Product Description

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.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #10331 in Books
• Published on: 1991-03-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 136 pages

Review
"Highly readable and instructive... Harry Munns, a founder of the American Sailing Association, has trained hundreds of sailing instructors. This fact alone should be sufficient recommendation." -- The Northern Mariner

"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

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 )

``Highly readable and instructive. . .Harry Munns, a founder of the American Sailing Association, has trained hundreds of sailing instructors. This fact alone should be sufficient recommendation.'' (The Northern Mariner )

From the Author
After 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, 1999

Customer Reviews

Just OK
This is a fine book, along with Sailing Fundamentals, if you're taking the corresponding ASA course(s). All the information is valid but is geared to passing the course as opposed to just teaching sailing. Additionally, my ASA course instructor said that ASA is getting ready to drop both of these books.

great information for one with sailing experience
This book was well laid out in a simple to read format and supplied information along with concise sailing exercises to perfect ones skills. After reading for two evenings I know, without a doubt, that my boat handling techniques have moved up a notch. It is practical and applicable to true bareboat sailing encounters.

A sailing instructor's view
It is a big step for an intermediate sailor to go to the Caribbean and bareboat charter a 40' vessel. We use this book to take the intermediate sailor to this level. Cruising Fundamentals contains a vast amount of detailed information and yet it is organized in logical steps to bring students to the desired level of competance without overwhelming them. This book contains many excellent photographs and sketches. The basic navigation information is excellent without going too deep and the review questions are good for self evaluation (am I really getting it?)
I particularly like the way systems are presented and compared. For example, the House DC system vs the shore power AC system, diesel engines vs gasoline engines featuring the differences and types of cooking fuels discussing the advantages and disadvantages of each.
This is an all round excellent book that can be read straight through or used as a reference. I understand the second edition is in the works and I look forward to getting it.