SAILING MADE EASY
Edited by Jo Weeks
American Sailing Association, 2010, 126 pages
Reviewed by Michael Beach
This work is the manual used by the ASA for its basic sailing class and certification. It includes sections on boat and sail parts, the physics of sailing, basic seamanship skills, rules of the road at sea, how to rescue a "MOB" or man-overboard, and the like. There are lots of helpful pictures and graphics, as well as some memorization mnemonics. Occasionally the text stops and a short review quiz is offered.
I've been sailing on and off for decades, but have recently gotten back into it more heavily than in the past. A few years ago we bought a 28.5 feet long Hunter and have enjoyed sailing around the Chesapeake Bay with it.
Reading the book alone will not help someone learn to sail. It is designed to work as a companion to actual small boat sailing experience. Since it is the text for a training course the instructor would be taking students out for some sailing along with the academic study. The book is pretty comprehensive for a beginner to get going and feel some confidence on the water.
RSS Feed