (Author) "Water covers nearly three-quarters of the planet..." (more)
Key Phrases: America's Cup, United States, Coast Guard (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
Attention landlubbers: If you don't know your port from your starboard, tacking from jibing, then you need to experience clear sailing with the Dummies. With the usual cargo of good humor and demystifying tone, this mast in the Dummies armada lifts the fog on confusing nautical language, teaches the basics about maneuvering a sailboat from dock to open ocean, floats important safety information, and offers advice and info on a variety of related issues (knots, racing, sailboards, how to buy a sailboat). Whether you want to learn to sail or just talk like a sailor, Sailing for Dummies is your anchor to life on the water. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Description
Interested in learning to sail but feel like you’re navigating in murky waters? Sailing for Dummies, Second Edition introduces the basics of sailing, looks at the different types of sailboats and their basic parts, and teaches you everything you need to know before you leave the dock.

In Sailing for Dummies, Second Edition, two U.S. sailing champions show you how to:

• Find and choose a sailing school
• Use life jackets correctly
• Tie ten nautical knots
• Handle sailing emergencies (such as capsizing and rescuing a man overboard)
• Launch your boat from a trailer, ramp, or beach
• Get your boat from point A to point B (and back again)
• Predict and respond to water and wind conditions
• Read charts, plot your course, use a compass, and find your position at sea

Sailing for Dummies shows you that getting out on the water is easier than you think. The authors keep the sailor-speak to a minimum where possible, but give you a grasp of the terminology you need to safely and effectively communicate with your crew. A textbook, user’s manual, and reference all in one, this book takes the intimidation out of sailing and gives you the skills and confidence you need to get your feet wet and become the sailing pro you’ve always wanted to be. Anchors away!

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Product Details

• Paperback: 432 pages
• Publisher: For Dummies; 2 edition (June 6, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471791431
• ISBN-13: 978-0471791430
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.4 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (35 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #6,606 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #6 in	Books > Outdoors & Nature > Outdoor Recreation > Sailing
  #15 in	Books > Sports > Water Sports

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very informative and entertaining summary of sailing!!, August 2, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Sailing for Dummies (Paperback)

As a novice sailor, I found this book to contain an introduction to everything I needed to know about sailing. The Isler couple, both world class sailors, spice up the material with personal amusing anecdotes of their sailing experiences (and occasional mishaps). Plenty of illustrations add to the book's educational value. I can't imagine a better intro book to the subject.

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sailing for Dummies, January 15, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Sailing for Dummies (Paperback)

This is an excellent sailing textbook - as the cover states it's "A Reference for the Rest of Us!" That is, it can be used as a beginner's book and then kept for use as a reference manual. I have read and re-read this book several times and each time I re-read it, something I didn't understand or fully comprehend "jumps out at me" and I become a better sailor because of the information contained within and imparted by this book.
Also, some people know their subject but are unable to teach others what they know. Both JJ and Peter not only know their subject, sailing, but are also very adept at transferring that knowledge to their readers, sailors and wannabe sailors!

31 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable, Simple and Interesting ... a great beginners book, February 25, 2001

By	Allan M. Gathercoal "fdoamerica" (Norcross, GA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Sailing for Dummies (Paperback)

I used this text as a secondary supplement for an American Sailing Association "sailing certification" , and I found it refreshingly helpful. Well known today, and with hundreds of titles, the "For Dummies® Books" collection offers you valuable basic information on hundreds of subjects, from "Accounting for Dummies" to "Yoga for Dummies".

"For Dummies® Books" strive to make a subject enjoyable to read, interesting and simple enough to understand so anyone can grasp the concept . In "Sailing For Dummies", J. J. Isler and Peter Isler accomplish just that: enjoyable, interesting and simple. This is a very basic text for the first 140 pages, then, for the remainder of the book, the Islers add to your foundational knowledge of sailing ending with subjects such as: sailboat racing, chartering and buying a boat.

"Sailing For Dummies" is livened up by the use of cartoons, interesting quips and quotes and engaging icons found throughout the book in the margins. The icons denote sections of information that promote "tips", "safety", "danger", "nautical words", "sailing stories", etc. Add the above with b&w photos, great diagrams and an excellent index, and you have a book valuable to any novice who wants to know more about sailing. Recommended.