BASIC SAILING: Books & Magazines


There are many good books and magazines available for all levels of sailors. Some of them were used to prepare this Web site. For a list of these books, see References.

  • One of the nicest books is The Handbook of Sailing by Bob Bond. It contains lots of practical information and has great pictures and diagrams that illustrate just about everything you might want to know about sailing.


  • Another good book for learning is Sailing Fundamentals by Gary Jobson. This is the "Official Learn-to-Sail Manual of the American Sailing Association".


  • For more information on how to sail, how to race, what kind of boat to buy, etc., check the book list and magazine list (both found on this page if you scroll down), for further reading.


  • Also visit Seaworthy Books which is the Internet's Nautical Bookstore. Here you will find lots of books organized by topic.

Book List

Ashley, C.W. (1993). The Ashley book of knots. New York: Doubleday.
Brown, A. (1968). Invitation to sailing. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster
Burgess, R.F. (1992). Handbook of trailer sailing. Camden, ME: International Marine Publications.
Colgate, S. (1991). Colgate's basic sailing. Ft. Myers, FL: Offshore Sailing School.
Dear, I., & Kemp, P. (eds.) (1992). An a-z of sailing terms. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
Fry, E.C. (1996). The complete book of knots & ropework. UK: David & Charles.
Goodman, D., & Brodie, I. (1994). Learning to sail: the Annapolis sailing school guide for all ages. Camden, ME: International Marine.
Isler, J.J., & Isler, P. (1997). Sailing for Dummies. IDG Books Worldwide.
Johnson, A.M. (1997). Sailing on a budget: Moneywise tips and deals on boat purchases, rental, dockage, destinations, and more. Betterway Publications.
Marshall, R. (1996). Sail better: 101 tips and techniques, Volume 1. St. Martins Press.
Rousmaniere, J. (1985). The sailing lifestyle: A guide to sailing and cruising for pleasure. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster
Seidman, K.M. (1995). The complete sailor: learning the art of sailing. Camden, ME: International Marine Publications.
Textor, K. (ed.) (1995). The new book of sail trim. Dobbs Ferry, NY: Sheridan House.

Magazine List

Board & Sail Magazine- Published bimonthly, covers the areas of sailing and windsurfing (which is done on a "board").
Cruising World- Published monthly by the Sailing Company in Newport, RI. Covers all aspects of sailboat cruising, including articles on neat ports of call.
Sail Magazine- Published monthly by K-III Magazine Corp. in Boson, MA. A very popular sailing magazine, for all levels of sailors. Has lots of fun and practical information including sections on: cruising & racing and know-how. Includes information on new boats called "just launched", and new gear and equipment. Also contains articles on improving sailing skills and techniques, and some nice places to cruise once you've learned how!
Sailing: the beauty of sail- Published monthly by Port Publications, Inc. in Port Washington, WI. Nice large format (almost 10 inches by 13 inches), that works well to display articles on cruising. Also includes articles on gear, equipment, and boat design. Has a nautical library column that contains current book reviews, and a sailing news column.
Sailing World: the authority on performance sailing- Published 10 times a year by Sailing Company, a subsidiary of the New York Times Co. For the active sailor who races or cruises. Covers sailboat design, sailing technique and equipment, charter cruising and racking, seamanship, racing events, and news.
Yachting- Published monthly by the Times Mirror Co. in New York. Contains coverage of these departments: "yacht yard", "cruising yachtsman", and "on the docks".

BOAT
TYPES		 HOW TO
SAIL		 SAILING
TERMS		 RULES OF
SAILING		 KNOTS NAUTICAL
FLAGS		 BOATING
SAFETY		 BOOKS &
MAGAZINES		 SAILING IN
WESTERN NJ
[nautical wheel] "Sail" HOME
Created by Elizabeth Fox, an MLS student at
Rutgers University School of Communication, Information and Library Studies (SCILS)
Please send comments to elfox @scils.rutgers.edu
Last modified: December 16, 1997