American Merchant Seaman's Manual, for Seamen by Seamen.

Rating:
Summary: A great introduction to the merchant marine
Review: One of the first books issued to midshipmen at Kings Point (www.usmma.edu), the American Merchant Seaman's Manual is a whirlwind tour of everything the new mariner should know before going to sea. It introduces the fundamentals of navigation, ship handeling, deck seamanship, cargo handeling, safety of life at sea, and countless other important subjects. The serious mariner will quickly graduate to more detailed navigation and seamanship texts, but the American Merchant Seaman's Manual remains an important ready reference. I can offer no higher praise than this: Of the leangthly reading list for sea duty, this is one of the few books that midshipman actually reference in their sea projects.