Storm Tactics Handbooks: Modern Methods of Heaving-To for Survival in Extreme Conditions
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (30 March, 1999)
list price: $19.95 -- our price: $16.96
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Reviews (7)

I Can'tWait to Try Out the Tactics
I want to learn how to safely handle a sailboat in high winds and waves. Even though I sail on relatively small Lake Erie in a modest Catalina 30, I still want to be able to handle the boat safely in all conditions that I might encounter. It is my plan to charter in other parts of the world.This book gave me lots of useful information to try out. The theory and tactics described relate to the smaller type of cruising sailboat, which fits my needs.The illustrations are helpful. The text is well written and interesting.The experience of the authors is vast. The stories are on point.I have not had a chance to apply much of what is in the book yet, but I plan to this upcoming season.

Glad I got the companion video to go with it -
As usual Lin and Larry are trying to share the things they learned so people with less experience can feel more confident at sea. Now they have demonstrated what their book describes in video format (I actually got the DVD so I could have it on board to use on my laptop) cleared up any questions I had left and was lots of fun besides. I got it from their website, wonder if they will let...carry it. Should be a package deal.Got my wife dreaming and feeling less worried about storms.

Essential information for those travelling offshore
A reef will cause waves to break before a shore.The creation of a slickof disturbed water, by use of a parachute type anchor, held just below thesurface, two wavelengths directly upwind of you, can do the same thing andcreate a pocket of relatively undisturbed water, in which a boat can rideout a violent storm safely.

This being the case, the crew have only twoconcerns.

1)Keeping the boat positioned so that the sea takes oneside of the bow more than another prevents oscillations and keeps the ridesmooth.Keep the bow strait to the seas is actually rougher and notdesirable.This offset can be made with a bridle. And,

2)Preventingchafe, which will part your rode and lose your para-anchor, and put you atthe mercy of the full fury of a storm.

The Pardey's successfully usedthese techniques to heave-to in storms and avoid loosing ground when thewinds became unfavorable, and then continued on when conditions moderated. They did this with confidence.

My only concern, is the Pardey'sexperience was strictly small boat.Small boats have an advantage in away, in that they can be easier to handle.

The question remains.Howwell will these techniques work with larger boats.

I would like to readabout the results of people using this technique in a larger boat in moresevere conditions. For example: a 42-48 foot catamaran and/or a 45-50'monohull in 100+ mph winds with large breaking seas. ... Read more

Isbn: 0964603667
Sales Rank: 119990
Subjects:  1. Atmospheric Disturbances    2. Boating - General    3. Boating And Sailing    4. Boats and boating    5. Handbooks, manuals, etc    6. Safety measures    7. Sailing - General    8. Sports    9. Sports & Recreation    10. Survival after airplane accide    11. Survival after airplane accidents, shipwrecks, etc.    12. Survival skills   

The Proving Ground : The Inside Story of the 1998 Sydney to Hobart Race
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (01 June, 2001)
list price: $24.95
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Editorial Review

In The Proving Ground, journalist and lifelong sailor G. BruceKnecht tells the staggering story of the 54th Sydney to Hobart yacht race--anannual event that is always an extreme test of courage and skill in some of theworld's most treacherous seas, but which in 1998 would become the mostdisastrous race in modern yachting history.

Although he was already fifty feet from the boat, Brownie didn'thave any trouble spotting Glyn. He looked small, and utterly helpless.... Glynwas already having a hard time keeping his head out of the water, and everyonequickly reached the same unthinkable conclusion--Glynn was going to die and there was nothing to do but watch.... Steve Kulmar was more shaken than anyone.When he first came on deck, he believed Glyn was looking directly back athim.

Of the 115 boats that started under clear skies in Sydney, just 43 would finish.Six sailors lost their lives, and a further 55 were plucked from the storm afterthe fleet had been decimated by unforecast hurricane winds and 80-foot-highwaves.

Knecht's style is novelistic, though measured, with a strong journalisticsensibility marshaling what must have been at times appallingly poignanteyewitness testimony into a coherent account of the disaster. His intended focusis beyond the headlines, and by concentrating on the experiences of a handful ofindividual crews, The Proving Ground succeeds in conveying the agonies oftheir desperate, sometimes futile struggles to survive--and offers some insightinto what drew them to the sea in the first place, and why so many of thesurvivors have felt compelled to face it again. --Alex Hankin,Amazon.co.uk ... Read more

Reviews (31)

A bit disconcerting
I read An Extreme Event (about the 98 Sydney-Hobart race) prior to reading Knecht's book, so that was my benchmark.And a high one at that.

Proving Ground contained a lot more descriptive information in terms of the characters, but ... I found his concentration on particular personalities in the book very disconcerting.

It was baffling that he could practically write what Glyn Charles was thinking ... when Glyn was unable to speak for himself.These assumptions and supposition are quite offensive.

I also found Knecht's intricate descriptions of the powerplays involved with some of the pivotal charactersalarming.Bob Koethe, Steve Kulmar, Richard Purcell and Glyn Charles, specifically.

While I do not doubt his authenticity in describing the interplay, I found the inclusion in such detail perplexing.My aim was to read the facts, not to become embroiled in thedramatic tension on board certain yachts in such dire conditions.

At times, I almost felt a compulsion to "take sides" with some people, opposing others, which I roundly resisted.It is, after all, Knecht's presentation and everyone interprets events, thoughts and words slightly differently.

All in all, not bad, but not great.

Best book i've ever read
I've read this book 3 times, and everytime it's great. It's the best book i've ever read, so far.

Great Subject; Bad Writing
I read this book immediately after finishing another account of the 1998 Sydney-Hobart race by Rob Mundle (an Australian), titled: Fatal Storm.I thought both versions were worth reading because they focused their attention differently (Knecht spent much more ink on Larry Ellison; Mundle focused on the yachts and people most relevant to this particular race).Knecht was much more blunt in revealing difficult personalities, interpersonal tension and controversy -- particularly with regard to the Sword of Orion.Mundle was more polite -- or perhaps more prudent.It's risky to portray someone negatively who endured such an ordeal (especially when the writer wasn't there), regardless of whether they died or survived.While I found Knecht's take on the people interesting, I suspect it was part of his overly dramatic writing style. He writes like a mass-market action-fiction writer, trying to create drama and intrigue where either:1) there is none; or 2) the facts speak for themselves.Funny -- this is not unlike American news media today (which is why I watch the BBC).He writes about a "character's" thoughts and actions is such an excruciating level of detail that it's not believable.Too much poetic license ruins credibility.This is a great subject, but read Fatal Storm first. ... Read more

Isbn: 0316499552
Subjects:  1. (54th :    2. 1998)    3. 20th century    4. Australia    5. Boating - General    6. History    7. Natural Disasters    8. Sailing - General    9. Sailing - Narratives    10. Search and rescue operations    11. Sports    12. Sports & Recreation    13. Storms    14. Sydney-Hobart Race    15. Tasman Sea    16. Yacht racing   

Troubleshooting, Maintaining & Repairing PCs (Troubleshooting, Maintaining & Repairing PCs)
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (16 August, 2001)
list price: $59.99
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Editorial Review

Covering everything from general troubleshooting strategies to specific problem-solving procedures, Troubleshooting, Maintaining & Repairing PCs is an excellent resource for people who want to understand how personal computers work and how to fix them when they fail.

Bigelow explains, in great detail, how each subsystem of an IBM-compatible PC works. In the BIOS section, for example, he details the actions, in sequence, taken by various popular BIOS routines at boot up. The CD-ROM section describes exactly how to make a bootable CD-ROM that takes advantage of the El Torito standard. In other chapters, he takes on video monitors, processors from all three major vendors, DVD drives, diagnostic beep and power-on self test (POST) codes, modems, and tons more. Throughout, he combines excellent "how it works" text with bountiful reference material. Bigelow also has paid considerable attention to troubleshooting, concluding each chapter with statements of common problems and their solutions.

A "Symptoms at a Glance" section lists common problems, along with references to the pages that describe what to do about them. This is a useful feature, but it would be easier to find a particular problem if the list were broken up by subsystem. A companion CD-ROM includes lots of shareware and freeware programs that assist with benchmarking and problem solving. --David Wall ... Read more

Reviews (25)

PC repair for everyone, even computer illiterates like me
I'm not a computer technician. Heck, I can barely operate a computer! I "grew up" (computer-wise) with Macs, which never seem to need fixing and seldom wear out, but because my husband had a typical PC person's prejudice against Macs, I started using PCs. Toshibas, IBMs, Dells -- each and every one sooner or later had problems. Tired of talking to technicians from Wales to Holland, I decided to take an online course in computer repair and this book was required reading.

Voila! Help at last.

Information is thorough and easy to find. Fixes work.

If you HAVE to have a PC and you run into problems, this is the book to have.

Better than Certified Technical Support !
I bought a HP Pavillion 8785C and within the year had so many problems that the PC was racking up more mileage than me!

It was 'fixed??' twice by HP. Motherboard changed, Modem changed, RAM changed.. You name it, they changed it and still couldn't solve the problem!

I was ready to dump the PC after spending [money] in phone calls to HP Help! They even re-routed my call to India! And kept advising me to re-format my hard drive.

Then I bought this book and the solution was on page 698! Symptom 19-3.
Within an hour after checking the heat sink and changing the fan, I was back in business.

I could have saved so much money if I had bought this book earlier. Fedup with Tech Support? Get this book!

Maybe HP should invest in a couple of hundred copies for their staff.

complete but take time to find what you want
very complet book but it's hard to find easely what you need. The failures' list are complete but not very well indexed. ... Read more

Isbn: 0072132728
Subjects:  1. Business Software - General    2. Computer Architecture - Repair & Maintenance    3. Computer Bks - Communications / Networking    4. IBM-compatible computers    5. Maintenance and repair    6. Management Information Systems    7. Microcomputers   

Archos Jukebox Studio 20 GB MP3 Player/Hard Drive 500204
Average Customer Review:
Electronics
list price: $269.00
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Features

• MP3 Audio
• 2-megabyte (MB) memory buffer stores from 30 to 100 seconds of music to prevent interruptions
• Fast USB plug-and-play connection
• Can connect directly to your stereo with optional cable
• Dual 20-gigabyte (GB) MP3 player and hard drive
• Stores over 330 hours of CD-quality music, or approximately 500 albums

Reviews (134)

Good value for money if size is not a concern
I have had this unit for about 2 years. So far it has held up really well. Only gripe I have is that it is made of cheap plastic; the buttons feel a bit loose. I 'upgraded' the firmware on my unit to the opensource Rockbox. It is way better than the original firmware. It offers lots more functions and improves battery life as well. In terms of size, it does not compare with the iPod or any of the newer harddisk-based MP3 players. I use it primarily with a cassette adapter in my car, so size is not such a big issue for me. But if you are going to carry this around on your belt all the time, you might be better off getting a more compact unit.

Terrific machine
I bought this player 2.5 years ago. I've used it hard, both as an external hard drive, and as an MP3 player. I'm a soldier, took it to Iraq with me last year. It easily survived the cold of winter and the >120degree summer heat. I ran outdoors with it at least 5 days per week, as well as running it through powered speakers. Took it with me to the field. It's been dropped, used on multiple computers without installing the Archos drivers (Windows XP seems to handle it fine), run the batteries to not holding a charge and replacing them, shipped in military hold baggage back and forth internationally. I can't praise this unit enough. I'll use it until it dies, then buy whatever Archos is producing at the time.

BTW, the 2 people who had iPods in my unit had them cease to function while they were over there. Just not as durable, I guess.

Love it, hate it.
The Archos Jukebox Studio 20 is a fantastic machine.I have recorded almost my entire CD collection for it - to carry around in my hand.That aspect is great.
However, I have also had to change the batteries when the device seems to "die".- the rechargeable batteries are not forever, and the device will not work if the batteries are dead - even plugged in.
The real problem is, you have to be an engineer to get the new batteries in - take the machine apart, and stuff the plastic parts back in.It's quite a job.
Next time, I'm going the ask the sales clerk to show me how to change the batteries before buying the product. ... Read more

Asin: B00005NWR0
Sales Rank: 14061
Subjects:  1. Mac Macintosh Machintosh Apple    2. Portable Audio    3. MP3 MP 3 Player    4. Jukebox    5. MP3 Player (MP 3)    6. Gigabyte    7. 20GB    8. 20 GB   

Sailing Alone around the World (Penguin Classics)
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (01 June, 1999)
list price: $10.00 -- our price: $8.00
(price subject to change: see help)
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Reviews (34)

One of the most entertaining books I ever read...
I have to say I was absolutely shocked to see ANY reviews that were less than 5 stars. That is how much I enjoyed this book. I've have actually read this book about once every 2 months for a couple of years now, and I never get tired of my "evening conversations with the Captain", sharing his sail around the world.

The Captain will take you to Yankee whaling towns, pirate shoals off the coast of Spain, South Sea paradise islands, among Fuegian natives round the horn, throughout distant Australia, then far beyond and back again. The book is absolutely full of adventures, and if you love the sea or reading about sailing, this is a must read classic.

Merry Chistmas to all,
Mike

A touching love story between father and son
An emotionally moving book that is for anyone with any knowledge of sailing or small boat handling, who has ever dreamed of taking a voyage beyond the safety of land. You expernience the reality of life at sea. More than that, this book is for anyone who has experienced the love of a child or parent. On a voyage that the father had looked forward to all his life, he (David Hays) steps aside and lets his son (Daniel Hays) cross under the Horn first. A truly selfless expression of love for a child.

Buy it, read it, share it. A great book.

When the World was still Flat
The story of the first solo circumnavigation of the world, is very intriguing. An epic adventure when many people still believed the world to be flat, Joshua Slocum writes of his experiences with pirates, dignitaries, and people from all over the world along his amazing journey.Despite the era that it is written in, the language remains somewhat timeless (and easily understandable), as is the challenge that Slocum undertook. You will enjoy reading about the nefarious storms of the southern ocean, and the calm, hospitable people of the islands in the south pacific, among other things. A great book. ... Read more

Isbn: 0140437363
Sales Rank: 68724
Subjects:  1. Biography & Autobiography    2. Biography/Autobiography    3. Earth Sciences - Geography    4. Historical - General    5. Sailing - Narratives    6. Special Interest - Adventure    7. Sports & Recreation    8. Voyages And Travels    9. Voyages around the world    10. Biography & Autobiography / General    11. Classic travel writing   

Garmin GPS V with City Select CD-ROM (12 Channel, WAAS, Map Compatible)
Average Customer Review:
Electronics (15 October, 2001)
list price: $499.99
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Editorial Review

Never get lost again with the versatile and powerful GPS V from Garmin. This compact Global Positioning System receiver can be both mounted in your vehicle and used as a handheld navigator. The GPS V coordinates signals from 12 satellites to pinpoint your position anywhere on the globe, and has WAAS capability.

The Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) is a system of satellites and ground stations that provides GPS signal corrections, giving you up to 5 times better position accuracy than just the GPS signal. A WAAS-capable receiver can give you a position accuracy of better than three meters, 95 percent of the time.

With 19 MB of built-in memory, the GPS V can store dozens of maps and routes in memory. Download data from your PC with the included serial cable. The GPS V stores 50 routes with 254 waypoints each, and 3,000 tracklog points.

The GPS V comes with autorouting for the shortest and fastest way to your destination, plus turn-by-turn directions throughout North America and major cities. The GPS V will show you how to get there and give you an estimated time of arrival, then alert you to upcoming turns with an audible beep.

The included MapSource City Select CD-ROM--designed specifically for the GPS V--gives you detailed street-level maps indicating points of interest. City Select includes highways, interstates, business and residential streets with attributes such as turn restrictions and speed categories, and other navigation features. The software automatically creates point-to-point routes in MapSource and on the GPS V. It also displays restaurants, hotels, attractions, entertainment, shopping, and location of emergency services along your route.

City Select contains detailed maps of major metropolitan areas in seven defined regions in the U.S. and Canada. You'll get access to one region of your choice, which must be unlocked after visiting the Garmin Web site or calling Garmin customer service.

View data on the 2.2-by-1.5-inch four-level grayscale LCD, with resolution of 256 x 160 pixels. A multilevel backlight allows you to see the screen clearly in a variety of lighting conditions.

The GPS V comes with detachable antenna, PC interface cable, dashboard mount, 12-volt adapter cable, wrist strap, and owner's manual. ... Read more

Features

• WAAS capability provides position accuracy better than three meters
• Autorouting gives access to the shortest and fastest routes
• Turn-by-turn directions; audible beep alerts you to upcoming turn; mount on the dashboard or use as a handheld device
• 12-channel GPS unit with 19 MB of built-in memory
• Includes MapSource City Select CD-ROM with street-level maps and points of interest; unlock capability for one region in US or Canada

Reviews (35)

Slow product. Terrible software and customer service!
My first impression with the Garmin V is equal to a visit to the dentist. The Garmin V GPS receiver comes with a serial cable (so 80's and sooo slow) and no USB nor Mac support. The process of getting the software installed took aprox. 2 hours. You MUST be on-line to get the key that will unlock the software that will give yout the serial number that must be sent via email and then must jump through another hoop - anyway you get the idea. Better have brand new batteries in the device. I spent four perfectly good batteries just getting the mapset into the device.
The downloading process took 30 mintes. The time remaining bar goes up instead of down???? Don't even think about contacting support since they are only available through email.

Great Product
After months of research I purchased the Garmin GPS V. I first used it our family vacation.The unit performed well, I used it to find many out of down locations such as places to dine, shop, and to amusement parks near our hotel. For trouble free travel the Garmin GPS V is a must.This unit is great for finding streets with missing street signs. Just type in a location enter "go to", and in no time it will guide you there. Very easy to use, I purchased a USB adapter for the standard serial PC interface cable.

Primitive Software and horrible Customer Service.
I purchased the unit with high hopes. My unit straight from the box was defective. The beeper didn't work. Also, the software was very expensive to 'unlock' different areas and user-hostile. I sent it back for repairs and it was returned to me untouched.

I decided to take the device on a 'shake-down' trip before I sent it back a second time for repairs. I took a straight forward trip from one city to another about 70 miles away. After selecting 'fastest' route, the device started to give me directions for navigation. Since the beeper wasn't working, I had to keep checking the screen occasionally.For some reason, the algorithm decided I needed to get off the freeway and drive me up some narrow mountain roads (through some rock-slide areas).Needless to say, the device can't be trusted to find you a quick or logical route.

I called their customer dis-service line. They confirmed over the phone that the beeper didn't work and then checked out the illogical routing system. They found that it, indeed, couldn't be counted on to do as it is advertised. Their proposed resolution to the matter was to send it back for a second repair and they would let me buy the 'upgraded' software at a discounted price of $100.I was foolish enough to do it.

The unit was sent back and they 'confirmed' that the beeper doesn't work.They returned it to me without fixing it.

It is clear that this device doesn't function as advertised (the software must be told exactly how you want to travel) as it will even take you off freeways onto wierd side-trips. Garmin doesn't seem to care about any warranty work. Twice they have returned the unit without repairs.They don't stand by their products and their products work poorly.

Instead of buying this junk, I'd recommend Microsoft Streets and Trips and a Pocket PC PDA with a GPS antenna.It would be about the same amount of money and it would work.

Garmin should be ashamed of their lack of quality control and lack of customer support. I would advise anyone who is considering their products to think again before dealing with a company that couldn't care less about their people once they have picked their pockets. ... Read more

Asin: B00005OBF2

Nikon StabilEyes 14x40 Image Stabilization Waterproof Binoculars with Case, Neck Strap, & Batteries
Average Customer Review:
Electronics
list price: $1,699.99 -- our price: Too Low To Display
(price subject to change: see help)
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Features

• Exclusivedual mode-ONBOARD/LAND
• Eliminates movement from waves and vibration from hand shake, ect.
• Exclusive Pan and Tilt Feature.
• Waterproff/Fogproof

Reviews (1)

Better than Canon IS
I had done some research but wanted to physically compare the Nikon to the Canon IS. I lucked into a Ritz Camera store that happened to have both. My wife and I independently judged the Nikon to have superior Image Stabilization.

We have had them for over a ear and are very happy. They fell out of an SUV (in the case) and the image stabilization was inoperative. I sent them back to Nikon and they repaired them no charge.

I run them on rechargeable AA batteries with no problems. It has two levels of stabilization (land and sea), it seems the only difference is the amount of compensation they apply. I have used them from moving cars, samll airplanes, and boats with excellent success. I also have a friend who has a genetic hand tremor and they work for him as well.

I am a big fan of these binoculars and it is not because I am a Nikon bigot. All my professional camera equipment is Canon. I just tested the IS side by side and Nikon won. Try them yourself before buying the Canon.

... Read more

Asin: B00006GF1A
Sales Rank: 3376
Subjects:  1. Binoculars (Binocular)    2. Camouflage