A Woman's Guide to the Sailing Lifestyle: The Essentials and Fun of Sailing Off the New England Coast

A chance sailing trip with a friend from work led me to wonder if I could learn to sail. After all, I'm a woman, and the sailing world seems to favor men. I am not athletic; I didn't grow up in a family where we learned about boating; I would be starting late, since I was in my thirties; and I suffer from seasickness. What I discovered over the next twenty-five years is that I could indeed learn to be a competent sailor. But I didn't expect to be an expert overnight. Instead, as a novice, I layered on new knowledge slowly, over time, through experiential learning. This book describes the process whereby this happened. Using examples from trips along the coast of Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts, it reviews the essential knowledge needed to be a sailor as well as explanations about the parts of a sailboat, major boat systems, and tasks associated with maintaining a sailboat. It also discusses some Zen-like attitudes that lead to successful and fun sailing, such as focusing, the no-blame rule, and stripping down to the essentials. Unlike some other sailing guides, this book points out that sailing can be a lifestyle that includes many dimensions. It's not just about getting a boat to sail. Traveling by boat is a unique experience, and visiting small coastal New England communities is an adventure. Learning about history, art, ecology, star constellations, technology, and birds are only a few of the kinds of activities that can be built into a rich and rewarding sailing experience. This book will be helpful for people who would like to learn to sail but who are intimidated by the process, particularly women, fledgling sailors just starting out, and families with children.

Tom Desrosiers is a lifelong resident of New Hampshire. He retired with the title of dean emeritus from Franklin Pierce University. Among many activities, he has pursued are many sailing experiences on lakes, coastal waters, and transatlantic and Caribbean adventures. The boats he has captained range from a twenty-five-feet Cape Dory sloop to a ten-meter yacht. His Pearson Triton Northstar (#516) was purchased on Long Island, sailed to Maine, destroyed in Hurricane Gloria, and rebuilt by Tom and his wife, Debra. His thirty-seven-feet Endeavour Makai was purchased in St. Thomas and sailed extensively in the Virgin Islands. He and Debra brought the boat to Maine in 1989 and have enjoyed many years of New England coastal sailing on this wonderful boat. Over twenty-five years ago, Debra Picchi joined Tom Desrosiers on his sailboat at a New Hampshire marina for an afternoon sail. This led to her crewing for him on various sailboats as she learned to sail herself during the years that followed. A cultural anthropologist by profession, she brings several of her skills to bear on this project. She is an educator and writer who has taught at the university level and has published many scholarly articles and a book. In this text, Picchi explains boats and sailing in an understandable, accessible way that will not intimidate a novice. She is also a trained anthropologist who has studied Brazilian and Mexican societies. She uses these abilities to describe in vivid and colorful terms the many New England communities they visit.