Short-Handed Sailing: Sailing Solo or Short-Handed, Paperback

While relatively few cruise single-handed, many sail shorthanded. It may be a couple sailing together or indeed a skipper with a novice crew - he may have lots of people onboard but, in terms of the sailing, he is probably shorthanded. They soon discover that there is so much more to shorthanded 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 shorthanded, 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 shorthanded, from choosing a suitable craft to passage planning, maneuvering, sleep management and watch keeping.