The Complete Trailer Sailor: How to Buy, Equip, and Handle Small Cruising Sailboats

Brian Gilbert (Chattanooga, TN) is a lifelong sailor who lived aboard a Catalina 27 for four years. His total restoration of a basket-case trailer-sailer is documented in International Marine's forthcoming title Fix It and Sail (January, 2006). He recently sold Fluke, the MacGregor Venture 222 sailboat that was the subject of that book, and purchased another used trailer-sailer, a Montgomery 17. He is a frequent contributor of how-to articles for magazines such as Good Old Boat, Small Craft Advisor, and DIY Boatowner, and he writes and edits a newsletter for blacksmiths.

PART 1 Getting a Boat
1.Finding the Right Boat for You
2.Evaluating Trailerable Sailboats
3.The Sailboats
4.Purchasing a boat
5.Tow Vehicles and Trailers
PART 2 Getting Your New Boat Ready for Sailing
6.Parts Common to most trailer-sailers
7.Trailer-Sailing equipment
PART 3 Taking Your Boat Out for the First Time
8.Ready to Sail
9.Sailing Knots
10.Sailing a Trailerable
PART 4 Expanding Your Experience and Ability
11.Rules Of The Road
12.Navigation and Piloting
13.Emergencies Under Sail
14.Best Practices for the Prudent Mariner
PART 5 Maintaining and Modifying your boat
15.Maintaining your Investment
16.Sailboat Improvements and Modifications
17.Getting Around when the Wind Won’t Blow
18.Electricity on Your Boat
PART 6 Cruising in the Trailer-Sailer
19.Cruising Clothes and Stowage
20.Anchors and Anchoring
21.Meal Planning & Provisioning
22.What About the Bathroom?
23.Odds and Ends