Practical Companions
10 total works
A new title to add to our highly successful Companion series. It has all the information needed to ensure that diesel boat engines stay in tip-top condition. With clear uncomplicated text, colour photographs and diagrams it simplifies a complicated subject in a new and exciting format - spiral-bound splashproof cards. An essential tool for all boat owners.
This is the perfect summary of all you need to know when cruising: lights, shapes, buoys, rules of the road, tides, flags, knots, breakdowns and more. This little companion serves as a great reminder of crucial information. It is laminated to stand up to frequent use and serves as a superb aide-memoire that will fit into your jacket pocket. It is a Fernhurst bestseller.
How to be welcome on board! A handy primer and reminder of what to do on a yacht.* What to bring* How to get aboard* How to hoist and reef sails* How to steer* Tying up* How to be safe* Anchoring Living aboard
Team racing is great for fast, fun and different sailboat racing. It helps develop some key skills for future racing success. This handy companion tells you everything a sailor and coach need to know to enjoy, improve and win at team racing. It describes the most useful moves around the race course, and the key rules that govern such moves. There are sections on how to slow & overtake; how to win the start & control the final beat; the best routines for practising; how to develop as a team & the team roles. One page gives all the winning & losing combinations for 2-, 3- and 4-boat team racing, highlighting the tactics for every combination, with simple tips for making strategy easy.
A handy, splash-proof, on-the-water reference guide containing all the essential information for when you need it most about keeping your boat electrics running. Covers formulae, tools, anodes, protection, multimeters, soldering, AC power, testing, wiring, batteries, connections and power consumption.
Modern braided ropes have transformed sailing with incredible strength from ever smaller thickness. They are a godsend to the racing sailor who is always looking for strength without additional weight.
The nature of these ropes requires different techniques to join them together or make eyes to attach to fittings and this is where this book comes in. It is a guide to the different types of braided ropes - where to use and how to splice them for typical uses on a racing sailboat.
It provides clear easy-to-follow photographs and is splash-proof and spiral bound, which means that it is perfect to take into the dinghy park or onboard and use where you need to do your splicing. It lays out flat, so you don't have to hold it open as you follow the sequences with both your hands full of rope and fids!
The nature of these ropes requires different techniques to join them together or make eyes to attach to fittings and this is where this book comes in. It is a guide to the different types of braided ropes - where to use and how to splice them for typical uses on a racing sailboat.
It provides clear easy-to-follow photographs and is splash-proof and spiral bound, which means that it is perfect to take into the dinghy park or onboard and use where you need to do your splicing. It lays out flat, so you don't have to hold it open as you follow the sequences with both your hands full of rope and fids!
Introduction to Racing Companion
Published 26 March 2019
A compact, handy summary of the key things you need to know to start racing or refresh your knowledge: the perfect quick reference guide to keep in your kit bag. The book covers all the racing essentials: courses, rules, the start, beat, reach, downwind, mark rounding, finish, protests and flags in a highly illustrated format making it easy to understand at a glance - ideal for those moments when you need an answer, and you need it fast! Splash-proof and spiral bound, this little companion stands up to frequent use and serves as a great aide-memoire that will fit into your pocket or kit bag.
Out of all the explanations for why a sailor has lost out on a race, an unforeseen change in the wind and weather is by far one of the most frequent. Whether a bad windshift; the non-occurrence of a sea breeze; or being becalmed, the weather has a huge impact on racing. However, it is not hard to turn these problems around. This handy guide has all you need to work out the best way to use the wind to your advantage and boost you up the fleet.
The book covers all the essentials for racing, from why gusts form and where to find them, to the formation of the sea breeze (which is never quite as simple as first appears!). Splash-proof and spiral bound, this little companion stands up to frequent use and serves as a great aide-memoire that will fit into your pocket or kit bag, meaning that you can always work out a detailed forecast for your specific racing area, regardless of whether you are on home territory or on completely new waters.
Wind Companion also clearly and simply develops a more advanced understanding of the wind, such as which clouds indicate weather fronts and when they may occur. This will also allow you to identify and adapt to changes on the water and even during races, giving you a significant advantage over your competition. Such adaptability will give you the opportunity to beat even knowledgeable locals, as there will always be occasions when the wind does something unexpected - but which can always be explained by the wind-wise sailor.
Written by two acclaimed meteorologists, David Houghton and Fiona Campbell, who have advised top sailing teams at all of the big regattas, from Olympics to the America's Cup, you can't go far wrong! This book, based on their best-selling Wind Strategy, is packed full of vital information and clear diagrams to visualise the invisible and is a key resource for anyone looking to advance their sailing knowledge and results.
The book covers all the essentials for racing, from why gusts form and where to find them, to the formation of the sea breeze (which is never quite as simple as first appears!). Splash-proof and spiral bound, this little companion stands up to frequent use and serves as a great aide-memoire that will fit into your pocket or kit bag, meaning that you can always work out a detailed forecast for your specific racing area, regardless of whether you are on home territory or on completely new waters.
Wind Companion also clearly and simply develops a more advanced understanding of the wind, such as which clouds indicate weather fronts and when they may occur. This will also allow you to identify and adapt to changes on the water and even during races, giving you a significant advantage over your competition. Such adaptability will give you the opportunity to beat even knowledgeable locals, as there will always be occasions when the wind does something unexpected - but which can always be explained by the wind-wise sailor.
Written by two acclaimed meteorologists, David Houghton and Fiona Campbell, who have advised top sailing teams at all of the big regattas, from Olympics to the America's Cup, you can't go far wrong! This book, based on their best-selling Wind Strategy, is packed full of vital information and clear diagrams to visualise the invisible and is a key resource for anyone looking to advance their sailing knowledge and results.
Anyone who owns a fibreglass boat (GRP or FRP, yacht or dinghy) knows that it can get damaged in the rough and tumble of everyday use. Sometimes the damage is serious enough to warrant a professional repair (which the insurance company will probably pay for). But at other times it is more minor, and you might want to repair it yourself. But how do you repair it, so you can’t see the repair – get that really professional-looking finish? If you’ve ever asked that question, then this is the book for you. Long-term boat repairer, Pete Vincent, shares the trade secrets of making a lasting, strong and invisible repair. Penni Vincent, who does not share Pete’s experience, got him to explain it to her and together they have created this book – written by an expert, but understandable by a novice. They take you through the equipment, tools and materials you need and then explain the 8 stages of a glass fibre repair job: from the vital initial preparation to the final polish. This is followed by a step-by-step guide to making different repairs including small nicks, scratches and scuffs, star-crazing and deeper areas requiring fibreglassing. They also cover repairing deck / hull joints, non-slip surfaces, moving fittings and leak testing and repair. Given that the first bit of advice is that you need to make the damage worse before repairing it, it is reassuring to be able to follow the steps that they outline, amply illustrated by many photographs and diagrams. Splash-proof and spiral bound – allowing you to lay it out flat beside your repair – this little book will be a valued companion as you set about repairing your boat.
Take the mystery out of radar and learn how to use radar on a small boat for navigation and collision avoidance. This short guide shows you how to use the controls to get the best picture, then explains how to understand the display and gives plenty of examples of radar plots. This little companion is laminated to stand up to frequent use and serves as a great aide-memoire that will fit into your jacket pocket.