Barry Pickthall is a respected sports writer and photographer and has been covering all aspects of sailing and boating for the past 35 years, 20 of them as a yachting correspondent to The Times newspaper. He has been covering the international stage for the past 4 decades from the Olympics to America's Cup and Round the World Races. Barry is also a qualified sailing instructor – having graduated from one of the first courses held at the UKSA.

• GETTING STARTED; BASIC PRINCIPLES: Parts of the boat, The science of sailing, Points of sail, Choosing a yacht, Buying a yacht, Transporting and launching keelboats, The rig, Knots, ropes and running rigging; PREPARING TO SAIL: What to wear, Essential equipment, Getting onboard from dinghy and dock, Rules of the road, Bending on sails, roller furling and reefing; FIRST SAIL: Boat handling under power - mooring and anchoring, Balance, sail, trim, Tides and weather, Basics of navigation, Radio etiquette; SAFETY AT SEA; Glossary of terms; Acknowledgements

“A heavily illustrated guide covering all the basic aspects of going cruising from the vagaries of navigation to the technicalities of mooring up… nicely illustrated and well written.” (Sailing Today)