Customer Reviews

Sailpower: Trim and Techniques for Cruising Sailors

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This is the third book on sail trim that I have read (some of us catch on slowly). I am a cruising sailor that races once a year and am interested in maximizing sail performance any time. I often sail with a buddy that really knows sail trim and can often get an extra knot with a tweak of the halyard, outhaul and genoa lead, so I've seen the difference small changes can make. This is an easily understood book, not overly technical. Dedicated racers would want one of the other more technical books.

Written by the editor of "Sail" magazine, whose extensive experience includes competition in long-distance ocean races, Sailpower: Trim And Techniques For Cruising Sailors is a thoroughly detailed instructional to effectively operating a sailboat. Color photographs illustrate the how-to, step-by-step advice for setting up the rig, controlling the mainsail, trimming the mainsail and headsail, handling reefing systems, coping with strong winds, troubleshooting, and much more. Presented in a friendly, accessible tone as accessible to lay readers as to seasoned sailors, Sailpower is a superb guide to honing one's sailing skills and highly recommended for anyone considering the hobby or simply wanting to know more about what it is like.

I am a cruiser who likes to learn how to trim my sails right. Other sail trim books are too technical and gear towards racers (99% of them are like that).

This book is a very easy read and very easy to understand with lots of photos and drawings to help you get the point fast.

Excellent Read. A MUST for all sailors

This is a concise, well structured overview that is pitched at people like me - a cruising sailor with more than half a brain, but without the obsessive compulsive racing personality. I was disinclined to read the rigging sections, but after learning about the sails I went back and enjoyed these chapters. Written in a style that maintains the readers attention, it is neither patronising nor dumbed-down. Excellent photos and diagrams support the text comprehensively. After reading the book I feel I understand enough about the common pitfalls in sail setting and rigging set ups to make my own decisions, (ever asked 3 yachties to agree on anything?) and can place my sails in a respectable way that gets the most out of my boat. Our cruising is certainly more comfortable. Being relatively new to sailing we have been delighted with the results - picking up speed and saving time on regular weekend journeys, and gaining the enjoyment of knowing more about what we are doing without having had to find an old sea-dog to show us the way.

I first looked at this book while at B&N. At first glance I liked the book but postponed the purchase for some weeks. I was looking at book on Amazon and just had to have it. I have never regreted the decision and expect this book to become a classic over time.

For those sailors intent on mastering the art portion of sailing this is the best book I have seen in years and perhaps ever. All I have to say is thanks for the words and better yet the pictures in this book.

The first chapter was difficult to follow, and, I believe, was incorrect in its truncated description of how a sail works.

The second chapter was also difficult to follow so I gave up and resorted to Peter Hahne's book, Sail Trim: Theory and Practice", which was helpful for this controversial and complicated topic.