Cost Conscious Cruiser

I don't have a small boat, in fact mine is 38 feet long. But I definitely agree with the majority of what I read in this book. Not only that, I enjoyed reading stuff like the pros and cons of tiller vs wheel even though I would never give up my wheel (first because it came with the boat, second because I don't like using tillers.) The Pardey's have hooked me and I plan to read more of their books. In fact I gave my sailing partner their Care and Feeding of the offshore Sailor book and she complained because I kept reading it. Good solid advise with a good bit of humor. Their ultra simple life style appeals to me, but I don't plan to duplicate it. On the other hand, they don't seem to expect people to - but they do remind potential voyagers that taking care of a cruising boat/home is not easy when you get away from stateside facilities. Good read, good info and logical presentation.

This and all the other Pardey books are the core curriculum for the particular cult of sailors that believe that the most important thing in sailing is to be small and self sufficient. After all, the whole point of sailing is to use the inexhaustible wind to drive you along. So why clutter up your already cramped boat with gadgets that (1) you don't need in the first place and (2) you can't repair when they let you down? Their advice that, if you can't fix it then it probably shouldn't be on the boat, is some of the sagest crusing wisdom around. And the fact that they have covered the globe in safety and comfort without an auxiliary engine is inspirational. For those who poo poo this, listen to the Pardey's spin you some tales of some of the hundreds of heartbroken sailors they have seen, up to their elbows in a diesel engine, missing out on paradise because of engine failure. Too often these unfortunates can't sail their boat well enough to do without the engine (in other words they can't get it out of the marina) and therefore are stuck in a hell of their own making. And it isn't just engines: it's radios, electronic systems, electric anchor windlasses, roller furling, refrigerators, all the doodads we are told we can't sail without. Nonsense. The Pardey's will innoculate you against such tragedy.

Once again, a book packed with useful, timely information. The Pardeys' basic principle, that you should go now and cheaply, is just as valid today as it was when they began cruising in the late 1960's. Their preference for simple, strong, repairable gear instead of chandlery candy speaks to those who wish to sail boats rather than look at them. Good job, guys! Keep it up.

I guess you could call these folks the only consumer advocates in todays sailing world. But this book is not just about saving cash. I like the way Lin and Larry weave seamanship into every aspect of getting ready for a cruise. Good stuff on finding the window so you can get out and try your wings. I've done a bit of offshore cruising and can say they know their stuff, and remind people that it is all based on logic. No yuppie sailing here, no he-man stuff either. Highly recommended before you read books by people who went out for a three year one around the world, then proport to be experts. The Pardeys credentials shine.

If you weren't a Pardey fan before you read this, you will be now. This book gives you a reality check. Sure everyone is saying it takes lots of moeny to go cruising, but here you will learn that there are ways to get out for very little, use the skills and brains good gave you and have the adventure of a lifetime. Lin and Larry take the snob out of cruising, add the sense of fun and adventure back in, yet still remember to give you tips on basic seamanship without preaching. I really like the way they use dozens of stories from their two circumnavigations and dozens of deliveries on other peoples boats to help you remember and understand their ideas. I saved five times the cover price the first day I read this by using just one idea from their section on simple ideas to improve boats for cruising.