Books published by Fernhurst Books Limited

A beautifully, uniquely illustrated nautical guide to how to trim your sails and rig for maximum performance. With a revolutionary approach, this guide tackles the practical and realistic elements of tuning your boat, plus the theory of sail aerodynamics.

Celestial navigation i s one of the oldest of the mariner's arts - and one of the most awe-inspiring. Trusted navigation expert, Tom Cunliffe, shows you how to master the art in easy stages. Celestial Navigation includes clear diagrams and worked examples to guide the novice navigator.

A beautifully, uniquely illustrated nautical guide to traditional, electronic & celestial navigation.

Today, yachts are often equipped with electrical windlasses, autopilot, bow thrusters, etc. This equipment has also become much more reliable, making it possible to make long offshore passages without much knowledge of seamanship. However, as the coastguards in many countries can confirm, more and more yachts require assistance, even when they should be able to reach harbour on their own. In this book you will be shown the traditional techniques you should be familiar with - regarding rope handling, manoeuvring and anchoring - in order to make long or short passages safely. Each element is clearly explained alongside detailed illustrations, combining to make a straightforward and easy-to-follow guide. Although yacht gear is becoming more and more reliable, you can be almost sure that, sooner or later, it will fail or you will be out of electrical power to use it. Learning the traditional techniques may not only be necessary but is also both interesting and fun. Instead of waking up the entire harbour in the early hours with the noise of your bow thruster, you may, alternatively, use a spring line to get safely moored to or leave the pontoon quietly.

Sailing is a wonderful sport, it takes place in the open air, on the water and is powered by something that's free and eco-friendly - the wind! It is a sport for life: captivating children and giving them a sense of responsibility as they skipper their own boat and continuing to give pleasure well beyond retirement, whether it be competing against others or taking it more gently. Using this book you can get afloat, learn to sail and start having fun using the step-by-step advice, photo sequences and diagrams. This jargon-free guide allows complete novices to get out on the water with the minimum of fuss. One- and two-person dinghies are covered, along with rigging, knots, safety, handling and much more. Originally published as 'Learn to Sail', it now forms part of Fernhurst Books' series of Beginner's Guides covering surfing, SUP and inflatable kayaking. It can be used on its own or as a compliment to traditional sailing courses run by sailing schools everywhere and is aligned very closely to standard teaching qualifications. It is also linked to many YouTube videos so you get a real flavour and feel for the sport of sailing.

This book is thoughtfully written to help yachtsmen enjoy the sea, and to do so safely. It's not another navigation textbook - it's well-informed, easy to read and honest. With a lifetime's experience at sea, the author brings the subject to life to help sailors refresh their knowledge of, and enthusiasm for, the timeless skills of navigation.

Explains simply what tactics you can apply around the race track with advice for the beginner, intermediate and advanced sailor. Individual boats are given names to allow easy understanding. Individual chapters take you around the racecourse, from before you get on the water, through the pre-start, start, different legs and manoeuvres.

Motorboating Start to Finish is the perfect book for you if you are new to motorboating and need to learn the basics, or if you are experienced, but wish to broaden your skills and develop your techniques. This easy-to-follow, step-by-step guide takes you through the basic principles, preparing to go to sea, your first voyage and safety at sea. It includes advice on choosing and buying a motorboat, essential equipment, boat handling, tides, weather and navigation, all taken from courses delivered by the UK's biggest sailing school, the UKSA. This book is accessible to all levels, giving those new to motorboating straightforward advice, and showing experienced powerboaters how to take the sport to the next level with professional tips that will help improve speed, skill, safety and enjoyment. It is a complete reference for every level of tender, RIB, fishing boat, motor cruiser or sportsboat driver. This book is packed with hundreds of illustrations and photographs, and is a great way to learn, develop and refresh your powerboating skills.

Learn everything you need to know to sail effectively and get the most out of the UK's most iconic and best-loved dinghy - the Mirror.

A step-by-step manual on yacht restoration and repair. A great guide for a complete boat overhaul and useful for those with smaller jobs to do.

A pocket database of everything a busy skipper needs to know but might find hard to remember. It is designed as an aide-memoire with checklists to make life easier for busy skippers and a must-have reference for first-time skippers.

An A-Z of seamanship skills needed to understand and enjoy catamarans and trimarans to their utmost. Racing and cruising yachts are catered for, as are trailer-able multihulls. Derived from the author's own extensive experience, built on through others sharing their knowledge and illustrated with delightful line drawings.

A well-rounded guide covering the techniques and skills needed to succeed in catamaran sailing, for those starting out through to those striving for championship wins. Whether you are a youngster choosing your first cat, a club sailor looking to improve your results, or a seasoned racer embarking on a higher performance model, expert advice from Tom & Brian Phipps will take your catamaran sailing to the next level. Beginning with key theory and seamanship skills, the Phipps take you through your early sailing experiences and caring for your catamaran. Developing your skills on all points of sailing, you will be introduced to trapezing, race tuning and racing itself. As your confidence grows you move onto advanced techniques and high performance catamarans. The final section gives you a glimpse of the cutting edge of catamaran sailing with foiling platforms and solid wings. 30 focussed chapters are packed with over 350 photographs showing you exactly how it's done, with diagrams illustrating key boat parts, the various points of sailing and complex on-the-water scenarios with clarity. Whatever your background, your current level or the extent of your ambition, this book gives you all the tools you need to get out on the water and improve your catamaran sailing.

Stand Up Paddleboarding is the fastest growing water-based activity worldwide. Thousands have tried it, with many more taking it up each year. It is easy to make the first steps to stand on a board and paddle. But many want to take this further - be it paddling greater distances, starting to race, SUPing in the surf, using it to improve their fitness or enhancing their well-being through yoga. To develop your SUPing requires a combination of improved technique, skills, fitness and mental attitude. This book will help anyone interested in SUPing get better at it. It shows how to improve your efficiency, technique, skills and physical capability before exploring the different ways of participating and the equipment you need. It suggests that seeking continuous improvement and rising to personal SUP challenges can help you enter the flow state, which enhances happiness. Packed with photos and photo sequences, this book provides both the inspiration and a blueprint for understanding how to improve your SUP capabilities in the area you choose.

Packrafts are rugged, portable rafts, small enough to attach under a rucksack, but stable on the water to reassure first time paddlers. Weighing from 1-3 kilos, they open up a whole new world of amphibious adventuring, from navigating easily accessible waterways to discovering more challenging rivers and lochs only reachable on foot or bicycle. Packrafting: A Beginners' Guide is a perfect introduction to the game-changing recreational opportunities opened up by packrafting. It takes you through the different types and features of packrafts to ensure that you buy a boat that is right for you and have the right gear to use with it. It clearly explains the basic paddling skills and how to safely evaluate risks on the water. It also introduces the different types of adventures you can undertake with your packraft, from paddling a local canal or river to lashing a bicycle over the bow or using a packable sail to traverse open water. The book is comprehensively illustrated with over 120 colour photographs making it easy to understand and clear to follow.

This collection of true diving stories makes for compelling reading for all divers. Enjoy classic tales of this extreme watersport, from thrilling wreck discoveries to encounters with the bizarre and the beautiful. There are stories of death and disaster, as well as bravery and triumph. Tales of the exciting and the extreme rub shoulders with more poetic pieces about the people and places that make up the folklore of this fascinating sport. The author's global tour takes you everywhere, from Indonesia to the Caribbean and from the chill waters of Northern Europe to the reefs of the Pacific. Every ocean of the world is explored, making this essential reading - or a wonderful gift - for divers everywhere.

Coastwise examines the coastline of the British Isles as a dynamic environment and offers you an understandable explanation of how the coastline functions as a single entity. It is supported by hundreds of stunning photos and illustrations. It begins by exploring how the forces of nature combine to create its physical features (and continue to do so). This is a multifaceted story that involves ancient geology and powerful ocean forces. It then turns to the living nature of the coast, covering the unique plants, animals and other organisms whose interdependence keeps the coast alive and healthy. These amazing creatures are described and displayed in full colour. The third part of the book looks at how humans have interacted with the coast, using it for defence, commerce and leisure. It explores these aspects from the earliest times to the present day. The final section shows, for each coastal region, where the features discussed in the book can be observed and enjoyed, giving you a practical way of exploring the elements described in the book. All aspects of the coast are covered, making it essential reading - or a wonderful gift - for all those who spend time on Britain's coast. As Countryfile presenter, Tom Heap, says in his Foreword: "e;These pages are a practical love letter to Britain's waterfront and no seaside holiday home should be without them."e;

Going aboard a sailing yacht for the first time is an exciting experience, but it can be a bit daunting. It introduces you to many unknowns: terra firma is left behind, the boat is propelled by something you can't see (the wind), there are ropes everywhere and a whole new vocabulary opens up! Your skipper will brief you on the key things you need to know, but this book is a great opportunity to learn a bit beforehand which will give you the basic knowledge to work the boat, be safe, have fun... and be asked back for more! Written in a friendly and approachable way, it assumes no nautical knowledge and uses diagrams and photographs to demystify the art of sailing. Devised to be read by new crew before they arrive at the boat, it is also great to keep on board as a quick and easy reference guide. Ideal for skippers to give to anyone joining them on board for the first time. As soon as a person steps aboard they are crewing: drawn into casting off, hoisting sails, winching and even steering. It's impossible to cover everything in your briefing, so any knowledge they can gain beforehand is a blessing and will make your yacht a happier, safer place for everyone. Additional chapters covering spinnaker handling are available online and in the eBook.

The fascinating autobiography of Dick Carter who won the Fastnet Race in his first go at boat design. This and his other highly innovative designs established a new look and ingenious technological concepts for racing yachts that seem routine today, such as separated rudders, trim tabs, internal mast halyards, oversize headsails and lifting keels.

Essential Boat Electrics removes the mystique of boat electrics. It shows you how to carry out many electrical jobs on-board properly and safely. Included are tutorials, from using a multimeter and wiring and protecting a circuit, to troubleshooting electrical faults and connecting a PC to your instrument system. The book looks at tasks such as choosing solar panels and batteries, as well as practical electrical work on your boat; a great manual for a yachtsman needing to keep the juice flowing.

This easy-to-follow, step-by-step guide takes you through the basic principles, preparing to sail, your first sail, advanced sailing and the basics of racing. It includes advice on choosing a dinghy, essential gear, sailing manoeuvres, tides, wind and weather, all taken from the courses delivered by the UK's biggest sailing school, the UKSA.

Take a skiing voyage around the world's biggest, best and most unusual ski destinations - from the huge mega-resorts of the French Alps to sailing along Iceland's north coast in search of great snow. Inspirational descriptions of 100 adventures and stunning full-page photography will help you plan your next ski trip or indulge in armchair skiing.

Understand the weather from a practical, on the water, sailor's point of view. This book goes through global, regional and then local weather patterns, putting them in context with real situations to enable you to apply weather theory to practical sailing scenarios. This will increase your enjoyment and safety when out on the water.

First published in 1988 as West Country Cruising, Mark Fishwick's definitive sailing guide for the ever attractive coastline of Dorset, Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly combines a skilful blend of pilotage and cruising information, enhanced with full colour photography, including many additional aerial views, and a wealth of absorbing local history and general interest. More than one satisfied reader has aptly described the book as "e;the perfect on-board companion"e;, now reflected in this enlarged eighth edition. For those who plan to head west, this book is more than essential reading - it will enhance your own enjoyment and prove to be a worthy and much used addition to the ship's library.

A compact, handy guide to modern braided ropes - where to use and how to splice them to use on a racing sailboat. With clear easy-to-follow photographs, splash-proof and spiral bound, it is perfect to take to the dinghy park or onboard and use where you need to do your splicing - laying out flat so you can follow the photos with rope in both hands!

The world's most successful Olympic sailor's only how-to book, revealing the secrets that won Sir Ben Ainslie his first gold medal. An invaluable guide as to how to perform at the top of the Laser class or, indeed, any single-handed sailing dinghy. Brimming with photos, this is a colourful and detailed account of how to dominate in your fleet.