Dragged Aboard: A Cruising Guide for a Reluctant Mate

Here's the fantasy: lots of people dream of sailing the world without a care. And here's the reality: hesitant partners scuttle the vast majority of these reveries. Casey's genial primer, born out of the clash between his own sea legs and his wife's preference for land, is, essentially, a guide for sailing couples, but it addresses issues faced by anyone a little antsy about hoisting anchor. And with gentle, encouraging, and useful advice, it casts doubt off the end of the gangplank.

Casey writes quite nicely of cruising's joys--"To those with sufficient imagination, a boat with overnight accommodations is much more than just a floating second home. It is a magic carpet, a gold pass to the world beyond the horizon"--but this is less an ode than a presentation of pragmatics. Dragged Aboard addresses the fears that attend setting sail, and it explores the emotional ties--and potential eddies--between skipper and mate: "Don't expect sailing to bring out latent good qualities; it won't happen." It carefully ticks off the range of cruising practicalities, from preparation, communication, safety, and first aid to basic seamanship, keeping clean, and traveling with children. "There is no thrill on the planet quite like seeing your destination appear on the horizon after days at sea," he writes, and there is "only one way to truly know what that is like." Better, of course, to know it without being chained to the mast. --Jeff Silverman