Cruising Kitty’s Reading List for 2012

The Cruising Kitty’s Reading List for 2012

Here’s what the Captain snoozed on during 2012 
(and that were subsequently assigned to and read by the Can Opener too):

1. Maiden Voyage, by Tania Aebi
2. How to Sail Around the World, by Hal Roth
3. 20 Small Boats to Take You Anywhere, by John Vigor 
4. The Racing Rules 2008-2012, by Bryan Willis
5. Psychology of Sailing, by Michael Stadler  
6. Care and Feeding of the Sailing Crew, Lin Pardey
7. World Cruising Survey, by Jimmy Cornell
8. Sell Up & Sail: Taking the Ulysses Option, by Bill and Laurel Cooper
9. RYA VHF Radio text 
10. The Seaworthy Offshore Sailboat, by John Vigor
11. Day Skipper for Sail and Power, by Alison Noice
12. Yachtmaster for Sail and Power, by Alison Noice
13. RYA Day Skipper course book
14. RYA Coastal Skipper / Yachtmaster course book
15. RYA Weather Handbook, by Chris Tibbs
16. The Reluctant Mariner, by Joana Hackett 
17. Come Hell or High Water, by Clare Francis
18. Come Wind or Weather, by Clare Francis
19. Cruising in Seraffyn, by Larry and Lin Pardey
20. Against the Flow, by Dee Cafari 
21. Taking on the World, by Ellen MacArthur 
22. The Racing Rules of Sailing, by Paul Elvestrom 

–Captain Cat

(transcribed by the Can Opener)

The Reluctant Mariner – Reviewed

Book the Captain has snoozed upon:  
The Reluctant Mariner, by Joanna Hackett   

Another book review from the Can Opener! He certainly has been burning the night oil. This one’s a gripping travelogue on the voyages of an Australian couple…

Topics Covered

This travelogue covers the circumnavigation of Joanna Hackett and her husband, Lindsay, through 37 countries over 5 years.
 
The Best Part
Hackett’s writing style is addictive. Her relentless dry sense of humour and determination to portray the mundane to the quirky from new angles makes you reconsider your assumptions about… just about everything. 

Her understated approach to what must have been insanity-inducing immigration and border control bureaucracies made us smile and smile. If we thought we’d already seen the most challenging, we clearly haven’t seen anything yet. 

Informative. Also balanced. Joanna was also quick to highlight moonlit nights aboard and truly magical meetings with people, flora, fauna and places.

Wishes

Perhaps we haven’t grasped the real purpose and meaning of a travelogue but we did long for some kind of red thread running through this narrative. Something to work towards so we knew how far along in the tale we were. We like a plot arc. We did get the feeling that new places unrolled endlessly before us. 

But maybe that’s what travelogues are about.

Conclusion
Been there. Done that. And glad we bought it. Would definitely buy it again. 

Are we gonna keep it? Nah. We‘ll probably donate it to the Red Tabby Yacht Club library so someone else can enjoy it too.


Ever read The Reluctant Mariner, by Joanna Hackett? How did you find it? Any good recommendations for other books for the sea library?

–Captain Cat

(transcribed by the Can Opener) 

Previously: Cruising in Seraffyn

In the US
http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?rt=tf_mfw&ServiceVersion=20070822&MarketPlace=US&ID=V20070822/US/httpthecruisi-20/8001/ebaa7a72-5efe-414f-9c77-1a7874855ede Amazon.com Widgets

In the UK
http://ws.amazon.co.uk/widgets/q?rt=tf_mfw&ServiceVersion=20070822&MarketPlace=GB&ID=V20070822/GB/thecrukit01-21/8001/5fe71066-c096-43ca-896f-220d6f772804 Amazon.co.uk Widgets

Cruising Study List – 1st Half 2012

The Cruising Kitty’s Reading List 
   
Cruising Study – 1st Half 2012

Here’s what the Captain snoozed on during the first half of 2012 (and that were subsequently assigned to and read by the Can Opener too):

• Maiden Voyage, by Tania Aebi
• How to Sail Around the World, by Hal Roth
• 20 Small Boats to Take You Anywhere, by John Vigor 
• The Racing Rules 2008-2012, by Bryan Willis
• Psychology of Sailing, by Michael Stadler  
• Care and Feeding of the Sailing Crew, Lin Pardey
• World Cruising Survey, by Jimmy Cornell
• Sell Up & Sail: Taking the Ulysses Option, by Bill and Laurel Cooper
• RYA VHF Radio text 
• The Seaworthy Offshore Sailboat, by John Vigor
• Day Skipper for Sail and Power, by Alison Noice
• Yachtmaster for Sail and Power, by Alison Noice
• RYA Day Skipper course book
• RYA Coastal Skipper / Yachtmaster course book
• RYA Weather Handbook, by Chris Tibbs

–Captain Cat

(transcribed by the Can Opener)

 

Study Books for: Coastal Skipper Exam

Just ordered some more of the Can Opener’s favourite things… books! 

These ones are to help him review for his Coastal Skipper exam later this year. He’s got the old RYA study texts but in my opinion – it’s not enough. I want him to be 150% ready. 

I’ll probably order some more practice exercise books later too. Serious review starts now…

• Day Skipper for Sail and Power, by Alison Noice
• Yachtmaster for Sail and Power: The Complete Course for the RYA Coastal and Offshore Yachtmaster Certificate, by Alison Noice 
• Reeds Nautical Almanac 2012: With Marina Guide 2012 by Andy Du Port and Rob Buttress 
• RYA Weather Handbook – Northern Hemisphere by Chris Tibbs and Sarah Selman
• Coastal and Offshore Navigation, by Tom Cunliffe

Book reviews coming soon! 

–Captain Cat 

 (transcribed by the Can Opener)

What’s On The First Mate’s Nightstand?

What’s On The First Mate’s Nightstand these days?

Books, books and more books to read…

The Can Opener has been toiling away at his studies and we are pleased with his progress. 

Here are the books piled sky high on his night table that are in various stages of being read:

• La Longue Route, by Bernard Moitessier
• Cruising Under Sail, by Eric Hiscock
• Mettre Les Voiles, by Antoine
• Coastal and Offshore Navigation, by Tom Cunliffe
• Ocean Sailing, by Tom Cunliffe
• The Racing Rules of Sailing, by Paul Elvestrom
• Offshore Sailing, by Seifert & Spurr
• Don Casey’s Sailboat Maintenance Manual, by Casey & Compton
• Yachtsman’s Emergency Handbook, by Hollander & Mertes
• The Voyager’s Handbook, by Beth Leonard
• The Seaworthy Offshore Boat, by John Vigor

Any other recommendations for good books for the Can Opener to read?

–Captain Cat

(transcribed by the Can Opener)

Cruising Texts
Previously: A Big Bunch of Book Reviews

A Big Bunch of Cruising Book Reviews

The Cruising Kitty’s Book Reviews

Here’s what the Captain has snoozed on and reviewed so far (and that were subsequently assigned to and read by the Can Opener as well).

Cruising Texts / Book Reviews

• Cost Conscious Cruiser

• Capable Cruiser

• Self Sufficient Sailor

• Maiden Voyage

• How to Sail Around the World

• Twenty Small Sailboats to Take You Anywhere

• Psychology of Sailing

• Care and Feeding of the Sailing Crew

• Bryan Willis, The Rules in Practice

• World Cruising Survey

• Sell Up & Sail

   

   

  –Captain Cat
  
  
  (transcribed by the Can Opener)

  Cruising Texts

  Next: What’s on the First Mate’s nightstand?

Downsizing Books – Can It Be Done?

What are we doing?

Here‘s the decision tree I‘m training the Can Opener to use on his books…

1. Has the Can Opener read the book?

• If, yes… 
• is it sentimental?
• childhood book
• gift
• favourite book
• or actually written by a friend? 
• Or is it a reference text?
• sailing
• finance
• language text or dictionary
• travel guide
• …

• Sentiment and reference, he can keep.
• All else gets donated to the library (or if they won’t take it, the local youth hostel).

2. Has the Can Opener EVER read the book?

• If not read… — whaaaaaattt???? Why has my hard earned catfood been spent on this??!!!
• Will he ever read this?
• If yes, then go to 1.
• If no, then it gets donated. End of story.

Progress
You‘d think I‘d asked the Can Opener to put wax on his legs and then rip it off before he went cycling again. 


But despite all the yelping and anguish, we are making progress.


And it feels good to donate to the library. Our local biblio-rama is desperately in need of more business tomes and books of every kind.


I even plan to donate my beloved Encyclopedia of Feline Karate Bo, by Sensei Hiro Nekko. I‘ve already learned all the foundation moves anyway and am working on the ‘Intermediate‘ sequel.




It‘s aaaaall got to fit in a boat that‘s 30 feet or less. We’re on our way…

–Captain Cat


(transcribed by the Can Opener)


Downsizing
Next: Managing Food Inventory
Previously: Downsizing Papers That Breed

More High Performance Snoozing Ahead

What’s the best way to spend a Wednesday?

Hmm. 

Seems like it’s shopping online with the Can Opener for… even more great books for the sea library!

We thought the most recent batch would be the last additions for a while… but we couldn’t resist. 

So, more good snoozing ahead (so all that fine sailing and cruising info can seep gently upwards into my mighty brain) with…

• Offshore Sailing: 200 Essential Passagemaking Tips, by William G. Seifert
• The Psychology of Sailing: Sea’s Effects on Mind and Body, by Michael Stadler
• Cruising Under Sail, by Eric C. Hiscock
• Paul Elvstrom Explains the Racing Rules of Sailing: 2009-2012 Rules, by Paul Elvstrom

Book reviews coming soon! 

–Captain Cat

(transcribed by the Can Opener)

Book reviews

Offshore Sailing: 200 Essential Passagemaking Tips
The Psychology of Sailing
Cruising Under Sail
Paul Elvstrom Explains the Racing Rules 2009-2012 

Sea Library

Previously: French, Spanish… and then some!