CHAPTER 1: The Art and Science of Seamanship§The Safety Triangle§Seamanship by the Boat§The Safety Triangle in the Era of Offshore Rallies§What Is Seamanship, by Sheila McCurdy§Chapter 2: Planning Is Seamanship§Are You Prepared§Preparing the Boat§Preparing the Crew§Preparing the Itinerary§Avoiding Harm's Way§Preparing the Boat§Preparing the Crew§Turning a Plan into a Good Plan§Bermuda and Hawaii§Sample Itinerary for a One-Year East Coast Adventure§Chapter 3: Evolving as Skipper or Crew§Attributes of a Good Crewmember§Attributes of a Good Skipper§What Cruisers Can Learn from Racers§Training Opportunities§Evolving as Crew, by Lenore Naranjo§Hands-on Training Opportunities§Chapter 4: Boat Handling§Contingency Thinking§Boat-Handling Factors and Techniques§Performance Tweaks§The Boat-Handling Routine§Special Maneuvering Situations§Chapter 5: Lines, Line Handling, and Rigging§Line Selection§Line Handling§Running Rigging Leads and Hardware§Putting away the Lines§Knots to Know§Chapter 6: Anchors and Anchoring§Not-So-Serene Irene§Ground Tackle Sizing§Anchor Types§Anchor Performance in Tests versus the Real World§Anchor Rodes and Connecting Hardware§Ground-Tackle Connections§Ground-Tackle Handling Gear§Anchoring Tactics§Chapter 7: Sails and Sail Handling§Sailing Science§Masthead versus Fractional Rigs§Sail Technology§Shaping Sails Underway§Managing the Mainsail§Managing Headsails§Sail Repair§Material Choices§Chapter 8: Navigation§A Navigator's Day's Work at Sea§A Day's Work Now§Piloting with Paper Charts and Ship's Compass§Navigation Publications§Electronic Navigation§Celestial Navigation§A Final Plea to Avoid Blind Faith in Electronic Fixes§Chapter 9: Sharing Crowded Waters§The Navigation Rules: An Overview§A Tour of the Rules§Making Landfall§Chapter 10: Reading the Sea and Sky§Living-Room Learning§The Flying Colours Incident§Thunderstorms§Surface Weather Systems§500-Millibar Charts§Tropical Weather Patterns§Weather Predictions§Professional Weather Services§Climate and Weather Cycles§Oceanographic Impacts on Wind and Sea§Unlocking the Mystery of the 500 Mb Chart, by Lee Chesneau§Chapter 11: Handling Heavy Weather§The Heavy-Weather Threshold§Coastal Waters and Seeking Shelter§Preparing for Heavy Weather at Sea§Storm Canvas§Storm Tactics§Chapter 12: The Boats We Sail§Stability§So What Kind of Boat Do You Want§Capable Cruisers of 40 to 44 Feet§Inspecting a Boat§Chapter 13: Staying Safe§Preparing Your Boat for Sea§Safety Gear§Emergency Gear§Crew-Overboard Recovery§Fire Afloat§Bottom Line§PFDs and Life Jackets, by Captain Kip Louttit, USCG Retired and Auxiliary§The Wingnuts Tragedy Revisited§Responding to a Steering Failure, by Chuck Hawley§Chapter 14: Communications§Ocean Zones and Communications Equipment§Wi-Fi Afloat§NAVTEX§Rescue 21§Automatic Identification System (AIS)§Radio Talk§Making Choices§Index