Wind and Tide : An Introduction to Cruising in Pure Sailing Craft

Rating:
Summary: A real Sailing book about real Sailing.
Review: A very real and practical book that deals with the genuine meat and bones of getting it done right. Most of today's "sailing books" deal with the icemaker and the engine much more than the actual mechanics of handling the boat with reasonable skill. Most of today's "sailors" show that point up...look around the marina on a busy day.

Much like the old book "Sailing" by Peter Heaton, this book is informative and useful. In a world of advertising-fueled would-be sages, Fitzgerald is the real deal!

Rating:
Summary: A really good book
Review: I have to say that I learned more from this simple little book than any other sailing book I've ever read. Certainly it is a treasure. You simply have to be inspired by FitzGerald's generous and robust instruction--and by the can-do attitude. While many many look for offense in this book, for it does knock over some sacred cows--any sailor who wants to learn to sail requires this book.

Rating:
Summary: This book made my head hurt
Review: I take no issue with the information in this book. It is both comprehensive and interesting.

The problem I have is with the endless editing and writing errors. As a well-read and literate person I found Fitzgerald's do-it-yourself approach to sentence structure distracting to the point that I would frequently need to set the book aside. For someone who used most of a twenty page introduction bashing "motorsailors" and harping on the need to sail correctly or not at all, Fitzgerald (or better yet his editors) should apply his own advice to writing. He should clean this text up so that it can be read by intelligent people.

Rating:
Summary: This book is a real inspiration!
Review: It's been a long time since I read a sailing book that had anything to do with sailing. This book is ONLY about sailing. All of us who sail dream of cruising in an engineless sailboat, but we've been taught to think that such a boat is impossible or impractical. FitzGerald makes a strong case that a sailboat may be MORE practical than a motorsailor, and that the purposes we have in going to sea may only be met by going to sea in a sailboat. A great read, inspiration, the only complaint I have is the book is too short!

Rating:
Summary: As good a book as there is on the topic.
Review: Let me say first I've sailed with fitzgerald, so I'm biased. He's as good a sailor as any. thats the straight dope. that he and his organization give away sailing lessons for free is testimony enough. Yeah, the books are a little rough, but useful, they weren't written for the public. If somebody wants to pay fitzgerald to write a nice glossy book with pretty photos, I'm sure he'd do it. Otherwise he'll just laugh. he does a lot of that.

You all ought to buy this book for no other reason than to support the Oar Club Project. Be sure you look at the website.

Rating:
Summary: A really good book
Review: While Fitzgerald's approach in his book may be inspirational and novel, as other comments have indicated, the book is a poor excuse for professional writing. Grammar errors abound. Errors on every single page make it difficult to accept that this book was taken as seriously as the author takes the subject matter ("pure" sailing). If you value the English language and writing (or rather editing) as a profession and means of communication, you'll be disappointed with the presentation of the material in this book.

Furthermore, diagrams would be extremely helpful along the way in this book, but the complete lack of any visual aids furthers the feeling that the time devoted to this book was inadequate.

Be aware that you are buying a first draft of a potentially great book. Barring the technical issues, the general idea of the book and the specific application of that concept is encouraging. If possible, buy the book used so that you don't have to pay the cover price.

Rating:
Summary: Wait for the edited edition
Review: While Fitzgerald's approach in his book may be inspirational and novel, as other comments have indicated, the book is a poor excuse for professional writing. Grammar errors abound. Errors on every single page make it difficult to accept that this book was taken as seriously as the author takes the subject matter ("pure" sailing). If you value the English language and writing (or rather editing) as a profession and means of communication, you'll be disappointed with the presentation of the material in this book.

Furthermore, diagrams would be extremely helpful along the way in this book, but the complete lack of any visual aids furthers the feeling that the time devoted to this book was inadequate.

Be aware that you are buying a first draft of a potentially great book. Barring the technical issues, the general idea of the book and the specific application of that concept is encouraging. If possible, buy the book used so that you don't have to pay the cover price.

Rating:
Summary: A totally amazing book, a must for any sailor
Review: You've got to read it to believe it, this book is all about sailing and nothing else. There is a section on gear, but it has oars, and anchor, a dink, and boots. If you really want to learn something about sailing, it's about the only book on the market that teaches it. The Oar Club web page is fantastic too!