Boating and Seamanship Reading List

Updated to current editions where available (as of December 2025).

Core References

  1. Chapman Piloting & Seamanship. 69th ed., Hearst, 2021.

    The standard small-craft piloting and seamanship textbook, covering navigation, rules of the road, boat handling, safety, and basic maintenance.

    Publisher website: Hearst

  2. United States, Coast Guard. Navigation Rules and Regulations Handbook. U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security and U.S. Government Publishing Office, 2020.

    Official compilation of the International and Inland Navigation Rules, associated regulations, and demarcation lines, corrected through August 2024.

    Publisher website: U.S. Government Publishing Office

  3. National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. The American Practical Navigator: An Epitome of Navigation. 2024 ed., 2 vols., National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, 2024.

    Comprehensive encyclopedia of marine navigation (“Bowditch”), covering piloting, electronic and celestial navigation, oceanography, meteorology, and navigation tables.

    Publisher website: National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency — Maritime Safety Information

  4. United States, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Office of Coast Survey. United States Coast Pilot 7: Pacific Coast, California, Oregon, Washington, Hawaii, and Pacific Islands. 53rd ed., NOAA, 2024.

    Region-specific companion to NOAA charts, providing detailed coastal pilotage information, local regulations, and harbor notes for the U.S. Pacific coast and islands.

    Publisher website: NOAA Office of Coast Survey — Coast Pilot

Seamanship, Boat Handling, and Systems

  1. Rousmaniere, John. The Annapolis Book of Seamanship. 4th ed., Simon & Schuster, 2014.

    Modern seamanship manual covering boat handling, safety, sail trim, heavy-weather tactics, and emergency procedures for cruising and racing sailors.

    Publisher website: Simon & Schuster

  2. Thomas, Martin, and Peter Bruce, editors. Heavy Weather Sailing. 8th ed., Bloomsbury / Adlard Coles Nautical, 2022.

    Classic anthology of storm-at-sea case studies and expert guidance on preparation, tactics, and boat design for surviving heavy weather under sail or power.

    Publisher website: Bloomsbury — Heavy Weather Sailing

  3. Calder, Nigel. Boatowner’s Mechanical and Electrical Manual: How to Maintain, Repair, and Improve Your Boat’s Essential Systems. 4th ed., International Marine / McGraw-Hill Education, 2015.

    Definitive technical reference on marine electrical and mechanical systems, including power generation, wiring, engines, plumbing, and troubleshooting.

    Publisher website: McGraw-Hill Education / International Marine

  4. Toss, Brion. The Complete Rigger’s Apprentice: Tools and Techniques for Modern and Traditional Rigging. 2nd ed., International Marine / McGraw-Hill Education, 2016.

    Rigging handbook that blends traditional and modern techniques for standing and running rigging, splicing, inspection, and rig tuning.

    Publisher website: McGraw-Hill Education / International Marine

  5. Bigon, Mario, and Guido Regazzoni. The Morrow Guide to Knots. Revised ed., Fireside, n.d.

    Illustrated guide to practical knots, bends, and splices for sailing, fishing, climbing, and general use, with step-by-step drawings.

    Publisher website: Fireside / Simon & Schuster

Weather, Passage Planning, and Bluewater Cruising

  1. Burch, David. Modern Marine Weather. 4th ed., Starpath Publications, 2018.

    Comprehensive text on marine weather.

    Publisher website: Starpath Publications

  2. Mass, Cliff. The Weather of the Pacific Northwest. 2nd ed., University of Washington Press, 2021.

    Regional weather guide explaining the patterns, local effects, and forecasting tools relevant to mariners in the Pacific Northwest.

    Publisher website: University of Washington Press

  3. Cornell, Jimmy. World Cruising Routes. 9th ed., Adlard Coles Nautical, 2022.

    Global route atlas summarizing recommended ocean passages, seasons, winds, and currents for offshore and world cruising sailors.

    Publisher website: Adlard Coles Nautical / Bloomsbury

  4. Cornell, Jimmy. World Cruising Handbook. 3rd ed., Adlard Coles Nautical, 2001.

    Companion volume to World Cruising Routes, offering practical information on regulations, facilities, and formalities for cruising destinations worldwide.

    Publisher website: Adlard Coles Nautical / Bloomsbury

  5. Leonard, Beth A. The Voyager’s Handbook: The Essential Guide to Blue Water Cruising. 3rd ed., International Marine / McGraw-Hill, n.d.

    Comprehensive planning and seamanship guide for liveaboard and long-distance voyagers, covering boat selection, preparation, crews, and life underway.

    Publisher website: McGraw-Hill Education / International Marine

  6. Roth, Hal. How to Sail Around the World: Advice and Ideas for Voyaging Under Sail. International Marine / McGraw-Hill, 2004.

    Voyaging handbook mixing practical advice with lessons learned from the author’s circumnavigations and high-latitude passages.

    Publisher website: McGraw-Hill Education / International Marine

Naval References and Quirky Must-Reads

  1. Cutler, Thomas J., editor. The Bluejacket’s Manual. 26th ed., Naval Institute Press, 2023.

    Official handbook for enlisted U.S. Navy sailors, covering seamanship, shipboard life, naval customs, and professional development.

    Publisher website: U.S. Naval Institute Press

  2. Trimmer, John W. How to Avoid Huge Ships. 2nd ed., Cornell Maritime Press, 1988.

    Short, practical guide to collision avoidance when operating small vessels around large commercial traffic — now also a bit of a cult classic.

    Publisher website: Cornell Maritime Press / Schiffer Publishing

Classic and Inspirational Nautical Narratives

  1. Slocum, Joshua. Sailing Alone Around the World. Dover Publications, 1999.

    Account of the first solo circumnavigation under sail, with detailed passages and observations that still inspire bluewater sailors.

    Publisher website: Dover Publications

  2. Ashcraft, Tami Oldham, with Susea McGearhart. Adrift: A True Story of Love, Loss, and Survival at Sea. Atria Books, 2018.

    Memoir of a couple’s South Pacific passage turned survival epic after a hurricane dismasts their yacht and leaves the author alone and injured at sea.

    Publisher website: Atria Books / Simon & Schuster

  3. Ruhlman, Michael. Wooden Boats: In Pursuit of the Perfect Craft at an American Boatyard. Viking, 2001.

    Narrative portrait of wooden-boat building culture at a New England yard, blending craftsmanship, personalities, and classic yacht design.

    Publisher website: Viking / Penguin Random House

  4. Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea. Scribner, 1995.

    Short novel of an aging Cuban fisherman’s struggle with a giant marlin, often read as a parable of endurance, skill, and dignity at sea.

    Publisher website: Scribner / Simon & Schuster