Best Sailing Books

This comprehensive guide to seamanship has been called the sailor's bible since its launch in 1983. From basic skills to advanced techniques and current electronics, the book covers all aspects of sailing. The author emphasizes the importance of mastering sailing fundamentals, including boat handling, safety, emergency preparedness, weather reading, navigation, maintenance, and tradition. The book is well-organized and written in jargon-free language, with helpful illustrations throughout. This is an essential resource for any sailor, and a must-read for those wanting to improve their skills.

Embark on an extraordinary adventure and spiritual journey with a young woman who sails around the world alone on a twenty-six-foot sloop. Through the highs and lows of her 27,000 mile journey, she discovers the wonders of the Great Barrier Reef, faces death-dealing horrors of the Red Sea, and confronts her own needs, desires, dreams, and goals. Maiden Voyage is a captivating memoir of courage, self-discovery, and love.

A thrilling tale of courage and determination, this book recounts the true story of the first attempt to sail around the world alone and non-stop. In 1968, nine men from different countries set out to make history and face unimaginable challenges. Only one crossed the finish line, while the rest encountered despair, madness, and death. A must-read for anyone interested in adventure and maritime history.

Survival at sea! Steven Callahan shares his incredible firsthand account in Adrift, a seafaring classic that was on the New York Times bestseller list for over 36 weeks. He's the only man known to have survived more than a month alone at sea in an inflatable raft, fighting for his life after his sloop capsized. A must-have for any adventure library.

Join biologist Thor Heyerdahl on an astonishing adventure across the Pacific Ocean by raft. In a journey of 4,300 nautical miles, Heyerdahl and five other adventurers set out to prove an intriguing theory about the settlement of the South Sea Islands. Battling raging storms, whales, and sharks for three months on the open sea, they sighted land and achieved their mission. Translated into 65 languages, Kon-Tiki is a classic tale of daring and courage that has inspired countless readers.

A sailor's daring journey around the world aboard a small boat is chronicled in this timeless classic. Francis Chichester set sail at 65 years old, to complete the fastest ever circumnavigation in history, returning nine months later as a hero. Discover this inspiring story and witness the power of the human spirit in the face of adversity.

Discover how to design, install, and maintain electrical and mechanical systems on your boat with this definitive guide. Covering everything from engines and electrical systems to refrigeration and rigging, this book is a must-have for sail and power boat owners. Updated to include information on hybrid propulsion, distributed power systems, and fuel cells, it offers solutions for legacy boats and options for new ones. Praised as "the best of its kind," by "WoodenBoat," this book should be standard equipment on every boat.

Embark on a perilous journey through the world's most treacherous and isolated seas with this award-winning book. Follow the sixteen sailors who set out on a single-handed yacht race and discover the unrelenting strain and chilling casualty rates that come with handling 60-foot boats day and night for three and a half to five months alone at sea. Learn about the sea and its power over us, drawing us in and repelling us, and why some risk everything to sail its waters. This special anniversary edition includes a new foreword from the author.