The Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS) are revised and published every four yeasr by the International Sailing Federation (ISAF), the international authority for the sport. This pocket guide is a simplified view of the basic racing rules and has been updated to reflect the Racing Rules of Sailing 2013-2016. It is essential reading if you are new to racing and covers teh following key areas: - Principals - When boats meet - Penalty Turns - Propulsion - Protesting - The race committee For simplicity, this guide does not cover all of the rules and exceptions- sailors are strongly recommended to study the RYS Racing Rules of Sailing (code YR1) in addition to this publication.

A solid foundation in the art and science of knowing where you are and plotting the route to your destination, safely and without fuss. Tom Cunliffe guide you through the theory to be mastered and how to navigate in practice to ensure a smooth trip and a safe landfall. Full of photos, charts and diagrams.

The wind powers everything a sailor does and this book will help you to understand it. As a result you will be more prepared for your race, able to anticipate changes in the wind better and know what to do when they come. The first edition of this book was published in 1986, and it has been the go-to wind book for dinghy champions ever since. This new-look fourth edition is fully updated for modern forecasting and analyses a revised set of popular racing venues around the world: unveiling what to expect from the weather at 30 regatta locations, it will get you ahead of the competition and powering up the leaderboard. "Weather is multidimensional and rarely simple but in this book both David and Fiona expertly explain what can be a complicated subject in an easily understandable format. You will remember or learn something every time you pick up this book. I can guarantee that something you learn in this book will help you improve your racing results." - Ian Walker

For most sailors, boat tuning may seem a mystery understood only by sailmakers and the like. In this book, sailor, chandler and championship winner, Ian Pinnell, unravels this daunting subject and will help improve your boatspeed as a result. Since most races are won or lost by a difference of less than 2% of racing time, you will soon be moving up the fleet. With hundreds of photos and diagrams to illustrate every point, the book clearly explains what each control does and how to set it up optimally for different conditions. Additional troubleshooting and skills sections take things even further, making this the bible of dinghy tuning. "Ian Pinnell, who has won more championships than most of us can dream of, explains with clear text, photographs and diagrams how to tune your dinghy for maximum boat speed. Once you have that, you can concentrate on your own performance." - Iain Percy

Today, yachts are often equipped with electrical windlasses, autopilot, bow thrusters, etc. This equipment has also become much more reliable, making it possible to make long offshore passages without much knowledge of seamanship.

However, as the coastguards in many countries can confirm, more and more yachts require assistance, even when they should be able to reach harbour on their own.

In this book you will be shown the traditional techniques you should be familiar with – regarding rope handling, manoeuvring and anchoring – in order to make long or short passages safely. Each element is clearly explained alongside detailed illustrations, combining to make a straightforward and easy-to-follow guide.

Although yacht gear is becoming more and more reliable, you can be almost sure that, sooner or later, it will fail or you will be out of electrical power to use it. Learning the traditional techniques may not only be necessary but is also both interesting and fun. Instead of waking up the entire harbour in the early hours with the noise of your bow thruster, you may, alternatively, use a spring line to get safely moored to or leave the pontoon quietly.

We all rely on charts to navigate at sea - but are we missing essential information? A mass of data is included on each chart and deciphering the many symbols and abbreviations can be complicated. The accuracy of some charted depths can be trusted entirely while others should be treated with caution. This book will tell you where to find and how to understand this vital knowledge.

This updated second edition explains how charts are compiled before guiding you through the elements that make up these vital navigational tools. Improve your understanding of charts and you will navigate with increased safety and confidence.

Understanding a Nautical Chart offers superb value as, in addition to a wealth of practical advice, there is a key to all the recently updated chart symbols and abbreviations from Symbols and Abbreviations Used on Admiralty Charts (5011). It includes information on electronic charts, explains how to update a chart and how to establish the accuracy of each chart. It is ideal for professional mariners and leisure sailors.

A pocket database containing everything a busy skipper needs to know but might find hard to remember.

It is easy to take for granted how much a skipper needs to know: Navigation, how to pilot the boat into a new harbour, using the radio, checking the engine, keeping an eye out for things that need repair, monitoring the weather, feeding the crew and much, much more!

This pocketbook is designed as an aide-memoire with checklists to make life easier for busy skippers and a must-have reference for first-time skippers. It should also prove an invaluable reference book for the RYA Yachtmaster syllabus.

The book has been helping skippers for nearly 20 years and has now been edited and thoroughly updated by Yachtmaster Instructor and Examiner, Sara Hopkinson. (RYA and Yachtmaster are registered trademarks of the Royal Yachting Association.)

The Laser is the world’s most popular adult dinghy and comes with three rigs: Standard (used by men at the Olympic games), Radial (used by women at the Olympic games) and 4.7 (used by young people moving up from the Optimist). But the boat is not restricted to top athletes; its versatility means that it is an ideal boat for beginners and club racers too. Lasers can be found at nearly every sailing club throughout the world.

Targeted at the club sailor, The Laser Book covers the techniques and skills needed to succeed in Laser sailing, for those starting out through to those striving to win their Club Championship. Whether you are a youngster moving up to a 4.7 or a club sailor looking to improve your results, expert advice from author Tim Davison, plus contributions from Laser gold medallists, world champions and their coaches, will take your Laser sailing to the next level.

Whatever your background, your current level or the extent of your ambition, this book gives you all the tools you need to get out on the water and improve your Laser sailing.

Sail and Rig - the complete guide on how to trim sails and tune rigging for all conditions to make the boat sail faster and safer. A well-trimmed sailing boat is not only faster – it heels less, balances better and is more comfortable.  Wear and load is reduced and expensive gear lasts longer.  The risk of damage or rig failure is significantly lower when you know how to take care of your rig and sails.

This book provides a clear understanding of the dynamics of rig and sail and how to get them working together in harmony with the elements.

With hundreds of colour photographs and illustrations throughout, the text is concise and precise, divided into sections to make it easy to find exactly what you need. Research was carried out with professional riggers, sailmakers and international elite sailors as consultants resulting in a book that should be part of every sailor’s basic kit.

This book appeals to every level of sailor – those with limited experience will find much to learn and the experienced sailor can develop competence and knowledge as the different aspects of trim are treated in depth.

While relatively few cruise single-handed, many sail short-handed. It may be a couple sailing together or a skipper with a novice crew – he may have lots of people onboard but, in terms of the sailing, he is probably short-handed. They soon discover that there is so much more to short-handed sailing than a lack of crew. It demands a different approach, a new mindset.

The skipper has a much greater workload but there are also fewer people, sometimes no-one at all, to consult during the decision-making process. Under these circumstances fatigue can be as dangerous as heavy weather: it creeps up on you, often unnoticed, destroying your morale and ability to make rational decisions.

And when short-handed, the crew’s limited physical resources must be watched over and zealously guarded.

In this heavily illustrated book Alastair Buchan passes on the lessons of his hard-won experience gained short- and single-handed sailing in coastal, offshore and ocean waters. It will show you everything you need to know about handling a boat alone or short-handed, from choosing a suitable craft to passage planning, manoeuvring, sleep management and watch keeping.