Shakedown Cruise

Nigel Calder

Adlard Coles Nautical

£20

Shakedown Cruise was written in 1987-88 when Calder was building his expertise on yacht systems. Nigel, Terrie and Pippin (aged 1) sail from Mandeville, Louisiana to Cumana, Venezuela, take a few months out to catch up with writing and be joined by new born Paul, then make their return voyage via Cuba. Calder goes round anchorages ‘like a ghoul’ asking people about their equipment failures, ‘the worse the stories the better I like them.’ Outdated paper charts, ‘wildly inaccurate’ GPS fixes and inadequate anchor design bring danger close and while their yacht, Nada, is strong, the crew is weakened by seasickness, Calder’s bad back and the constant vigilance needed by the children. A fascinating, instructive, if not entirely cheerful book.