Words of wisdom from 50 years afloat
By Skip Novak
Adlard Coles, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing PLC 304 pages paperback $24
Revered by sailors around the world for his numerous adventures – especially those in extreme latitudes – Skip Novak wrote an excellent column in Yachting World magazine for many years in which his shared his vast expertise on many sailing subjects. Skip has curated, edited and updated many of those original dispatches and supplemented them with new material for his latest book, in which he offers a wealth of hard-won advice.
Rather than presenting a chronological compilation of his columns, the author has reorganized them by subject, with such topics as Learning to Sail, Ocean Racing, Design and Maintenance, Technology – Pros and Cons, and Safety at Sea. Covering traditional skills like celestial navigation, anchoring and docking, Skip Novak on Sailing also examines innovative technologies created to make sailing both easier and safer.
With a focus on developing skills, gaining experience and learning how to solve problems, this book is as inspirational as it is practical, and certain to challenge you to improve your own seamanship.
Born in Chicago and now based in Europe, but often to be found exploring the Antarctic, Skip Novak has long inspired sailors all over the world with his thirst for adventure. He’s competed in most major yacht races, including the Whitbread Round the World Yacht Race, the Sydney-Hobart Race and the Fastnet Race. He has written for Yachting World and the Daily Telegraph and is also the author of One Watch at a Time and Fazisi – The Joint Venture, shortlisted for the William Hill Sports Book of the Year. ■
