BOOK REVIEWS (1)

PEOPLE OF THE SEA – James Wharram with Hanneke Boon. Published in robust soft covers by Lodestar Books [https://lodestarbooks.com] at £25.00. 288 216mm x 216mm pages, many bearing mono or colour photos, drawings or chartlets. ISBN 978-1-9072-0650-4

Despite starting conventionally with ‘I was born in 1928 in Manchester ...’ – People of the Sea is the autobiography of a very unconventional man. It remains largely chronological over the remaining 273 pages, but within those pages it contains much more than just an account of James Wharram’s life as the designer and populariser of the eponymous catamarans, or more correctly Polynesian double canoes, interesting though that alone would be.

James’s only previous book, Two Girls, Two Catamarans, published in 1968, told the story of his first Atlantic circuit in 1955/56 aboard the 23ft 5in Tangaroa – the first such voyage made by a multihull. It was the fact that he was accompanied by two young women that many found most memorable, however, and which threatened to eclipse his growing reputation as a designer over the following years. Incidentally, while he states several times that he always detected a certain hostility from the yachting establishment and particularly the yachting press, my strong suspicion is that this had less to do with having the ‘wrong’ background and accent and a lot more to do with envy! Here was this guy, living an alternative lifestyle and invariably accompanied by a group of attractive and obviously intelligent young women, while they spent their days in stuffy London offices...

Despite stating that ‘This book is not an account of sailing voyages, but one about my life as a designer’, as nearly all James’s voyages were made aboard vessels he had designed and built himself – albeit with the help of his largely female workforce – long passages do feature, generally followed by comments that they were good, fast, enjoyable etc. Not all James’s life has been sunshine, however, with occasions of deep personal tragedy and others of sheer terror, such as the near loss of the 63ft Spirit of Gaia in the Canaries.

It is clear that James has never allowed himself to forget that most Wharram catamarans are built by amateurs, doubtless some more amateur than others! For several decades it would have been hard to find a distant anchorage without a Wharram catamaran in it. Designed for home-building, for the impecunious they were often the passport to long-distance voyaging, but they have become rarer in recent decades. James’s philosophy of ultra-simple sailing – no refrigeration, no watermaker etc – which was relatively standard up to the 1980s, had become less common by the 1990s and would appeal to an ever-decreasing number of cruisers as the years passed. There is also the fact that multihulls tend not to be marina-friendly in terms of both manoeuvrability and cost, and all too many former anchorages have now been ‘developed’ to meet the needs of those who prefer to step straight ashore.

Despite Polynesian craft being his overriding interest – sparked by reading Éric de Bisschop’s The Voyage of the Kaimiloa in Manchester Central Library as a teenager – James makes discerning and practical comments about many traditional designs and construction methods. What materials were readily available? What were typical launch/recovery conditions? And above all, what would a vessel be used for? In many ways People of the Sea is a world tour of indigenous watercraft, nearly all of them based on the canoe-plus-outrigger or double canoe concept. James is certain that, together with simple rafts of buoyant materials, these were the first seagoing vessels ever built, and it is hard to disagree with him. With his designer/builder’s eye, he sees and interprets details sometimes missed by those from a more academic background.

The text is accompanied by a great many photographs, mostly full-page, though somewhat more informative captions would be welcome. A time-line of major events in James’s life, and an index of his dozens of different designs with date, LOA etc, would also be a useful addition to future editions. (All his designs carry Polynesian or Maori names, frequently quite similar and, for the lay person, difficult to differentiate and remember). On the plus side are a number of very clear sequence drawings created by Hanneke, clearly a very talented artist and draughtswoman.

The final third of People of the Sea is largely devoted to Spirit of Gaia’s five-year circumnavigation in the 1990s, made partly with the aim of participating in the 1995 Great Gathering of Canoes at Huahine, one of French Polynesia’s Society Islands. Sadly this turned out to be a somewhat frustrating experience, marred by the apparent lack of interest of many of the local crews and the unfriendly ‘us and them’ attitude of the organisers. Fortunately the welcomes in New Zealand and, later, in Tikopia more than compensated, while Spirit of Gaia must be one of the larger vessels to have transited the world’s two major canals propelled only by outboards. Though still active as a designer, James concludes the detailed narrative in 1998 on completion of their circumnavigation, with only a brief Epilogue covering the years since.

The entire book is very well-produced on robust matt paper with a stitched spine and flexible, matt-laminate (ie. wipe-clean) covers. Though large for the bookshelves aboard many boats, it should withstand the typically damp maritime atmosphere for many decades. All in all, People of the Sea is a fascinating and well-written book – though not the easiest to review – and one which I can recommend unequivocally to mono and multihull sailors alike. Part autobiography, part boat design and building manual, part philosophy of life, James has packed a great deal into his 93 years and, with the help of diaries, journals and not least Hanneke Boon, his companion of nearly 50 years, this book is a distillation of that experience. AOMH

WEST COUNTRY CRUISING COMPANION – Mark Fishwick, 9th edition. Published in hard covers by Fernhurst Books [www.fernhurstbooks.com] at £42.50 (though discounted on Amazon) or at £19.94 for Kindle. 284 A4 pages in full colour. ISBN: 978-1-9126-2105-7

This book has been the go-to reference for anyone with plans to cruise England’s West110

Country since the first edition was published in 1988. I keep a very salt-stained copy of the soft-back 4th edition from 1998 aboard our boat for old times’ sake and have the 8th edition from 2014 on the Kindle app on my iPad. I once had an even earlier edition, which sadly dissolved in brine. I have always had a high regard for Mark Fishwick’s work and was therefore pleased to be asked to review the recently-published 9th edition!

Before doing so, though, I should explain why this pilot has been so popular for so long and through so many editions. The format is that of a comprehensive guide for cruisers written from seaward by an author who has both a deep knowledge and a deep love of this whole area. I first used it thirty years ago when visiting the West Country’s harbours as a newcomer and can continue to recommend it as a passage planner, harbour pilot and tourist guide. I have continued to use it because of its comprehensive detail, which I still use to guide us further into upper reaches and hidden nooks. My home port of Falmouth, Carrick Roads and its rivers alone earn 26 pages and 30 colour photographs.

West Country Cruising Companion covers the area from Portland Bill west along the south coasts of Dorset, Devon and Cornwall to Land’s End and the Isles of Scilly, then turns east along the north coast of Cornwall as far as Pentire Point. It apologises for the paucity of cruising opportunities on the north coast, but fully details its only real harbours of St Ives, Newquay and Padstow.

It has a useful introductory section covering things to think about before cruising the area, then its six regional sections start with passage planning advice before describing the harbours and anchorages in terms of history, local colour, facilities, navigation, pilotage and berthing. The author’s knowledge of all these aspects has been obvious since the first edition and, over subsequent years, the detail has become more and more comprehensive. The earliest edition omitted the Isles of Scilly, but they are now covered in 40 pages of the same beguiling prose, photos and bespoke chartlets as the rest of this cruising area – one that both the author and I regard as among the best in the world.

You will have correctly surmised that I have long been a loyal and appreciative user of this publication. What, then, is my opinion of the latest incarnation of this local classic? The same and once again improved. The buoyage, harbour facilities and offerings ashore have been fully updated, the harbour chartlets have remained bespoke and accurately reflect just those navigational marks that a skipper needs to focus on in unfamiliar waters, and the already lovely photography of this photogenic cruising area has been added to.

So yes, I thoroughly recommend this edition, whether you are already familiar with the West Country’s beautiful waters or are yet to discover these gems of the world’s cruising locations.

TJB

FACING FEAR – Lisa Blair. Published in soft covers by Australian Geographic, Sydney. Available from Amazon.co.uk at £16.99, or via the author’s website at https://lisablairsailstheworld.com at AU$34.95 for a signed hard copy or at AU$11.19 for an ePub. 334 235mm x 155mm pages, with 16 in full colour. ISBN 978-1-9223-8806-3

Lisa Blair, winner of the 2017 OCC Seamanship Award for the voyage recounted in this book, was the first woman to circumnavigate Antarctica solo. Her goal was to do so non-stop and unassisted, but that was not to be. A dismasting forced her to construct a jury rig and divert to South Africa for repairs.

I was riveted from the first sentence, which begins with the dismasting in a violent storm with 8m seas. She had me right there on deck with her, spiralling into hypothermia as wave after wave crashed over her while she tried to clear the rigging. It was a survival story, 1000 miles from land in freezing conditions, knowing that her only chance to save herself and her boat was to face her paralysing fear.

Yet, when I turned the page, she took me back to the beginning, in the bush cottage in Australia where she and her sister spent their childhood on countless adventures. Her parents divorced amicably when she was a young girl, and though her mother then met a man with a sailing boat Lisa didn’t really pay attention. She had a learning disability similar to dyslexia, was bullied at school and didn’t fit in anywhere. Then a friend who was off sailing with her dad called and asked if she would crew with them. She spent several months at sea and was hooked.

Lisa began dreaming of solo sailing, of being in complete control of her world. She wanted to gain experience in a hurry, so signed up for Robin Knox-Johnston’s Clipper Round the World Yacht Race. When she learned that it would cost £40,000 (AU $80,000) she almost gave up, but with encouragement from her mother she started fund-raising in a multitude of ways and managed to raise half the money prior to the mandatory training interval. She was despondent, but again her mother stepped in and convinced her to at least complete the training. She proved so enthusiastic and competent that, miraculously, crew members started donating to her cause. She raised enough to complete the entire race aboard a highly competitive yacht which won 12 of the 15 legs – more consecutive wins than any other. A year earlier she hadn’t sailed across an ocean, now she had sailed around the world. Suddenly, the challenge of ‘what next?’ seemed daunting.

The idea of solo sailing still intrigued her. She wanted to enter solo races, but securing sponsorship and a boat proved almost impossible so she gained her commercial skipper’s licence and started running charters aboard Southern Cross in the Whitsunday Islands. Somehow, things always fell into place unexpectedly for Lisa. A couple lent her the money to buy a boat, she secured sponsors for the Sydney to Hobart Race as a promotional trial run, and soon after that Climate Action Now set off for the Antarctic challenge. The rest makes very clear how well prepared one has to be to sail solo in the Southern Ocean ... and how much courage and endurance it takes to complete the mission.

Lisa’s writing style is very clear and her descriptions easy to follow, even for people without bluewater experience. The critical parts where she has to free the mast as it’s sawing the boat in half reads like a super-fast-paced thriller. I read furiously and was gripping the covers with both hands white-knuckled. There’s enough detail to be informative yet told in a way that’s engrossing. Her decision-making processes and what influenced them are fascinating. There’s much more, including an encounter with a ship, but I won’t give it away. It’s a story of endurance, resilience and perseverance – qualities with which many of our members will be familiar. I thoroughly enjoyed Facing Fear and am in awe of and full of admiration for this 5ft 2in sailing dynamo, Lisa Blair.

DOB

WEATHER AT SEA – Simon Rowell. Published in soft covers by Fernhurst Books [www.fernhurstbooks.com] at £14.99. 95 236mm x 155mm pages with many photographs and diagrams. ISBN 978-1-9126-2108-8. Also available for Kindle.

Weather at Sea is an excellent book for the cruising or racing yachtsman. It is Simon Rowell’s first book on meteorology and he has all the required credentials for writing it, and then some. He is an accomplished circumnavigator and the winning skipper of the 2002 Clipper Yacht Race, a fully-qualified meteorologist who, since 2015, has forecast for the British Sailing Team amongst many other clients, and an RYA Ocean Yachtmaster Examiner who has taught meteorology to yachtsmen for many years.

That latter experience shines through in the structured way that Rowell builds up the reader’s knowledge throughout the book. There is enough science, without excessive detail, to enable the reader to understand why weather systems develop and his clear explanations are supported by simple diagrams and good photographs. Rowell’s explanation of the Coriolis Effect, for example, is one of the best, and most amusing, that we have come across.

In terms of readability this book is a riot of colour, which is used both as a chapter identifier and to enhance the many diagrams, greatly increasing their legibility. The diagrams are large, too, which helps make them easy to read, and in most cases the captions contain full explanations to enhance those in the text. The main body font is also of a good size – no squinting over tiny reference book type required here. Finally, all the diagrams are referenced really well in the text. There’s no ‘as you can see in Fig 6.3’, at which point you have to hurriedly flip back and forth to find Fig 6.3. Instead, it’s ‘these photos from ...’ (referring to the only photographs on the page) or ‘in the diagram below...’. Better still, all these references/directions are correct. There’s been a lot of careful editorial work post layout in the production of this book.

As already intimated, the clear layout and profligate use of colour does not make this book a triumph of style over substance. Rather it is an excellent primer on the basic principles that govern the weather. No previous knowledge of meteorology is needed and Rowell’s logical approach guides the reader effortlessly through the basics of global weather patterns, the terminology and weaknesses of forecast types, the mechanics behind mid-latitude depressions and the relevance of the jet stream, before moving on to cover more localised effects such as sea breezes and topographical effects. The detail initially focuses on the North Atlantic mid-latitudes weather familiar to European sailors, but there are also useful chapters on tropical weather in general and tropical revolving storms (hurricanes, cyclones and typhoons) in particular.

Throughout the book Rowell uses weather examples from around the world (including the southern hemisphere) to illustrate his points, and he includes some practical guidance too. His explanation of the formation of squalls, their local effects on surface wind and whether or not to tack as they approach will be of interest to all long-distance ocean sailors. Though this book assumes that the reader has no previous knowledge of the subject, there are still plenty of nuggets of useful information which will make it a worthwhile read for most yachtsmen. In particular, we found Rowell’s explanation of the importance and uses of upper-level forecast and analysis charts enlightening.

By the end of Weather at Sea the reader will have covered the meteorology syllabus

of the RYA Yachtmaster Ocean course from first principles and will have a solid grounding in worldwide weather systems and effects. That said, meteorology is an extremely complex subject and there are limits to the detail that can be covered in a 95-page book, so the reader will find that some aspects are really just touched on. But the advantage of Rowell’s approach is that there is enough information to cover an impressive amount of ground in those 95 pages and you don’t get bogged down with minutiae.

A good understanding of weather, how it is formed and what the various forecasts mean is a fundamental skill for any long-distance sailor. This is a superb book which should be read by all those preparing for their OCC qualifying passage or, indeed, anyone who just wants to develop their understanding of this most vital of subjects.

NSB & MHRB

ELECTRONIC NAVIGATION SYSTEMS: Guidance for the safe use on leisure vessels – edited by Jane Russell, version 1. Published by the Royal Institute of Navigation, free download at https://rin.org.uk/page/ENav with registration available for free updates. 98 pages in full colour with photographs, chartlets and diagrams. ISBN 978-1-8382-3600-7 (print)*, ISBN 978-1-8382-3601-4 (digital)

Electronic navigation systems have undoubtedly increased the numbers of people putting to sea and crossing oceans. The level of accuracy in positioning, electronic charts, radar and AIS have all made sailing safer and much more accessible. This booklet provides a comprehensive review of current electronic navigation systems for leisure users and is particularly aimed at improving awareness of the current vulnerabilities of electronic systems and how to mitigate them, enabling all of us to make better and safer judgements, both when passage planning and at sea.

The booklet has been compiled with the assistance of some 50 contributors, including members of the OCC, and has the authority that comes from the Royal Institute of Navigation. It starts with a useful glossary of relevant terms and acronyms and then, in Chapter One, goes straight into the accuracy and vulnerability of Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS). There is a helpful description of how aids to navigation (AtoN) such as lighthouses, buoys and beacons are being fitted with AIS and incorporated into the array of references for those at sea. The description also covers how Synthetic AIS AtoNs are being more widely used (an actual physical structure, but the AIS transmitter is located elsewhere), along with Virtual AIS AtoNs (messages are transmitted but no physical AtoN or transmitter exists in that location) – for example, creating a series of virtual AIS targets to indicate an iced-up area as monitored by ice surveys, or the position of a large iceberg as tracked by satellite. Deepwater traffic separation schemes can also be marked this way.

Chapter Two addresses electronic charts and their display systems, again setting out some of the drawbacks and potential risks for leisure sailors, including highlighting

* Although the RIN website does not mention this, it is understood that a paper copy may be obtainable by making a donation to the RNLI.

the risks with crowdsourced bathymetry*. There is an increasing use of wiki-type cruising information for anchorages on apps such as Navily although, as the booklet notes, ‘Reports from individual vessels have always been liable to a level of inaccuracy because so much depends on the localised circumstances at the moment that the data is recorded’. Also covered is the use of satellite imagery (eg. Google Earth) as a navigational tool to mitigate chart offsets, but noting its limitations, such as no accurate depth information.

* Bathymetry is the study of water depths in oceans and lakes. Crowdsourced bathymetry (CSB) allows private and commercial vessels to share depth measurements to help identify uncharted features and fill gaps where no data exists. Visit https://iho.int/en/crowdsourced-bathymetry to learn more.

Chapter Three covers Radar and AIS use, providing details on functionality, operation and issues of which readers should be aware.

Chapter Four is concerned with guarding against electronic failure on small craft and covers the reasons for failure, lightning strikes and alternative power generation. Great emphasis is placed on having a mindset that is prepared for any electronic failure, building redundancies and resilience into systems, identifying likely points of failure and knowing how to work round them, and having sufficient spares and back-ups.

Chapter Five addresses key navigational skills, with and without electronics, and reminds us of the need for traditional navigational skills such as DR and EP, as well as how to estimate speed through the water without a log. Matters concerning pilotage information and routeing are also covered.

Finally, Chapter Six looks briefly at future developments, naming MetOcean data trials (remote sensing of ocean current/tidal stream data), and ePelorus, being developed by the General Lighthouse Authorities, which uses a handheld device with an electronic compass to take bearings that can be transmitted to the electronic chart system to get a position fix.

Electronic Navigation Systems will be of most use to those who are new to electronic navigation systems, but we would recommend downloading it and having it aboard for any new crew or visitors. Moreover, in this time of COVID when some may be away from their boats for as long as two years, it serves as a useful refresher and the handy checklists at the end of each chapter provide clear aide-memoires.

NH & PH

CAPRI – SAILING DISTANT SEAS – Carsten and Vinni Breuning. Published in soft covers by Forlaget Mellemgaard [http://mellemgaard.dk/] at 299,95 Danish krone (±£35.00). 744 220mm x 150mm pages with many photographs. ISBN 978-8-7938-8011-5. Also available for Kindle.

Having accepted the invitation to review Carsten and Vinni Breuning’s book about sailing in distant seas, I was a bit daunted when the volume arrived, nearly as thick as Reeds Almanac! To state any criticism upfront, I thought the production of the printed version of the book left a bit to be desired. My proof copy version was missing a few pages near the beginning, and the pagination caused the captions of some illustrations to appear on the following page. To get over this I downloaded the e-version, which was very well presented.

As I started to read the book, sometimes the printed version and sometimes online, I became totally engrossed in Carsten and Vinni’s experiences and in re-living happy memories of the places which I too had visited. It is a well-told and lavishly-illustrated account of how their individual dreams panned out, and they take it in turns to give their innermost feelings day by day. It starts with Carsten’s dream: ‘Crossing oceans under white sails propelled by the wind. Find and explore places unreachable except by boat. Walk beaches few others had’. Then Vinni’s dream, after her first day’s sailing in Danish waters, ‘I’d never experienced that before and I was terrified it would capsize. I sat and hung on to the railing for dear life while everyone else chatted and enjoyed the fresh sailing. That day didn’t get me excited about sailing’. Later, in waters off the US Virgin Islands, she wrote, ‘We’re immediately plastered by what is probably the worst squall we have run into on this trip. It is, however, marvellous to be at sea again’.

They gained a little experience in local Danish waters and luckily their first offshore passage to Scotland was benign, although Vinni describes being cold, frightened and seasick. They thoroughly enjoyed cruising through Scotland despite unremitting rain, and the weather remained unfriendly with fog off Ireland and thick fog all the way down the coasts of Spain and Portugal. Problems encountered included an unreliable navigation system, hand-steering because the engine battery charging was intermittent and only worked in harbour (!), and three entanglements with fishing nets in the fog. One of these involved Carsten spending an hour over the side cutting Capri free in a sloppy sea, in full diving kit topped off by his cycling helmet.

They had a relatively uneventful sail with unfavourable winds to the Canary Islands, where they prepared to take part in the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers. This, in the event, proved a bit of a mixed blessing. The first leg to the Cape Verde Islands was in very light airs and most of the fleet used their motors incurring penalties in their race timings. Capri sailed the whole race and came in rather late, only for Carsten and Vinni to discover, to their delight, that they were third overall on sailing time and first in both the two-handed and small boat divisions. On the next leg to St Lucia the fleet got so dispersed that they were out of radio range of other competitors, so the idea of going across in a group didn’t come to much. The trade winds never filled in, and in light airs and swell their large genoa flapped heavily. This forced Carsten to make two trips up the mast as Capri rolled, one in order to replace a broken halyard and the second to cut the sail down after the halyard jammed irrevocably. The passage was so slow that they thought they might not finish within the time limit, but when this seemed certain the tension on board evaporated. They relaxed and enjoyed the next day’s sailing, only to discover that the management had extended the time limit by two days. They were under pressure again in order to finish within this time, which they just achieved.

The narrative continues with their voyage south via Bequia and the Grenadines to Grenada, back to Saint Lucia, then direct to the US Virgin Islands and on to Fort Lauderdale. Their writing evokes the atmosphere, history, politics and living conditions of all the places they visit, but often finding some anecdote to show that life there isn’t paradise. They continue up the Intracoastal Waterway to Norfolk, VA – despite being told that it’s impossible in a vessel drawing 7ft – marvelling at the countryside as they go. Then on to New York and up the Hudson River to tour West Point and Hyde Park, President Roosevelt’s country house. Back south to Florida and on to the British Virgin Islands, Antigua, Panama including the San Blas and a transit of the Panama Canal.

In the summary of their thoughts at the end of the book, they say that they are sorry not to have met more friends during the voyage – I wondered if anyone had suggested they join the Ocean Cruising Club! The Port Officer network might also have assisted them with some of the ‘yacht maintenance in exotic places’ issues that they describe. So thank you, Editor, for asking me to review this book and be taken on a most enjoyable voyage through its pages, visiting during lockdown many places where I would love to have been in person.

AGHC

It's very difficult for two shells to speak Freely together. Each listens to its own sea call. It remains for the pearl-diver or the peddler of the antique to say with firmness: 'Same sea, after all'.

T Carmi, Translated from the Hebrew by Dom Moraes