The Upside Down Spinnaker - Ups and Downs of Cruising, Racing, And Buying Cruiser Size Sail Boats

This book is about the thrills, fun, nature's beauties, unwelcome challenges, and serious risks in cruising and racing cruiser size sailing yachts. 'Cruiser size' is defined as boats whose length ranges from twenty-four feet to forty plus, and whose cabin includes most of the comforts of home, e.g., marine toilet, kitchen, bunks for sleeping, shower and more. Based on their many years of sailing several different yachts in varied waters, two salty skippers illustrate and bring to life the subjective side of sailing sizeable yachts, and its psychological rewards. On the other hand, they also describe some of the unpleasant, even dangerous circumstances that can be encountered on the water, especially when venturing far from one's home port. They make clear that a sailboat cruise is not always romantic and free from stress. Describing the human element in racing as crucial, their book includes a detailed treatment of racing crews as a critical success factor. Emphasis is on developing teamwork, and avoidance of many human errors that lose races, cause injuries, or can result in loss of life. Over a period of many years, the two skippers separately purchased several cruiser size sailing yachts used in their various racing venues. They had to deal with design shortcomings, manufacturing errors, and dealer installation deficiencies. These, and others they heard about from other sailors, are described in a separate chapter. It augments another chapter that provides much information to help prospective buyers and individuals planning a charter. The book includes numerous photos and several amusing cartoons. While the text is non-technical, a Glossary is included for readers having limited sailing experience.