The Art of Seamanship

Evolving Skills, Exploring Oceans, and Handling Wind, Waves, and Weather

Wind, waves, weather, and water demand the practiced art of seamanship

"Planning and reacting to the unanticipated are the flip sides of seamanship. This blending of pre-voyage preparedness with effective on-the-water response is learned rather than inherent--together they define the art of seamanship." -- Author RALPH NARANJO

Each time a sailboat casts off its docklines the sailor enters a marine realm that demands knowledge, preparedness, vigilance, and coolheadedness--these qualities are the foundation of good seamanship. Both an art as well as a science, seamanship is also the mastery of numerous practical details, from the best choice of line for a jib sheet to an accurate assessment of the passage of a deep low-pressure system.

Around-the-world sailor Ralph Naranjo--technical expert, ocean racer, former Vanderstar Chair at the U.S. Naval Academy--delivers a priceless reference for anything that comes up while on the water, sharing all the knowledge today's sailors need to "hand, reef, and steer"--an enduring reference to the collective skills of the bluewater sailor. Naranjo's vast knowledge is supported by real-life examples of sailing mishaps, sample itineraries, vibrant photos, as well as first-hand accounts and sidebars from top sailors and marine experts, including Shelia McCurdy, Chuck Hawley, Lee Chesneau, and Paul Miller, N.A. Seamanship is a dynamic art, demanding full attention from the sailor amidst a constant flow of information and knowledge.

The Art of Seamanship will improve your problem-solving skills, whether daysailing around the harbor or voyaging around the world.

You'll learn:

• The attributes of a good skipper and crew—including physical and mental agility, effective communication, and knowledge-based decision making
• Fine-tuning your voyaging with the seaworthiness of your boat and the capability of your crew in mind
• Using weather information and routing resources to lower risks and raise rewards
• Developing advanced boat-handling skills—including heaving-to, towing a drogue, reefing, setting storm sails, and kedging
• Lines, line handling, and rigging--making sure the right strings are attached, including an in-depth look at modern rope construction
• Anchoring--the art of staying put--with a realistic look at tackle from lunch hooks to storm anchors
• Sails, modern sail material, sail trim, sail handling, and hardware, from hanked-on headsails to the latest top-down furlers
• Navigating in the satellite age, including paper and digital chartplotting, how to best use the new equipment, plus understanding the role of celestial navigation as a fail-safe
• Sailboat design and dynamics, including the role of vessel structure and stability and a look at what your current boat has to offer and what to look for in a new boat
• Sharing crowded waters and understanding the reasons behind the "rules of the road"
• How to be ready for any emergency, including fire, crew overboard, a flooding bilge, or the need to abandon ship
• Establishing reliable communication, including VHF, AIS, SSB, satellite phones, and beacon signaling (EPIRBS, PLBS)