Yachting Start to Finish

Barry Pickthall is a respected sports writer and photographer and has been covering all aspects of sailing and boating for the past 35 years, 20 of them as a yachting correspondent to The Times newspaper. He has been covering the international stage for the past 4 decades from the Olympics to America's Cup and Round the World Races. Barry is also a qualified sailing instructor – having graduated from one of the first courses held at the UKSA.

GETTING STARTED; BASIC PRINCIPLES: Parts of the boat, The science of sailing, Points of sail, Choosing a yacht, Buying a yacht, Transporting and launching keelboats, The rig, Knots, ropes and running rigging; PREPARING TO SAIL: What to wear, Essential equipment, Getting onboard from dinghy and dock, Rules of the road, Bending on sails, roller furling and reefing; FIRST SAIL: Boat handling under power - mooring and anchoring, Balance, sail, trim, Tides and weather, Basics of navigation, Radio etiquette; SAFETY AT SEA; Glossary of terms; Acknowledgements