The Compleat Cruiser
The Art, Practice, and Enjoyment of Boating
By L. Francis Herreshoff
382 pp. Illustrated. 1987. Paperback. $16.50
ISBN 0 911378 67 7
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Famed yacht designer and author L. Francis Herreshoff takes readers on family-style cruises on American waters, during which he addresses and explains all manner of vessels and skills. Each chapter is highlighted by adventure, races, coastwise cruises, and visits to historical harbors, all overflowing with boat lore and invaluable advice.
“Inspired by Izaak Walton's The Compleat Angler, this book is accurately subtitled ‘The Art, Practice and Enjoyment of Boating.’ L.F. Herreshoff presents his own highly individual prescription for happy voyaging under sail and power, as exemplified in an imaginative narrative he tells about the adventures of the crews of the catboat PISCATOR, the ketch VIATOR, and the engineless whaleboat-style ketch ROZINANTE. If there is one Herreshoff keynote, it is that simplicity afloat is the surest guarantee of happiness.” —Dolphin Book Club
“This charming classic is the only book around on enjoying the minutiae of cruising of the sort that most people do – gadding about one's local bays and islands, ideally with a couple of boats separating for adventures and rejoining at anchorages, indulging in anything-goes races, just messing around. It can be a high art, proves this aristocratic tale.” —Next Whole Earth Catalog
“…a delightful 370 page monologue about shoal versus deep draft, accommodation plans, the proper fish chowder, rowing techniques and the blessings of a head equipped with a cedar bucket, among other subjects.” —Yachting
“…this classic is an enjoyable tale of what small-boat cruising is all about.” —Small Boat Journal
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About the Author:
L. Francis Herreshoff was the son of Captain Nat Herreshoff, the Wizard of Bristol, one of the most famous American yacht designers. A well-known yacht designer himself, he accumulated a tremendous amount of cruising experience in craft both large and small — from canoes to dinghies to Cup defenders. He wrote several books on yachting, as well as a biography of his father entitled Capt. Nat Herreshoff.