This time it’s the turn of The Practical Mariner’s Book of
Knowledge, Second Expanded Edition (International Marine).
Even
after more than 20 years, this book is still one of my best sellers. It began
when a man I was teaching to sail in San Diego told me he was going to make a
fortune by writing a book of rules of thumb for housewives: rules about ironing
and cooking; rules about bringing up children; rules about keeping a slim
figure to keep hubby happy; and so on.
I
don’t know if he ever did write that book, but after he learned to sail I stole
his idea and wrote a book of rules about something I knew quite well because I
had a box full of clippings collected over the years from boating magazines:
hints and tips about how to do all sorts of nautical things better, quicker,
and/or cheaper. The result is a book
with a waterproof cover that modestly proclaims it contains 460 sea-tested
rules of thumb for almost every boating situation.
To
quote my publisher: “This is either the most useful book ever designed to
entertain, or the most entertaining book ever designed to be useful.” In
between the whimsy, however, this book contains the essence of centuries of
seafaring experience distilled into a concise reference for sailors and
powerboaters.
If
I may say so, it makes an appropriate gift for fellow mariners.
Here’s
a review by Bernadette Bernon, then editor of Cruising World magazine:
“John
knows well about earning points at sea to put in a black box of experiences,
for he has had more than most. His gift as a writer is in being able to
translate those experiences for the reader with intelligence, humor, and warmth
of spirit. This engaging collection is a testament to that gift, and to one of
the finest boating writers at work today.”
Happy New Year
I
WISH one and all the very happiest of New Years. Join me in lifting a glass to
health, peace, and prosperity for 2014!
Today’s
Thought
The
writer does the most, who gives his reader the most knowledge, and takes from him the least time.— C. C. Colton, Lacon: Preface
Tailpiece
“Gloria, did I see you sneak a
gentleman into your dorm last night?”“No, sir, you didn’t. He turned out to be no gentleman.”
(Drop by every Monday, Wednesday,
Friday for a new Mainly about Boats column.)
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