Cruising Fundamentals

Cruising Fundamentals

Review``It picks up where the beginner's book leave off. . .Everything needed to make the first weeklong liveaboard cruise in safety and comfort is here.'' (Sail)Cruising Fundamentals provides the tools necessary to make the transition from basic sailing to competent coastal cruising. Sailors interested in learning how to sail and live aboard a 30 foot to 50 foot auxiliary-powered sailboat will find a wealth of practical skills in this book, from simple instruction on plumbing, electrical, and mechanical systems to navigation, weather prediction, and anchoring techniques.Cruising Fundamentals is the official American Sailing Association guide to intermediate coastal cruising and bareboat chartering. Sailing schools, yacht clubs, and other educational institutions throughout North America use this book as a text and indispensable resource in their teaching. Unlike other books on similar subjects, Cruising Fundamentals presents material in a chronology that has proven effective with thousands of developing sailors. Readers progress from "Getting Acquainted" to "Getting Familiar," "The Voyage," "Arrival and Living Aboard," and finally "Emergencies and Trouble Shooting." Each of the first four sections has review questions to help sailors evaluate their comprehension. Cruising Fundamentals is more than a book; it is a complete course that can benefit any sailor who desires to enter the exciting world of sailboat cruising.From the AuthorAfter nearly a decade of teaching and training instructors for the American Sailing Association, I was given the opportunity to write a book. I began considering the manuscript by injecting a few of my opinions into the mix. First and foremost, I sincerely believe sailing is easy. Many of the other books I'd seen seemed to try to make it more difficult by including lots of technical information. Cruising Fundamentals would do the opposite. It would take the moderately complicated elements of intermediate sailing and break them down into simple, descriptive terms.I also wanted the material in the book to follow the logical path of a sailing course. Most intermediate sailing courses begin with simple material such as familiarizing students with the boat. They then progress toward the end of the course hitting some predictable milestones along the way. I believe Cruising Fundamentals has been organized in this manner.My other primary objective was to keep it fun. In my opinion, it's a tragedy for people with a healthy curiosity about sailing to become overwhelmed by concerns it may be too complicated and technical. A sailing course shouldn't be presented like physics or engineering (no offense meant to physicists or engineers, but most people seeking recreation don't gravitate toward such subjects). You do it for fun so learning it should be equally fun.Finally, I had the benefit of hundreds of students' and instructors' questions and difficulties with the material in the book. Reflecting on which topics caused the most problems and solutions I had found, allowed me to present the subject matter in what I believe is a clear, concise and effective manner.I sincerely hope you like the book and that its lessons provide you with a lifetime of challenge, fun and excitement.Harry Munns Marina del Rey, CA March, 1999From the Back CoverIn Melville's 1850's classic, Moby Dick, he asked, "Why is almost every robust, healthy boy with a robust, healthy soul in him, at some time or other, crazy to go to sea? Why, upon your first voyage as a passenger, did you yourself feel such a mystical vibration, when first told that you and your ship were now out of sight of land?"Today the "robust, healthy souls" belong to men, women and children of all ages. And while much more is known about traveling under sail and the world's fascinating destinations, the sea's irresistible "mystical vibration" still draws thousands of modern-day adventurers to its shores, and beyond, every year.Cr