Rating: 
Summary: Educational and Entertaining
Review: a bias review from a happily landlocked relative of a cruiser. I now understand the motivation and pure joy found by what i formally considered to be four insane people who sailed over the horizon. I have no desire to challange the vast blue of the oceans, but find in this book sound advice for examining any lifestyle and important reminderes that we are and do what we choose to be and do and a plan to make a change if needed. When the Sultana sails from it's harbor in New Zealand, at least one member of the family left behind will sleep a little better knowing that it's captain can write like he knows what he is doing and that he is certainly doing something he truly loves.
Rating:
Summary: informative, humerous, practical
Review: A must for potential cruisers. The author not only tells you what to do, he tells you why you should and backs up his reasoning with examples from his own experience of sailing half way round the world with a youg family, and the experiences of other cruisers they met on the way. It contains a wealth of information, and bursts a few long held erronous beliefs. Its suitable for both the experienced cruiser and the one who is still toying with the idea. The book is sprinkled with anecdotes which clearly demonstrate the author is a man of humour and wisdom. A thoroughly worthwhile and enjoyable book.
Rating: 
Summary: Exellent presriptive work.
Review: Exellent prescriptive work by Jimmy Buffetts greatest pubicist.This strongly opinionated book concentrates on turning the cruising dream into reality.It looses nothing from this although Trefethens preference for wooden boats is a self indulgence which stands in the way of mass appeal.Pitched at the would be could be cruising sailor it provides sound practical advice on funding the adventure and the essentials in establishing and maintaining the lifestyle. Trefethen, a self confessed "parrothead"has a lot to answer for.I own six Jimmy Buffett albums since reading his book.
Rating:
Summary: If you need help 'getting gone', start here.
Review: I bought this book when my wife and I were selected to crew on an 80 ft motorsailer for two years, which was to be our honeymoon. We had only six months to pay off our debt and have enough money for two years. This book helped us do it. It helped us a little with financial planning, but mostly kept us focused on what was important and that if we put a plan together and stuck with it, we would make it. The real value of this book is that is makes the goal of cruising achievable. This is a book that helps you plan your dream of cruising and making it happen, but this is one book you can leave at home. It has some technical information and some liveaboard information, but don't buy it for that, as there are many other, better books that cover those subjects. Buy the book to help you 'get gone' and you will not be disappointed. It will also help keep you motivated and working toward your goal of cruising. One last benefit of the book is that the principles discussed apply to many other aspects of life. Since my wife and I have come back, we have continued to live the cuising life on shore and we live much more simply and spend much less money.
Rating:
Summary: If you need help 'getting gone', start here.
Review: I bought this book when my wife and I were selected to crew on an 80 ft motorsailer for two years, which was to be our honeymoon. We had only six months to pay off our debt and have enough money for two years. This book helped us do it. It helped us a little with financial planning, but mostly kept us focused on what was important and that if we put a plan together and stuck with it, we would make it. The real value of this book is that is makes the goal of cruising achievable. This is a book that helps you plan your dream of cruising and making it happen, but this is one book you can leave at home. It has some technical information and some liveaboard information, but don't buy it for that, as there are many other, better books that cover those subjects. Buy the book to help you 'get gone' and you will not be disappointed. It will also help keep you motivated and working toward your goal of cruising. One last benefit of the book is that the principles discussed apply to many other aspects of life. Since my wife and I have come back, we have continued to live the cuising life on shore and we live much more simply and spend much less money.
Rating: 
Summary: There are much better books on this topic.
Review: I found the book to be like reading a bunch of commandements, "if you.... you will never go cruising", or "don't ever.... or you will never go cruising". If you like to be lectured to or preached at, you will probably enjoy this book. I, and I guess that I am like most people who would be interested in reading a book like this, would rather hear about other peoples experiences, and judge for myself how they might apply to my situation, than be told there is only one way to do things, and that is the authors way. A better book is Jim Howard's Handbook of Offshore Cruising.
Rating:
Summary: great
Review: i would love to be able to do all the things and give up all the things Mr. Trefethen has to follow his dreams.
Rating:
Summary: "Boat - check, Money - check, Reality - check..."
Review: If you're thinking you'd like to get a boat and push off for more than a few days, you should defintiely read this book first. It's not a manual for sailing, but rather a manual for preparing to sail. It's full of the basic kinds of information that budding cruisers need to know to help them decide if the life is right for them, while still including enough detail about boat types and systems to show that you don't have to be a rocket scientist to cruise successfully. This should definitely NOT be your boat's bible, but it's a very good and entertaining start to your library.
Rating:
Summary: Enlightening and enlivening
Review: If you're thinking you'd like to get a boat and push off for more than a few days, you should defintiely read this book first. It's not a manual for sailing, but rather a manual for preparing to sail. It's full of the basic kinds of information that budding cruisers need to know to help them decide if the life is right for them, while still including enough detail about boat types and systems to show that you don't have to be a rocket scientist to cruise successfully. This should definitely NOT be your boat's bible, but it's a very good and entertaining start to your library.
Rating:
Summary: Interestin g and very amusing
Review: Mr. T seems to beone of the hoboes of the world, that a lot of us would like tobe. He tells a good story and provides information on how togoabout it. I found the boat discriptions a little tedious, but then I don;t intend to go by boat.
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