Books+Media

6 New DVDs

by Rebecca Waters, Posted February 27, 2009

Cast Off for MexicoIn their second video cruising guide (Cast Off for Catalina was released in 2005) Mark Ritts and Ted Field explain the ins and outs of cruising to Mexico, including what to bring, how to clear customs, and navigational tips. Though thy complete the trip on a powerboat, the video includes some excellent sailboat footage and would be a useful resource for

Gourmet Your Galley

by Rebecca Waters, Posted December 19, 2008

The Yachting GourmetThis book, geared toward the casual cruiser, breaks down every recipe into two parts: home preparation and galley preparation. If you’re new to galley cooking, this could be a good primer. Perfect for a weekend or weeklong cruise.The Yachting GourmetBy Mary Maskal283 pages, $32.95MEM Plublications, 2007

Dancing with the Wind

by Sail Staff, Posted November 23, 2008

Billed as a “why-to” rather than a “how-to,” Dancing with the Wind immerses you in the beauty and passion of sailing. With an original score, composed and played by the captain himself, and without a single spoken word, this DVD tells the story of an exciting weekend cruise aboard Ed Verner’s Wind Ketcher. From a soothing twilight anchorage to an invigorating sandwich-overboard

Sail Vicarious

by Sail Staff, Posted November 23, 2008

An amateur film by amateur sailors, Sail Vicarious is a how-to for would-be cruisers. Learn with them as they research, buy, and refit their new boat in this first of a DVD series that will follow Spencer and Kathleen’s circumnavigation. Though fairly basic, Sail Vicarious is thorough and straightforward—a good resource for beginners. Boat walk-throughs help present boating

Distant Shores: Cruising the Middle East

by Sail Staff, Posted November 23, 2008

Distant Shores: Cruising the Middle East, a sailing documentary produced by Paul and Sheryl Shard, allows you to enjoy the discovery of new places and cultures from the comfort of your own couch. This three-disk DVD set includes thirteen 30-minute episodes of their sailing-adventure TV series and contains some excellent sailing footage; the focus is on exotic destinations rather than

Review Special: DVDs

by Rebecca Waters, Posted November 20, 2008

Zen and the Art of DIY

by Rebecca Waters, Posted November 20, 2008

In one of the best-written and most enjoyable boatbuilding books I’ve read—and I’ve read a few—author and journalist Larry Cheek provides the perfect blend of research and memoir. With little experience of either sailing or woodworking, he decides to build a wooden sailing dinghy from a set of plans by Sam Devlin, a designer of wood/epoxy stitch-and-glue small boats. What follows combines gentle

Legend Reborn

by Sail Staff, Posted November 20, 2008

I well remember watching, at the age of 11, lone sailor Francis Chichester sail into Plymouth, England, at the end of his solo circumnavigation. In the weeks and months before, we had seen the story unfold on our TV screen and marveled that one man could sail what I then considered to be an enormous boat singlehanded. Upon stepping ashore Chichester was knighted by the queen, and later his boat

River in the Sea

by Steve Henkind, Posted November 20, 2008

The Gulf Stream: Tiny Plankton, Giant Bluefin, and the Amazing Story of the Powerful River in the AtlanticWhat do Portuguese men-of-war, pirates, Benjamin Franklin, and Ernest Hemingway have in common? They are all closely associated with the Gulf Stream.In this wonderful book, Stan Ulanski ties together many facets of this great river in the sea, including its

Northern Pirate, Southern Hero

by Amy Ullrich, Posted November 7, 2008

"June 30, 1861, CSN Sumter. Mississippi Delta. Bound for the sea. Blazing sun, thick haze.The eyes of Commander Raphael Semmes are burning, and there is nowhere to turn for relief. It’s high tide at Head of the Passes, his only chance to break from the cage Abe Lincoln’s sea boys have built round him and New Orleans. And right now the South’s little bark-rigged raider, the ship channel