Yachting: Start to Finish

Barry Pickthall

Fernhurst 

£16.99

This compact instructional manual is intended for the beginner sailor and more experienced yachtsman: examples are gleaned almost exclusively from the sports keelboat SB20 and the 6 person Southerly 38. These are two quite different constituencies and the book will probably work best if readers dip in and out selecting their own areas to consolidate their skills. Pickthall’s aim is to assist people ‘to sail safer and faster’. Yet for many of us speed is not a primary motivation. Although Pickthall describes yachting as an accessible sport I didn’t find this reflected in his text or choice of illustrations. It seems important that diversity should be better recognised in yachting or the sport itself may start to finish.