Memories of maritime adventures
Across the Edge, by Peter Clutterbuck
The new memoir Across the Edge spans several decades of adventures sailing across oceans or crossing mountain ranges and continents.
Author Peter Clutterbuck's expeditions were often due to his postings overseas as an engineer in the oil and gas industry, but sometimes he voyaged for pleasure, such as when took part in the 1998 Round Britain and Ireland Yacht Race with his 43-foot Grand Prix trimaran Spirit of England.
Clutterbuck evokes his lifetime of journeys to harsh and remote places using original diaries, logbooks and magazine articles. He excels in recounting his sailing adventures in the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans, sometimes with his late wife Bonnie, a former marine caterer for yacht charters whose diary snippets provide an interesting alternative perspective.
Across the Edge: Pushing the Limits across Oceans and Continents
By Peter Clutterbuck
Whittles Publishing, £19.99
ISBN: 978 184995 5775
Buy this book in the Nautilus Bookshop
While you're there, why not browse the rest of the titles in our unique maritime bookshop, which sells all the books reviewed on these pages.
Buy nowMore Books
The precarious path from piracy to prosperity
The Resurrected Pirate by Craig S ChapmanThe Resurrected Pirate is a remarkable story told in an engaging way, illustrating for the modern reader the desperately narrow passage between life and death that a seafarer in this period might have to navigate.
Carving out a career
Ships' Figureheads: Famous Carving FamiliesThe decoration of ships with figureheads was a way to present the might of military and mercantile power for centuries. These days, the skills needed to make these sculptures are kept alive by experts such as Andrew Peters, who has worked on restoration projects such as the Cutty Sark tea clipper.
Knotty problems solved
The Knot Bible: The Complete Guide to Knots And Their Uses by Nic ComptonKnot-tying is a vital competency skill for seafarers, and this expanded edition of The Knot Bible by Nic Compton offers guidance on over 200 knots and their practical uses.
Why it's nice to splice
Splicing modern ropes, 2nd edition: a practical handbook by Jan-Willem PolmanSplicing rope is as an essential skill for seafarers as tying a knot, but some skills are disappearing. This definitive guide on why splicing gets more from your rope is a great stocking filler for all boaters, whether recreational or commercial.