Product Description

Featuring world renonwned sailing expert John Rousmaniere. In this program, John Rousmaniere, sailing aboard a Hinckley Sou'wester sloop in the Caribbean shows the modern techniques and equipment for mastering tough conditions so that the experience becomes more enjoyable and less fearful. Maneuvers are demonstrated with detailed close-ups and animated graphics. Subjects covered include boat and crew preparation, how to avoid falling overboard, storm tactics, heaving to and drogue deployment, trimming and shortening sails in fresh, strong and gale winds. Plus exciting footage from the Whitbread Round the World Race.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #81496 in DVD
• Brand: Bennett
• Released on: 2007-01-01
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Color, DVD, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .25 pounds
• Running time: 55 minutes

Features

• Bennett DVD Annapolis Book Of Seamanship DVD Heavy Weather Sailing

Customer Reviews

Might be a good DVD for a beginning sailor
I've been sailing for 18 years and have about 3,000 miles of offshore experience that includes some pretty nasty weather. I picked up this video looking to further my education and find something that I could share with less-experienced crew members who help me on deliveries.

This rather short (55 minute) DVD would be an OK intro to the basics of heavy weather sailing for a beginning sailor, but doesn't have much to offer to anyone who's spent some time out on the water in rough weather.

One of the curious things about this video is its lack of heavy weather footage. A good portion of the video was filmed in weather where there isn't even a visible white cap on the water and the boat appears to actually be motor-sailing in more than a few shots! The "exciting footage from the Whitbread Round the World Race" that's promised on the box amounts to a minute or two of brief clips.

The narrator has a strange aversion to roller-furling headsails and spends a fair amount of the video demontrating how to crawl up on the foredeck to change a hanked-on headsail. It's true that roller furlers can be a problem in heavy weather if not handled properly, but the narrator ignores the fact that virtually all sailboats have switched over to them. Personally, I didn't find this to be very informative.

Overall, I found this DVD to be rather disappointing. I'm loaning it out at my marina and don't care if it doesn't get returned.

Cap'n Jeff
s/v Aurora
Mystic, CT

Better then that (the first review).
Although it is short for the money and the film of real high sea action is minimal, I find John Rousmaniere's style wonderfully listenable. For a new sailor such as myself, it is good to hear the obvious repeated in this gentle, friendly voice. It is one of the few ways that it sinks in. Until I have the actual experience, this helps me mentally prepare, and at some serious moment, something recalled that I heard or saw in this film may just save my life. In my short time at it, sailing seems to be a skill of accumulation of experience. This video is time well spent (imho).