Team Racing for Sailboats

Published by Fernhurst Books
ISBN 1-898660-85-9
Price £14.95

The second edition of Team Racing for Sailboats written by Steve Tylecote is arguably the world’s most informative book of its type.

Having been winning in top level international team racing events for over seven years, including being a member of the winning team at the Hinman Trophy (the US Team Racing Championship) in 2001, Tylecote successfully translates his on-the-water experiences in to a clear, concise written format.

Since it was first published in 1999, Team Racing for Sailboats has been totally revised to take account of the 2001-2005 Rules. And, as well as more illustrating photographs, and in-depth key team racing manoeuvre explanations, new sections have been added to show how to organise a team strategy. In section 8 – The winning team – Tylecote explains why the psychological approach to team racing has such an important role to play. “In essence,” says Tylecote, “you need to have a clear mind so you can act intuitively and perform mental tasks like thought prioritisation without difficulty.”

Each section is well illustrated with line drawings detailing even the most basic manoeuvres. To highlight some of the most important, yet often forgotten team racing tactics, Tylecote has scattered ‘top tip’ boxes throughout the book.

There is no doubt that this book is the bible of team racing and one that no serious team racer should be without. Apart from a couple of dark, out of focus photographs, this new edition is highly recommended and one that the author
should be proud of.

Sue Pelling

The Laser Campaign Manual

Written by Ben Ainslie
Published by Fernhurst Books
ISBN 1 898660 90 5
Price £19.95

If you only buy one sailing book this year, make sure it's the Laser Campaign Manual written by Olympic gold medallist Ben Ainslie. Scribed in Ben's clear thinking style, this book is the ultimate reference for all dinghy racing enthusiasts. It even features a CD-ROM (compatible with PC and Apple Macs) which can be played in conjunction with reading the book.

In this step-by-step guide to singlehanded sailing, Ben generously shares his expertise from his years spent at the top of the dinghy racing scene. As well as concentrating on the technical side of sailing, on how to win on the racecourse, Ben has succeeded in ensuring the reader understands the basics before progressing further.

Getting the Boat Right ‚ the first chapter ‚ includes some helpful advice on things to look out for when purchasing a used boat. And in the boat setting up section, Ben's mast rake measurements and gear-tweaking ideas could prove invaluable.

Racing technique is the chapter that most Laser sailors will be itching to see. Here Ben describes how to get the best from your boat during all points of sailing. He even explains how to sail a windy reach ‚ a style he demonstrated so well during the Sydney Olympic Games. "The correct heel angle is slightly to leeward," says Ainslie, "... it is far safer than trying to sail the boat flat." He also adds, "In strong winds, set your toestraps really tight to help keep your legs locked on to the boat.

As with all the sub-sections within the book, there's a Common Mistakes box highlighting things to watch out for: On a windy reach, check the vang is not too tight and ensure you play the main to prevent the the boom dipping in the water.

Apart from the occasional typo which includes the misspelling of Ben's name on the credits page (oops!), this is a fine, well illustrated book that no racing sailor should be without.

Competition

For your chance to win a copy of the Laser Manual in the sailpower.com/Fernhurst Book competition, click here.

Learning to Sail – in dinghies and yachts

by Basil Mosenthal
£9.99
Published by Adlard Coles Nautical - ISBN 0-7136-5923-8

If you're thinking about taking up the sport of sailing, whether it's dinghy or yacht sailing, we've found an excellent book that could help you get started. Learning to Sail – in dinghies or yachts, written by Basil Mosenthal is ‘a no-nonsense guide for beginners of all ages'.

The first five chapters include all the basics such as what to wear on the water, points of sailing, parts of the boat and rigging a dinghy. The second half of the book is dedicated to those who are new to yacht sailing. While the basic principals of dinghy and yacht sailing are the same, there are many things of which to be aware when making the transition from one to the other. The author has successfully managed to explain and illustrate how to get the best from each while keeping the safety factor in mind.

The sections on the use of winches, hoisting the mainsail, mooring and docking are particularly useful for the first timer. The final three chapters of the book are more general with information on tides, weather and basic navigation.

The book is well illustrated with coloured line drawings and photographs on every page and the glossary at the back of the book is simple enough to be useful.

To obtain a copy of Learning to Sail contact Adlard Coles Nautical at www.adlardcoles.co.uk

The Rules in Practice 2001-2004

Price: £13.95
Published by: Fernhurst Books
ISBN: 1-898660-77-8

Get ahead of the competition by learning the new rules! Fernhurst Books' new flex-back book The Rules in Practice 2000-2004, written by Bryan Willis, has just been published. It's the fifth edition, to comply with the new ISAF rules which come into effect in April 2001.

The author Bryan Willis has served as a member of the ISAF Racing Rules Committee for over 20 years and has chaired international juries at major world events including the Sydney Olympic Games and the America's Cup 2000.

In his new book he's succeeded in simplifying what is a relatively complex subject. While Willis points out: "...there were few significant changes between the 1997-2000 rules and the 2001-2004 rules," it's still worth making a note of the changes that will affect almost all sailors including changes to the standard signalling system for starting races. The two starting systems have now be replaced with one single system and dinghies no longer need to display a flag when protesting.

Throughout the book the author has highlighted and illustrated numerous racing situations from pre-start manoeuvres to crossing the finish line. Each situation is described from the individual sailor's point of view with an explanation of what you can and can't do. With such excellent simple illustrations there is no doubt these sections will be referred to time and time again.

If the thought of attending a protest meeting brings you out in a cold sweat, fear not because once you've thumbed your way through to the Protesting chapter, all those niggling questions including method of procedure will be answered.

The final section of the book is devoted to the complete ISAF Racing Rules of Sailing for quick reference. But the final page, the all-important international code race signals which every racing sailor should know or learn, are illustrated in black and white which in my opinion de-values an otherwise excellent rules book.
To obtain a copy of The Rules in Practice 2001-2004, contact Fernhurst Books at: sales@fernhurstbooks.co.uk

The Secrets of Sailboat Racing

Price: £4.95
Published by: Fernhurst Books
ISBN: 1-898660-72-7

If you're looking for a gift for the racing sailor in your life, we suggest you get hold of a copy of The Secrets of Sailboat Racing by Mark Chisnell and Neal McDonald. This pocket-sized softback from Fernhurst Books is full of interesting quotations and fascinating tips which the authors have collected from their many years of racing experience.

While there are many of the 'golden rules' that the racing sailor would probably already know, there are many more which serve as excellent reminders, such as 'Don't be late for the start!'

To obtain a copy of The Secrets of Sailboat Racing, contact Fernhurst Books at: sales@fernhurstbooks.co.uk

Finnatics

Price: £20
Published by: The International Finn Association
ISBN: 0 95355040 0

Anyone who has ever had any involvement with the international Finn dinghy should sign up for a copy of Finnatics immediately. Edited by British Finn sailor Robert Deaves with Foreword by the great Paul Elvstrom, this book is one that no self-respecting Finnster should be without. In fact everything you could possibly want to know about the Finn is covered in this book which is illustrated with 100s of black and white photographs. And it's not just the history of the Finn that's described in such detail, but there's also a string of interesting technical articles written by some of the world's greatest Finn sailors. Features on class development, racing technique, regatta preparation and how to plan your racing season give just a taster of what's on offer. The only slight disappointment is the lack of photo captions in the second half of the book. A few explanatory captions in the technical articles would have kept the reader well informed right to the end! And the price? £20 is a bit steep but you do get a lot of information for your money! For your copy, send a cheque for £20 made payable to the Finn Association (IFA) to Robert Deaves at 75 Fairhaven Avenue, West Mersea, Colchester CO5 8BT. Telephone/fax 01206 386364.