Customer Reviews

Sensible Cruising: The Thoreau Approach

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I can't say enough nice things about this book. It doesn't pretend to be a comprehensive guidebook on all aspects of cruising, but is rather an indepth examination of the true essentials. Just about any topic you can think of is covered, with new and insiteful thoughts on what works and what doesn't, as well as how to make cruising less technical, less expensive, less dependant on the chandlery and shore-side services in general. If you want in your heart to set off without a radio, without an engine, without radar, Loran, GPS, pressure showers or a microwave, and have been looking for very good reasons for doing so, then this is your book. Not only are these ideas mentioned in detail, but you'll see that lots of people sail a long way with very little fuss and expense, and have a wonderful, safe, and fulfilling time doing it. The yachting industry depends heavily on your feeling helpless, underequipped and in danger unless you buy one of their new (fill in the blank...radar, EPIRB, etc.), and Sensible Cruising will innoculate you against that bug, allowing you to make rational decisions about what is necessary and what is decidedly not. If nothing else, it's the best "Cruising on a Budget" book out there, bar none.

"Sensible Cruising" convinced me to buy a vintage 1972 Catalina 22' sailboat (swing keel) for $1000 (includes four sails, cushions, etc., but no trailer, nor outboard, which I didn't want anyway) ... the boat is in immaculate condition and is a fast, easy to sail, sailboat... it is moored in a marina along the Texas gulf coast ... best buy and best decision in recent memory! The authors' advice: to buy an affordable boat and GO SAILING was the 'turning point' in my sailing adventures! A dream come true ... there's nothing like messing about in boats!!! ONE HAPPY SAILOR, "Cap'n" Howard Jones

Casey offers very practical advice in selecting and outfitting a small, live-aboard sailboat for cruising on a modest budget. It provided a realistic and comprehensive guide to prepare the person for the experience too. I found this book a great resource when preparing a boat and my family to sail from Oregon to Mexico.
It is appropriate for readers who want to go sailboat cruising during regular vacations as well as those who are considering more extended voyages. If you are looking for another book to feed a dream to go sailboat cruising, this book is an excellent choice. It may also help you to realize that enjoying a satisfying piece of your dream may be more easily realized than you had previously thought possible.

A cruising book for regular people. A must-read for those of us who have or plan to have a reasonably seaworthy 25ish-30ish foot sailboat and want to go on a reasonable sabbatical cruise for a reasonable amount of time, i.e. weeks or months. Much needed coverage of the middle ground between buying a hundred-thousand dollar yacht and sailing thrice around the world for 10 years, and weekend lake-camping in daysailers. The authors even address the sticky issues of leaving & returning, motivating us to go and explaining how life may be changed by a successful cruise. The hypothetical ICW-Bahamas cruise is $19.95 worth of info alone. Don't let the thoroeau quotes put you off; this is a very practical book.

What a relief to find a knowledgeable, experienced cruiser that doesn't expect you to spend a fortune to go cruising. His position is "whatever cruiser you have will do just fine," unlike some authors that project you need a Swan or similar. Furthermore, Casey encourages all of us to "get out there and do it," stop procrastinating and make the leap.

This book is one of my favorites, and I read a LOT of books. It is educational, inspirational, entertaining, and just plain fun. My copy is dog-eared, worn, and obviously repeatedly read. I have written a detailed review on SailingIsLife, so I won't repeat all that here.

All I can say is that this book not only educated and entertained me, it solidified my dreams about cruising to the point that my wife and I, and now several friends, have become real cruisers. Not the "World Cruisers" most people think of, but Practical Cruisers, as described in this book, who have taken a number of shorter cruises and who continue to take longer and more diverse cruises as our knowledge and confidence increase.

Whether it inspires you to cruise, or simply entertains and enthralls you, it is a book well worth reading, and reading again.

The Thoreau quoting schtick is a bit contrived but cute generally.
Given the early 80's vintage a fair bit of the material is dated, though most of it is useful.

I agree with the go smaller, go sooner, go with the boat you have now approach espoused and appreciated a lot of the ideas of how to set up and run a boat. In general the book was pretty good.

Our boating guru returns with this book and it really is - a sensible approach, and yes it does help if you have actually read Thoreau's works.(My favorite is Cape Cod)

Full of Casey's practical knowledge and experience this book is an enticement to at least dream of cruising, if not to pack up and go! Like the Authors other books (his This Old Boat is almost a boating bible) it reads well, is loaded with `why didn't I think of that' ideas on boat improvements and really does reflect a thoughtful approach to boating.

Good read and a book to treasure, for rereading.

The book is a morale boost on getting afloat and away from the dock. How to go cruising on a modest 25 to 35 foot boat instead of aiming, and waiting, for a globe girdling capable bigger boat.
It leans heavily on the Thoreau philosophy "make do with what you have and do it, rather than to slaev away to be able to afford something special". Nice book.