Capable Cruiser 3rd Edition

Lin & Larry have for many years been the champions and standard-bearers of a certain sub-set within the circumnavigator community: those who do it in smaller, simpler, less costly boats. Their famous exhortation to "go small, go now" has been the motto and rallying cry of more than one generation of eager sailors. Why wait until you're rich? There is never a Perfect Time and there is no such thing as Enough Money, so Lin & Larry have become passionate advocates of Finding a Way. Not everyone can afford a 50-foot yacht, but that's OK, they said. You don't need one.This third edition of the cruising classic features nine new chapters. All the original chapters have been revised and expanded. The irony is that despite their reputation for waxing rhapsotic, this book is 85% solidly practical advice and useful suggestions. If anything, it can get pretty technical. (That is to say, this is not an introduction-to-sailing texbook for the complete novice, although it can still be a very interesting preview of what lies ahead in your sailing future.) The subjects covered include preparation and cost estimates, choosing gear, ongoing maintenace work, getting along harmoniously with your partner while at sea, principles of seamanship, and anchoring. The six sections entail 36 chapters.The material presented in this book represents a distillation of their experiences sailing to 75 countries over a span of more than 40 years, much of it in their first boat, Seraffyn, an engineless wooden cutter with a waterline length of 27' 6". That's right: two people living together and sailing around the world in a 27-foot boat with no engine. It can be done. (Their second boat, Taleisin, is only slightly larger.)It's tempting to apply the term "minimalism" to what they do, but it might be more accurate to describe Lin & Larry conversely as "maximizers," doing more with less. Their method can be summarized as: (1) Do as much as possible yourself. Hiring people to build things, fix things, paint things etc. costs a lot of money. (2) Have an "Unstoppable" boat: not just a ruggedly seaworthy hull and rig, but non-interdependent systems. The failure of one system should not cascade into a multiple-failure scenario that leaves you stranded, helpless, and in need of pricey outside help. (3) Keep all of your systems as simple as possible. This means they will be easy to maintain and easy to repair or replace as needed (see rule 1). (4) Know what you're doing. A capable cruiser doesn't need fancy gadgetry. Competence translates into being safe and happy with less stuff to break.Their emphasis on keeping everything on a small scale is closely analogous to the increasingly popular off-the-grid micro home movement, although their original motivation was less about any socio-political or ecological philosophy and more about finding a way to go sailing on a tight budget. (If you want to know their life story, read Herb McCormick's excellent book, As Long As It's Fun.)Some people just want to travel and explore, and they want to do it the old-fashioned way: slowly and in depth, really getting to know a new place like a local, experiencing it fully. These kinds of people eschew guided tours, resort hotels, round-trip airfare and a busy itinerary packed with famous, overcrowded destinations. These are the types of people who will hitchhike across Europe, hump a backpack up the Appalachian Trail, or ride motorcycles cross-country. They're willing to trade a small amount of discomfort, inconvenience, and uncertainty for interesting and memorable life experiences. A sailboat is the ideal vessel for endeavors of this flavor. It can go anywhere in the world where there is enough water to float the hull, and its source of propulsive power is free and limitless. If that sort of immersive, adventurous, long-term travel appeals to you, then you will get a lot out of Capable Cruiser.Capable Cruiser doesn't make false promises and warns readers not to do that, either. Life on the water is not without challenges, hardships, and risks. It's not all hammocks and palm trees under cerulean Polynesian skies. Not everyone is going to round Cape Horn, either, but even if you keep your plans relatively unambitious a certain amount of unexpected excitement (as well as a certain amount of boredom) is inevitable. If the reality of living with your partner in a small, simple boat and sharing the adventure of crossing oceans together truly appeals to both of you, you will find few books jammed with a denser wealth of helpful information from people who have actually been out there doing it. Plus, Lin looks great in a sarong. Highly recommended.

This is an affordable addition to any sailors book shelf with a great amount of experienced sailor insight, product information, and the what to do and not to do information to prepare sailors for how best to set up their lifestyle on water. It is a bit dated, due to its release in 1984, but the insights alone transcend time. I'm sure more updated products and technology are available today, but hearing the thought process for 1984 on issues that remain safety concerns and just practical logistical issues for deciding weight of what yo can put on a boat based on size of vessel, etc. It is well worth picking up this book to get your head around many of the issues all sailors must at some point consider. Things like, bowsprit benefits versus struggles (more sail capacity, but increased slip fees unless you do x), emergency water capture considerations (invest in quality, but also look for ones you can try out to ensure they will work when thrown in a life raft emergency scenario), designing your own boat versus pre-engineered designs, how to live and budget for life at sea or in a slip, etc. It just goes on and on with helpful information and forces the reader to think through things they'd otherwise learn the hard way over years of mistakes... worth the read for sure!

Maybe I've just read too many of their books, some multiple times. This book seems a rehash of all their other great books.

I recently read the Cost Conscious Cruiser, and became a fan of the Pardeys immediately. The Capable Cruiser is my second book from them, and I feel obliged to confess that I'm a little afraid of the power this philosophy is taking over my way of thinking. Not only for the ones who intent to go cruising, this is a strong recommendation for anyone who question the way life is being lived by most people in our culture. Simplicity is the fastest and easiest way to happiness, and the time is now. The Pardeys are changing my way of thinking and behaving whenever facing life's choices, and for that I'm thankful.

I have been sailing for one year and this book provided very good information on all areas of sailboats. I am not sure I will be a blue water sailor, but I did learn a lot about the basics of equipping a sailboat. I would recommend.

I confess I bought this as a fan of the Pardeys' writing from way back. The best thing about it is the honesty in their writing. When they screw up, they don't make excuses about it, and they put it out there so others don't have to do the same thing.The Pardeys have lived the life many of us can only dream about and once I started this book, I pretty much had to finish it before I could anything else.

Easy reading overall, I am having some problems with the boat and sailing lingo but as I learn more about the topic the more it makes sense. The more I read it the more I look forward to my boat purchase and the beginning of a new adventure. This book has great information and opinions on many topics including boat style, uses, which design makes a better blue water cruiser and much more.

Capable Cruiser, along with its companion books Care and Feeding of the Sailing Crew, Self Sufficient Sailor and Cost Conscience Cruiser are oh-so need to read by everyone who dreams of sailing offshore tomorrow or even someday. I have and I'm getting ready to cut the dock lines in a few months for a two year Pacific Cruise. With the help of these books my little sailboat and I are better prepared.

Best of their books I think. You get real world advice and its also a fun read. Part of the boat's collection for a rainy day for guests or others.

As a second part of their four books about cruising it is even better than Self Sufficient Sailor. I'm going for more, it is perfect when you are outfitting your own blue-water cruiser as I am at the moment...

very well written from the Pardeys vast experiance I have enjoyed all their books which are a good read as well as instuctive

I had heard a lot about the Pardeys on sailing forums and video blogs so I had an appreciation for their experience as sailors. They even were very involved in the design and construction of their boat based on their specific needs. The book is very well written with a nice blend of story telling and recommendations.The Pardeys seem to take a minimalist approach to sailing, which is useful to hear, but not practical for everyone. For example, of course I would prefer to be under sail power as much as possible, but having a diesel engine provides some comfort if not convenience when the winds don't cooperate. As other reviews have already noted, some of their recommendations imply that the readers are well seasoned sailors, which many not be the best advice for new-ish cruisers with limited experience.I am also likely never going to make long ocean passages. My wife and I prefer coastal cruising. Given that, while all the recommendations have some relevance to our circumstances, there are better books out there for people who are only interested in coastal cruising. This may be a better resource for people interested in extended passage making.Despite not being all that relevant to our specific circumstances, the Capable Cruiser is a good supplemental resource that is well written. And like any book involving cruising on sailboats, it was an enjoyable read.

Los consejos surgidos de la experiencia junto con anécdotas de su vida generan una lectura más que recomendable para aquellos que les guste el mar y se hayan planteado alguna vez una vida a bordo