Chapman Piloting & Seamanship 68th Edition

If you are a serious captain of a boat, then there is a lot of information that you should know for the sake of the safety of you, your crew and passengers and other people on the water. You should understand how to navigate inshore (piloting) and perhaps offshore (navigating) if you venture away from land. You should understand how to communicate using radio, horns, flags, lights and shapes. You should absolutely understand the rules of the road and other laws applicable to mariners and vessels. You should also be well versed in seamanship (the art of operating boats) and in your boats systems.Chapman Piloting and Seamanship is a comprehensive reference to all that a captain could be expected to know. Specialist books may go into more detail, but this book puts it all in one place, and I wouldn't substitute this book for instruction from an experienced hand. But, it is a book that you can keep going back to again and again over decades of life on the water. It is clear, and well explained with excellent illustrations. Its also clearly not one of those books hastily thrown together with stock pictures to make money on the mass market. Chapman is a serious book for serious mariners in its 100th year of publication with continual updates and improvements.Simply put, if you are doing anything more than using a small watercraft on local waters, this book contains all of the information that you should, and need to know.

I ordered it because I needed it to take a Coast Guard Auxiliary course In seamanship. The course recommended this manual-although it recommended it in 1992.Well written. Easy to understand. Nice pictures. So far, the best sea manual I have found- including Coast Guard based materials. I passed the course – the years difference didn’t matter.

Obviously this is the book to have. Price is steep, but you buy it once and have it for life. No doubt I will pass it down one day.

I have owned boats for many years (40+), I spent much of my career in marine law enforcement, and I have a 100 Ton Masters Certificate ... If you want to be on the water, and you want to know more about the world of boats and boating than what the pointy end of the boat is called, this is the best single source I know of.I have had this book for many years ... I bought this one for my teenage son who aspires to run my boat.

What an amazing book! I'd seen the 1984 (I think) edition on a "Learn to Navigate" cruise recently and decided to get the current edition for myself. It tells you 98% (if not more) of what you need to know to be a safe, knowledgeable boater, whether you're motoring or sailing or doing a little of both. Lots of easy-to-understand text, illustrations, charts, and photographs. This is a MUST HAVE book for any serious boater's library.

This book will teach everything you need to know if you are a novice, (which I am!)

Have hard copies of old versions, it is nice to have an electronic copy that does not weigh a ton. There are average areas updated and have good information for the cruising sailor. A must have book for any serious boater.

This is a great book for anyone who is operating a boat. It is very detailed and covers pretty much everything you need to know about navigation and operating boats. Excellent for new boat owners.

This is the classic seamanship guide.Invaluable reference book.

Amazing textbook for the boater wants to be better Chapman Piloting & Seamanship 68th Edition classic reference used by boating schools and recommended by the Coast Guard Auxiliary covers every imaginable topic related to both powerboats and sailing ships . . . information is presented in an easy-to-understand text and a user-friendly design

It's no secret that this is a very important book for all sailors. Rather than have the paper Edition I do like very much the electronic Kindle version. I can carry it with me anywhere and any place I go. Love it!

Great book. I was going away and did not want to bring the printed version due to its size. Great reference book.

Best resource for any yachtsman, amateur or professional. A must have!