KISS Guide to Sailing

Kiss the competition goodbye! Broaden your horizons with DK's KISS Guide to Sailing. Find out about the history of sailing and follow the journeys of early traders and explorers. discover where to sail, in which types of boat, and how to hone your skills. Develop your knowledge of the international rules and regulations. Learn about the latest nautical developments, from high-tech materials to racing techniques. Master basic sailing terms, from hulls and foils, to rigs and rudders. Understand what to do if you capsize, and learn key safety tips. The Keep It Simple Series is the new standard in how-to books! Written by leading experts, each book includes full-color photographs and illustrations throughout, making these the first and only truly accessible guides for beginners. The KISS format is designed to help readers build confidence from the start, and learn gradually and thoroughly to the very last page. Much more than introductions to various subjects, these inspiring and innovative books are the ones that readers can trust!

Steve Sleight taught himself to sail at the age of 10, and was teaching others by the time he was 14. Formerly a Royal Yachting Association Coach and instructor at the UK's National Sailing Centre, he has taught dinghy sailing, cruising, and competitive racing both in dinghies and in cruiser/racers. Steve has sailed a wide variety of monohulls and multihulls, ranging in length from 10 feet (3 meters) to 130 feet (45 meters), and has been a successful racing yachtsman, and British National Champion. Steve is an experienced author and broadcaster, and has written extensively on sailing. He lives on his own boat, which he also races and cruises. Dennis Conner has just led his team through an unprecedented eighth America's Cup campaign, after winning the America's Cup four times previously. Conner has been titled United States Yachtsman of the Year four times, and has won many awards, including world championships in boats from 11 feet (3.5 meters) to 80 feet (24 meters), has a still unequaled Star class record, and was twice a winner of the Star World Championships. Conner's other accomplishments and accolades include a bronze medal in the 1976 Olympic Games, a new transatlantic record in the Whitbread Round The World Race, and winning the 2000 New Zealand Etchells National Championships. He is a prolific author and publisher, and now lives in San Diego.