The Complete Yachtmaster

A comprehensive hands-on manual that covers the Yachtmaster syllabus and brings together all the essentials of modern cruising in one volume.

A bestseller since its first publication, The Complete Yachtmaster has become the standard reference for Yachtmaster students as well as skippers of all levels of experience.

In this fully revised and up-to-date 11th edition, Tom Cunliffe presents an analysis of a good skipper, the theory and practice of sailing and sail trim, the art of seamanship, accurate navigation including chart plotters and PCs, understanding meteorology, heavy weather preparation, understanding yacht stability and coping with emergencies. The Complete Yachtmaster builds knowledge as it builds sailing confidence, guiding examination candidates as authoritatively and reassuringly through the RYA syllabus as a sea pilot bringing a ship safely to harbour.

Easy to read and down to earth, this new 11th edition has updated and expanded sections on boat handling, knots, paper and electronic charts, chart plotters, laser flares, universal VHF, mobile phones and important developments in electronic navigation.

Required reading for all skippers and budding skippers, both on board or in the classroom.

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• 1. The skipper
• 2. The theory of sailing
• 3. Efficient sailing
• 4. Basic seamanship under sail
• 5. Boat handling under sail
• 6. Boat handling under power
• 7. Ropes and ropework
• 8. Anchoring
• 9. Yacht engines
• 10. Sailing in heavy weather
• 11. Navigation – an introduction
• 12. Charts, publications and chart table tools
• 13. Aids to navigation
• 14. Tidal heights
• 15. Tidal streams
• 16. Traditional navigational inputs
• 17. The estimated position
• 18. Classical position fixing
• 19. Satellites and radar
• 20. Course shaping
• 21. Navigational strategy
• 22. Passage planning
• 23. Pilotage
• 24. Passage navigation
• 25. Domestics of a passage
• 26. Fog
• 27. Collision avoidance in poor visibility
• 28. Tactics and navigation in heavy weather
• 29. Damage control
• 30. Emergencies
• 31. Man overboard
• 32. Weather
• Appendix: stability in sailing yachts
• Index

About the Author

Tom Cunliffe has many years of experience cruising all round Europe and from the Caribbean to Russia and Brazil to the Arctic. He is an RYA Yachtmaster examiner and a training consultant for Sailing USA – the governing body of yachting in the USA. He is a regular columnist for Sailing Today, Classic Boat and Yachting World in the UK, and SAIL in the USA.

Praise for The Complete Yachtmaster

"Required reading for skippers whether on board or in the classroom."

— Yachting Life

"Brings together all the essentials of modern cruising in one volume, and ensures that this time-tested book will continue to be the foundation for navigators, skippers and anyone undertaking coastal and offshore passages."

— All at Sea

"The absolute bible for anyone intending to go to sea in boats."

— stainesnews.co.uk

"No other book explains every facet of sailing as comprehensively...any boat would be better equipped with this book aboard."

— Yachting Monthly

"Excellent, a must for the library and winter reading."

— Compass Magazine

"Contains everything you need to know about the theory and practice of sailing"

— Surrey Herald

"An ideal gift to give to the aspiring sailor to ensure the challenges ahead are properly understood."

— Nautical Magazine

"These are new editions of well-established books essentially addressing the RYA Yachtmaster offshore qualification. Both books are beautifully produced with excellent diagrams and illustrations in full colour and seem to me to cover the syllabus comprehensively and well."

— The Little Ship

"As in most Adlard Coles publications it also almost goes without saying that the presentation - text, graphics, pictures - is superb."

— Sailing For Southern Africa

"It guides examination candidates as authoritatively and reassuringly through the RYA syllabus as a sea pilot bringing a ship to harbour."

— Yachting Life

"The standard reference for Yachtmaster students and skippers."

— Press Journal

"An essential read for anyone contemplating making a coastal or off-shore passage."

— WindCheck magazine

"This invaluable book teaches new skills and revises old ones, encouraging skippers to reflect on their own practice, priorities and sailing pleasure."

— Julia Jones, Yachting Monthly

"Full of practical tips built on hard-earned experience… you could not have a better guide."

— Mike Ferro, Cruising Association