Books every sailor should read

Palma & Sailing Chat
1

I’ve got a shelf on the boat that’s groaning with sailing books and I thought I’d share my essential reading list. A mix of instruction, inspiration, and entertainment:

For learning:

  • The Complete Day Skipper by Tom Cunliffe — better than any RYA textbook
  • Heavy Weather Sailing by Peter Bruce — the bible for offshore preparation
  • Reeds Nautical Almanac — not a ‘read’ but it should be on every boat in European waters

For inspiration:

  • A Voyage for Madmen by Peter Nichols — the story of the first Golden Globe Race. Absolutely gripping
  • Sailing Alone Around the World by Joshua Slocum — the original solo circumnavigation. Written in 1900 and still wonderful
  • The Long Way by Bernard Moitessier — the man who could have won the Golden Globe but kept sailing because he loved it too much

For entertainment:

  • Last of the Cape Horners by Spencer Apollonio — tales from the last commercial sailing ships
  • Seraffyn’s European Adventure by Lin and Larry Pardey — cruising done simply and beautifully

What’s on your sailing bookshelf?

2

Great list! I’d add:

  • The Riddle of the Sands by Erskine Childers — technically a spy novel but the sailing is meticulously accurate and it captures the joy of small-boat cruising perfectly
  • World Cruising Routes by Jimmy Cornell — the essential reference for anyone planning blue water sailing

Moitessier is my all-time favourite sailing writer. ‘The Long Way’ is a masterpiece of sailing literature.

3

A Voyage for Madmen sounds incredible — just ordered it! I love a good adventure story and the Golden Globe Race sounds insane.

For something lighter, I really enjoyed Untie the Lines by Emma Bamford — it’s about a couple who buy a boat and sail around Southeast Asia. Very relatable for anyone dreaming about the cruising life.

4

My father gave me Sailing Alone Around the World when I was 12 and it shaped my life. Slocum’s writing is so humble and beautiful. He sailed around the world in a boat he rebuilt himself with basic tools — it puts our modern gadgets and technology in perspective.

I’d add any of the Rod Heikell Mediterranean pilot guides — not literature exactly, but I’ve spent more hours reading his harbour guides than any novel!

5

Heavy Weather Sailing should be required reading for every skipper. I’d also recommend Stress-Free Sailing by Duncan Wells — it’s brilliant for practical boat handling techniques explained in a way that actually makes sense. Great for building confidence.