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Things I Wish I'd Known Before I Started Sailing Paperback – August 1, 2005

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John Vigor (Author)
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4.3 out of 5 stars 68 customer reviews
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Product Details

  • Paperback: 208 pages
  • Publisher: Sheridan House (August 1, 2005)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1574092111
  • ISBN-13: 978-1574092110
  • Product Dimensions: 5.9 x 0.5 x 8.8 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (68 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #127,762 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Top Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 starsA great book of sailors' "lessons learned," well worth the price!
By Nolan P. Clark on September 30, 2007
Format: Paperback
This is a great, easy-to-read book of sailors' "lessons learned," written by a man with much more experience at sea than most of us will ever have. It is not a book intended to teach you how to sail, but one with the intent of telling you how to avoid problems, both on and off the water. It is organized alphabetically, by subject, and the end of the book includes many useful tables, formulas, etc., that you might not easily find anywhere else. It covers various preventive techniques, ways to correct problems if they do occur, and things that merchants and repairmen might never tell you unless you know to ask. I also like that this book includes a fair amount of humor, and that the subjects covered are not all purely technical. Vigor goes so far as to address the phenomenon of "hearing voices" at sea, various superstitions, and even how to rename a boat in a way that doesn't cause it to become unlucky. This is a great little book and is well worth the price
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3.0 out of 5 starsTidbits from someone who clearly knows his way around boats
By ---- Neil H. on December 4, 2005
Format: Paperback
This is an alphabetical listing of boat issues, common misconceptions, followed by the authors opinion on the issue.

He is clearly knowledgeable, but each area is so short you don't get the full benefit. I found myself reading them and thinking, I wish he would have said more about this.
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5.0 out of 5 stars200 entries which blend humor with solid practical advice
By Midwest Book Review on December 9, 2005
Format: Paperback
If you think a serious approach is inherent in a book like John Vigor's Things I Wish I'd Known Before I Started Sailing, think again: there's no orthodoxy to sailing, and plenty of truths to tell - and Vigor reveals them in 200 entries which blend humor with solid practical advice. From knowing what kind of documentation is needed to sail into foreign waters to renaming or repainting a boat, Things I Wish I'd Known Before I Started Sailing avoids many pitfalls.
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2.0 out of 5 starsMuch of this book is copied verbatim from an earlier Vigor book
By A. Courie on November 29, 2012
Format: Paperback Verified Purchase
John Vigor's "Things I Wish I'd Known Before I Started Sailing" is a relatively short book full of tidbit of sailing knowledge. It is arranged alphabetically by subject with short entries. Some are humorous, some are serious, and some are much more useful than others.

So why only two stars? After seeing John Vigor's "The Practical Mariner's Book of Knowledge" listed as a source and purchasing that book, I found out that many of the entries in this book were copied verbatim from Vigor's earlier book.
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4.0 out of 5 starsPeculiar book
By Anthony Green on December 2, 2008
Format: Paperback
This is a strange book. Vigor has collected about 200 "observations" on sailing, each one a short item of a page or less in length. Each one is amusing, but it is not primarily a humorous book, although you might get that idea from the cover illustration.

The information is sound and contains many useful tips about many aspects of sailing, but the book is also not really intended as a "serious" guidebook.

It reads like a collection of short magazine articles that were written over a period of time, probably whilst actually cruising, and probably inspired by whatever he had been doing that day. This is not bad, but it is quirky. The title is a bit odd too, as you might reasonably think it is information intended for beginning sailors or landlubbers thinking about sailing, and that's not at all right. It is the sort of information that would be most of interest or humorous to those who already have some sailing experience.

I gave it 4 stars as there is nothing really wrong with the book, but it was not quite what I was expecting. Having read it I wouldn't read it a second time and I'll probably give it away or sell it second hand.
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4.0 out of 5 starsGreat Go-To Book about Sailing
By MsCJ3 on November 6, 2012
Format: Paperback Verified Purchase
I stumbled into sailing about 6 years ago after my very first trip to the Caribbean Islands. As an almost Olympic Contender for the Sport of "Couch Potato", I was surprised to find that sailing was a sport that I could actually do. I have taken courses via ASA and USPS and joined a local Mariner's Association and am now the owner of a 25' Catalina. I have also amassed a pretty substantial library of books about sailing and sailboat maintenance. Sailing has been a challenge for me, and I must admit that there have been many times when I have felt like the official "Village Idiot" of the waters of Galveston Bay, Texas. I was just about on the verge of selling the boat and returning to my beloved Couch when I purchased and read this book. This book served as an affirmation of the sailing knowledge and skills I have been gathering. It has also served me with succinct, alphabetically organized tips about sailing topics that I have very little and no knowledge of. I recommend using this book as a gauge to measure your sailing knowledge and also as boost to bolster you up out of your sailing ignorance.
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5.0 out of 5 starsNow they tell me!
By Tiberius J. Nougat on May 14, 2007
Format: Paperback Verified Purchase
This book is such a complete hoot; also it's full of helpful insights into all the things I wanted to know but was too stupid to ask! It's such a fun to read book that I even read the sections about the stuff I (thought) I already knew - and I'll do it again too. Mr Vigor's writing style is just so friendly and understandable, that it's a pleasure to read and learn from.

In short, you won't regret having purchased this book - it's affordable and fun.
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5.0 out of 5 starsThis is a gem!
By Jeffrey T. Corwin on March 1, 2015
Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase
What a great read! This book is packed with good information that I'd not known or benefited from relearning despite messing about in boats for over 50 years. I'm looking forward to sitting down with other books by John Vigor. He's clearly knowledgeable, concise, and talented at slipping in just the right amount of subtle humor. Ignore the naysayers and treat yourself to a good read.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 starsFour Stars

good

Published 15 days ago by garrick findley
5.0 out of 5 starsInformative and fun read no matter what your sailing experience!

Despite the title, even if you've already started sailing and/or bought a boat, this book offers sound wisdom and well founded knowledge and advice for you! Read more

Published 16 days ago by david e. brown
4.0 out of 5 starslike the name of a boat or superstitions

Was an entertaining read, but each subject was kind of short. Many subjects, like the name of a boat or superstitions, for example, didn't interest me. Read more

Published 22 days ago by Amazon Customer
4.0 out of 5 starsFour Stars

Not too bad I would recommend it for new sailors

Published 1 month ago by Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 starsWhen I embraced sailing I felt totally inept at all ...

When I embraced sailing I felt totally inept at all of the terms used. This book really helped me get through the weeds and understand sailing so much more.

Published 1 month ago by Janis Buys Smartly !
5.0 out of 5 starsFive Stars

very concise and informative.

Published 4 months ago by Suq MaDiq
2.0 out of 5 starsTwo Stars

The author touches on a lot of subjects but doesn't go into much detail on any of them.

Published 4 months ago by J. Allen Rahi
5.0 out of 5 starsVigor's Vigorous writings

Vigor has got it pegged. It's a refreshing and humorous read. Loved his Denaming-Renaming philosophy. I've used it myself on two sailing vessels.

Published 5 months ago by El Hefe Smith
4.0 out of 5 starsFour Stars

Learn a thing or two.

Published 7 months ago by Ronald Shughart
5.0 out of 5 starsFive Stars

The book looks like I've had it for ten years its been read so many times !

Published 7 months ago by mitchell

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