I've just finished reading this book which contains a wealth of information for those of us that like to sail smaller boats specifically those under about 26 feet that will fit onto a trailer and be towed to launch sites both near and far. Author Brian Gilbert shares many of the same sentiments as me and makes the valid point that you can get onto the water in a decent boat for short money if you don't mind getting your hands dirty and do a little fixing up and improvement. This book concentrates on getting the best from your boat in terms of how best to use it; there are sections on towing safety, rigging and sails, instrumentation and safety. If you open this book expecting a treatise on fixing up an older boat then you will be disappointed, for that you will need to go to his earlier work 'Fix It and Sail' which decribes in some detail the restoration of an aging and neglected MacGregor Venture 222 which he bought for $500 fixed up and then went sailing. In many ways this book I felt was the second volume in a series and follows on very well from that first book.
If there is a down side to this book it is that some of the photographs are hard to see,much of which is not the fault of the photographs themselves but is due in large part to the rather poor quality paper stock that the book is printed on. In short this is a good book which will give enjoyable reading and would make a good addition to all those who go down to the sea (or lake) in small boats.
Published by McGraw Hill at $19.95. The ISBN number should you need it is 978-0-07-147258-6
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