Planning and reacting to the unanticipated are the flip sides of seamanship. This blending of pre-voyage preparedness with effective on-the-water response is learned rather than inherent--together they define the art of seamanship. -- Author RALPH NARANJO

Each time a sailboat casts off its docklines the sailor enters a marine realm that demands knowledge, preparedness, vigilance, and coolheadedness--these qualities are the foundation of good seamanship. Both an art as well as a science, seamanship is also the mastery of numerous practical details, from the best choice of line for a jib sheet to an accurate assessment of the passage of a deep low-pressure system.

Around-the-world sailor Ralph Naranjo--technical expert, ocean racer, former Vanderstar Chair at the U.S. Naval Academy--delivers a priceless reference for anything that comes up while on the water, sharing all the knowledge today's sailors need to hand, reef, and steer--an enduring reference to the collective skills of the bluewater sailor. Naranjo's vast knowledge is supported by real-life examples of sailing mishaps, sample itineraries, vibrant photos, as well as first-hand accounts and sidebars from top sailors and marine experts, including Shelia McCurdy, Chuck Hawley, Lee Chesneau, and Paul Miller, N.A. Seamanship is a dynamic art, demanding full attention from the sailor amidst a constant flow of information and knowledge.

The Art of Seamanship will improve your problem-solving skills, whether daysailing around the harbor or voyaging around the world.

You'll learn:

• The attributes of a good skipper and crew--including physical and mental agility, effective communication, and knowledge-based decision making
• Fine-tuning your voyaging with the seaworthiness of your boat and the capability of your crew in mind
• Using weather information and routing resources to lower risks and raise rewards
• Developing advanced boat-handling skills--including heaving-to, towing a drogue, reefing, setting storm sails, and kedging
• Lines, line handling, and rigging--making sure the right strings are attached, including an in-depth look at modern rope construction
• Anchoring--the art of staying put--with a realistic look at tackle from lunch hooks to storm anchors
• Sails, modern sail material, sail trim, sail handling, and hardware, from hanked-on headsails to the latest top-down furlers
• Navigating in the satellite age, including paper and digital chartplotting, how to best use the new equipment, plus understanding the role of celestial navigation as a fail-safe
• Sailboat design and dynamics, including the role of vessel structure and stability and a look at what your current boat has to offer and what to look for in a new boat
• Sharing crowded waters and understanding the reasons behind the rules of the road
• How to be ready for any emergency, including fire, crew overboard, a flooding bilge, or the need to abandon ship
• Establishing reliable communication, including VHF, AIS, SSB, satellite phones, and beacon signaling (EPIRBS, PLBS)