This maybe the first of what will be a new cloumn. Welcome Hunter.
Greetings. This is intended to be just a short ramble on books, articles, magazines, poems or
songs nautical. The recent winter weather drove me into the comfort of a warm blanket and a
short pile of deferred reading.
While taking a break to heat tea water on a Coleman stove, I began to think about the mass
of writing available on the subject of sailing. What a throve of reviews that would provide. H-m-m.
This review is of The Complete Cruiser, by L. Francis Herreshoff, published by Sheridan
House, Inc.; Dobbs Ferry, NY; 1994.
The Complete Cruiser is one of the most enjoyable cruising books that I have read.
It does not try to be a comprehensive guide nor does it become a written chart of a long weekend.
It is, instead, a series of days and nights aboard several different boats, with an engaging cast of
friends and families. These folks are cruisers and sailors, serious about their hobbies and
capable of great fun.
Originally written in 1956 and set in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, Mr. Herreshoff takes us aboard the ketches Rozinante and Viator, the catboat Piscator, and the Dutch-style ketch Tranquilo. All of these boats share Mr. Herreshoff's belief that simplicity is the key and should be the goal of enjoyable cruising. Mr. Herreshoff was a keen observer of the growth in the boating trade. He was not impressed by the intricacies of glass boats, nor was he a fan of powerboats. He loved sailboats and the simpler the boat the better.
The boats in this book are solid, good sailing, comfortable boats. They stay dry and cozy during
bad weather. They allow for easy cooking and cleanup. They are rigged for safe sailing, in all
weathers, by trained crew and crews that are being trained.
It is the crews in training that are the biggest part of the stories. Mr. Herreshoff has
wisely peopled his boats with several young men and women, ages 6 to 13. It is to these
youngsters that the adults direct much of the dialogue and by so doing, take us through Mr.
Herreshoff's personal thoughts on boats and cruising.
The emphasis on simplicity and the ease with which the youngsters are introduced to the skills of a sailor are what recommend this book. Mr. Herreshoff takes us from the turn of the tide to a short history of the working sailboats of the North East coast, from the proper way to prepare johnny cakes to the evils of centerboard construction. We learn how to reef a loose-footed sail and bank a coal fire for the night. It is, perhaps, the way we all want to cruise, simply, with confidence in our skills and in our boats.
Illustrated with many line drawings and several sketches, The Complete Cruiser is a wonderful book. As a way of cruising, it matches my interests and as an enjoyable read it more than meets my somewhat eclectic tastes. I recommend it to all who despair at the thought of yet another haulout. Get the boat hauled, and when you put the parts catalog aside, reach for The Complete Cruiser and travel on Nantucket Sound in a sweet sailing ketch with family and friends.
Hunter Davis, Puffin
George Hansen has been talking about this book to anyone who will listen, and some who
won't. I have started to read it and can see why George is excited. Frank Bethwaite, the
author, was meteorologist for the Australian Olympic Team. He has also studied aerodynamics
and boat design. He takes you from theory through application. He his particularly interested in
modern, fast, boats: those that can plane to weather and/or tack downwind. Still George finds it
useful.
It is rather dense. You will read it slowly and /or several times. But it seems well worth the
trouble.
High Performance Sailing, Frank Bethwaite, McGraw-Hill, International Marine, 1993
His 1964 book, Sailing Theory and Practice, is a classic. He was one of the first to take a
scientific look at what makes a sailboat go. Last year he updated it with Sail Performance,
Theory and Practice : McGraw-Hill, TAB Books, NY, 1996.
As the title implies, the new book is a little different than the first. The old book dealt with sailing,
which includes both sails, the topic of the new book, and hulls. So even though some passages
from the first book are repeated in the second, you will want them both.
This is from a review in Ocean Navigator, Issue #79 January/February 1997, page 15.
I have not read the book yet.
Ed