Books & Publications

In the digital age there are still some valuable natical books. One of them, the Lloyd's Maritime Atlas, has been published since 1951. It is the oldest information source of this type and contains precise coordinates of over 8,000 ports around the world. The latest edition was completely revised and 225 new ports (among them 89 in China) were added. The new edition contains 70 color maps, distance tables, major canal and river systems, weather hazards at sea and international load line zones, all major road, rail and airport links serving the ports, detailed coastline, geographical and alphabetical indexes, etc. It can be directly ordered from Lloyd's.

Dieter Loibner, an Austrian yachting journalist living in the US recently published a book with the title 'Sustainable Sailing' about the increasing impact of sailing on the environment. He explains how sailors can be a positive force for change. An interview with the author.

The 2010 Ports of the World Lloyd's List directory gives you more than 1,000 pages of valuable information, meticulously researched by a team of industry experts to ensure its accuracy. The brand new edition comes in a 2-volume boxed set and features over 20,000 port facilities, services and Port-Call Statistics recording the number of arrivals at each major port by specific vessel type. 'Lloyd's List' may be ordered online. An article in Sail World.

Les sorciers de la voltige - the French title - presents in text and photos the extensive sailing activities on Lake Geneva. A special emphasis is given to innovations and experiments such as the hydrofoil boats. A report. The book can be ordered online with Amazon.

Last month the ICC International Maritime Bureau (IMB)'s annual piracy was out, and there's no doubt that the news about safety on the high seas is deteriorating - but what does it mean for the cruising sailor? How safe are the seas where you sail? - and what routes can you take to sail off into the sunset without worrying about pirates? The Annual Piracy Report 2009 can be ordered here. An article in Sail World.

The world's very popular informational website for long distance sailors Noonsite.com has just launched a new service for long-range cruisers wanting global weather and routing advice. An article in Sail World.

For all sailors planning for a Transatlantic crossing: The website of the Climatology of Ocean Winds COWGOW of the Oregon State University has been expandet. Time and location of departure and winds can be calculated more precisely. QuickSCAT of the Remote Sensing Systems shows also monthly, weekly and daily averages of windspeeds and -directions. Interesting also the pages of OceanMet by Tactical Weather. An article in Sail World.

The Wiley Nautical Almanac is a free, comprehensive directory of harbour, tidal and weather data for cruising sailors. It currently covers the South and East Coast of England from Lowestoft to Padstow and the continental coast from Vlissingen to L’Aber-Wrac’h. The free download address of Wiley Nautical. Existing users download and Upgrade to version 1.21.

Dieter Loibner, an Austrian yachting journalist living in the US recently published a book with the title 'Sustainable Sailing' about the increasing impact of sailing on the environment. He explains how sailors can be a positive force for change. An interview with the author.

Dieter Loibner, an Austrian yachting journalist living in the US recently published a book with the title 'Sustainable Sailing' about the increasing impact of sailing on the environment. He explains how sailors can be a positive force for change. An interview with the author.

The Greek Icarus - Olympic Sailing Media has the objective to present Olympic and development classes sailing in high-level film reports. With live shots, 3D-animations, onboard-cameras and GPS-tracking, races shall be covered "as never before". An example, using some of these approaches, is on the www.sailinganarchy.com website (scroll down to 'vid - A new View', 01/21/10) with a 30-minutes report on the Byte CII-Europeans in Imperia.

'Close to the wind', that is the title of a biography on England's sailing super-star Ben Ainslie published a few days ago. The four-fold Olympic medalist has also launched a new website with video clips and a short description of the book, to be ordered online.

'Never Give up', this is the title of a book just published written by the 'Telefonica'-team-head Bouwe Bekking NED about the past Volvo Ocean Race. The six-times round-the-world racer Bekking finished 3rd in last year's VOR with 'Telefonica Blue'. The report.

Up to now, the history of sailing in Switzerland has hardly been researched. With his book 'Vorindustrielle Last-Segelschiffe in der Schweiz', the archaeologist Thomas Reitmaier has established a first comprehensive overview. Based on historical documents and pictures, but first and foremost the increasing number of archaeological discoveries during the past years, an entertaining and well illustrated 240-page-book has been edited, presenting the history of sailing in Switzerland, its economical importance and the history of boat building. The oldest wreck - a Roman war rowing boat from approx. 300 AC - can be seen at Yverdon/Lake Neuchâtel. See also the English summary. This book is a MUST for every Swiss sailor. It can be ordered online (go to the bottom of the page).

On the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the Finn Class, a comprehensive illustrated book about the long and amazing history of this Olympic heavy-weight dinghy will be published in a few days. Already now, orders can be placed with the Swiss Class president (jhuracek@yahoo.com) or on the German Finn website.

MaxComm publishes a book that summarises sixty years of multihull development on Lake Geneva. "From Altaïr to Alinghi 5", the book explains why and how the Geneva region became the world's best place for the development of high tech multihulls. Written and edited by the yachting journalist Bernard Schopfer, this book will be available in bookstores as from November or can be ordered at media@maxcomm.ch. Note that it is written in French.

The Nechâtel yachting photographer Sophie Marc-Martin has again this year assembled the most attractive photos of the season in a 2010 Calendar. The good sailing condition during many of the regattas - e.g. during the heavy-weater Finn Swiss Championship - offered many occasions to shoot spectacular images. The calender can be ordered for CHF 40 with Sophie.Marc-Martin@unine.ch.

An official book about the last Volvo Ocean Race has just been published with the title 'Spanish Castle to white night'. Distinguished as best illustrated sports book, the author Mark Chisnell has included a number of spectacular images of the past race. The report with a link for online order.

The Lloyd's List Ports of the World 2009, a three-volume box set is the definitive port information resource, providing information such as: exact port coordinates, principal facilities, anchorage, pilotage, radio frequency, bunkering, and much, much more. It can be ordered here.

The most important reunion of restored wooden yachts and high-tech maxi yachts world-wide did take place last week at St-Tropez FRA. The two yachting photographers Daniel Forster and Jürg Kaufmann together with the yachting journalist Lynn Fitzpatrick edited a photo book about that event which will be published by mid-November. The website with a preview and an online order form.

The Englishman Bill Johnston offers on his Internet website Aztec Sailing free of charge lessons for Day Skippers, Coastal Skippers and Yachtmasters Offshore. With the chapters Navigation, Tides, Charts, Navigational Aids, Rules of the Road (Collision Regulations) and Weather, the lessons are fully RYA-compatible. This site is arranged like a book on theory, with chapters (navigated on the side of this box) and sections within the chapter (navigated by clicking the section names at the top). If required, a printable version of each chapter can be downloaded against a small charge - £1.99 - for each download. The entry page to the Aztec Sailing lessons.

The oceans of the world are not only important to sailors and fishermen, but to most people on earth, whether they realise it or not. 'A Sea Change' is a poignant film which tackles the probability of a world without fish should humans continue to act and behave environmentally as we have for the past century. An article in Sail World.

Sailing-Media, the German publisher dealing with racing rules presents on its website some interesting information on special cases (in German only). There exists a Blog, discussing interesting right-of-way situations in text and illustrations. Here the complete overview.

Motivating the widest possible audience on a worldwide scale to inspire new behaviour that respects the environment and thus promotes an intelligent and sustainable use of the ocean is the main objective of the World Ocean Network. Established in November 2002, the network comprises organizations focusing on the general public and caring for the future of the Blue Planet. Applying for a passport as Citizen of the Ocean is the first step to be part of this initiative.

San Blas (Kuna Yala) is a maze of islands inhabited by the Kuna Indians lying in the waters between Colombia and Panama. It is not an area well covered by cruising guides, with the result that enterprising cruisers do it themselves. So it is that we bring you Glenn and Eddie Tuttle's 2009 Cruising Guide to Panama and the San Blas Islands, generously offered to cruising sailors free of charge by Sail World (Australia) as PDF. The article with the download.

The Green Blue is a project residing in England. Its website offers background information and links concerning ecological questions such as global warming or pollution, but also inland or coastal, individual or boating business. The download-part is huge with manuals and factual report.

The Dark Blue Book is the Who's-Who of Yacht Racing. It contains personal contact details of some of sailings most influential people including competitors, team owners and principals, press contacts, media and suppliers. It lists details of race organisers and sponsors in some of the worlds biggest events including the America’s Cup, iShares Cup, Volvo Ocean Race, Audi Med Cup and well known regattas and offshore races. The Edition 2009 can be purchased, 2010 preordered.

This Fouling-Atlas-Project addresses to private and professional users which are faced to fouling problems in fresh- and saltwater environments. The Fouling-Atlas contains specific information on maritime fouling problems. The actual developments of the antifouling sector and the ongoing changing legal regulations are already main project topics. Among the published product lists the project also will present an overview about the expected fouling pressure at the different oceans, seas, rivers and coastlines in the future, categorized in Industrial Use, Professional Shipping and Offshore Industry. Cruising sailor find themselves under Water Sports.

The Online-platform NauticEd offers several sailing courses on the Internet. There is a free trial version available in a basic and an advanced version. To try it out, a registration is requested.

In the future, we shall present useful links concerning initiatives for the protection of the sea in our section 'Books & Publicatios', starting with the extensive IOC Guide to Sport, Environment and Sustainable Development, whose chapter 4.3 is dedicated to water sports in a natural environment. The advices might be rather general, but the information and facts about the pollution of the sea and the environment in general are very concerning.

The digital alamanach for cruising-sailors in the Channel has been updated: Harbour descriptions, tides, weather, addresses. Here is the Wiley Nautical's free download.

Last Monday, the Swiss French-speaking TV aired a one hours' documentary film on Bernard Stamm, finished recently. This film contains unique sequences on, in and of Stamm's Open 60 'Cheminée Poujoulat' and presents the Swiss with interviews and excerpts of his sailing biography, from the 3rd rank at his first oceanic race, the Mini-Transat 1995, his construction of the first Open 60 until the land-fall during the last Vendée Globe. The film (downloadable until June 10) and a short introduction.

Now, the official illustrated book about the "Vendée Globe 2009" has been published, telling all details about the 30 skippers during their race around the world. Up to now, it is available in French and can be ordered on the Internet for €uro 29.90. More information.

Cruising-sailors navigating in the Channel usually relied on the «Wiley Nautical Almanac», a comprehensive directory of harbour, tidal and weather data, published in book form. Now, this almanach can be downloaded on the PC free of charge for quick and easy access, at home or on board, to essential cruising navigation, meteorological and key contact information – even without an internet connection.

The Royal Yachting Association has published a handbook well covering the subject "Navigation", with many practical exercises. Reading and studying recommended. The RYA Navigation Handbook.

Yachting Heritage publishes historical document in its online-shop, such as 1862 editions of the French maritime newspaper Le Yacht, the history of individual classic yachts, such as the monegasque Tuiga or photos of historical sailing regattas.

The International Sailing Federation (ISAF) announced the publication of Guidelines for yachts considering a passage through the Gulf of Aden, Yemeni and Somali waters.
In view of the recent escalation in piratical attacks in the area of the Gulf of Aden, Yemeni and Somali, and the consequent very high risk, the essential advice is not to enter this area. An article in Sail World and an link to the Maritime Security Centre.

Ten years ago, the journalist (and future US Sailing President) Gary Jobson had - during a panel discussion in Annapolis with Paul Cayard and Dennis Conner - the idea to have a physical home bearing the history of sailing's greatest moments. The desire for such a home was the easy part; finding the best place to hang a shingle, however, was a challenge. There are many cities and towns worthy of the National Sailing Hall of Fame, but Annapolis, Md., emerged for many reasons. After six years of working on the concept, the National Sailing Hall of Fame board received the gift it needed from then Maryland Governor Robert Ehrlich, who offered a prime waterfront location in Historic Annapolis. From the Jobson Report May 2009.