Seamanship: A Beginner's Guide to Safely and Confidently Navigate Water, Weather, and Winds (Essential Guide to Boating)

Hit the water like an experienced sailor with all the watery wisdom in this handy book! John Kelsey walks you through handling a variety of situations you might face while boating. He'll help you understand how to read the winds and water, drop your anchor, deal with foul weather, and prepare for emergencies. Develop an eye for weather changes. Know when a low-lying pall of fog is fast approaching. Get a glimpse of a swift-moving current before it reaches the boat's buoy, and recognize the choppy, quick waves that are signs of shallow water ahead. Knowing the tips Kelsey writes about in this guide gives you time to think of the next best course of action before you get into trouble. Learn convenient and reliable methods to navigate, steer, or provision a boat. In case of bad weather, learn how to handle it with ease. Additionally, if you can no longer steer the ship, learn the best method to abandon the boat. The book provides each scenario in practical, easy-to-implement steps that you can put to work immediately. The anchor enhances the security and steadfastness of a vessel. Learn how to use the anchor properly and when to drop it, and be able to recognize when you should repair or replace the entire anchoring system, preventing nasty surprises while at sea. Before the heavy weather strikes, know how to prepare for it and reach shore in one piece. Learn some quick dos and don'ts in foul weather to guarantee your safety. Finally, know when it is time to abandon ship and how you can safely do it. Any body of water that is large enough to hold a boat is subject to the powers of Mother Nature and mechanical damage. In times of peril, you need to know how to navigate turbulent waters safely to get ashore. Fortunately, the rules that apply at high seas will work for your motorboat on a lake or at the coast. With all this advice, you will be well-equipped with the right skills to hit the water, navigate, and handle various situations on river, lake, ocean, or sea.