Links and other stuff for those planning to sail over the horizon

The July 2013 issue of Yachting Monthly includes a complimentary supplement, Practical Blue Water Cruising.

For those seriously planning a blue water cruise, the list of books to read in preparation and along the way is of course dependent on the planned destinations, as well as personal preference, but the average circumnavigator’s bookshelf might not look too dissimilar to the one we’ve put together here.

Some of these books you’ll want on board, while some you may need as reference before casting off. With that in mind, remember that members of the Cruising Association have access to their excellent sailing library in Limehouse, London (just over the river from the London Boat Show, for when you make that fitting-out pilgrimage…)

Passage Making Made Perfect
By Alastair Buchan

The RYA Book of Mediterranean Cruising
By Rod Heikell

World Cruising Destinations
By Jimmy Cornell

Mediterranean Cruising Handbook
By Rod Heikell

World Cruising Survey
By Jimmy Cornell

World Cruising Routes
By Jimmy Cornell

The Pacific Crossing Guide
By Michael Pocock and Ros Hogbin

Indian Ocean Cruising Guide
By Rod Heikell

Ocean Passages and Landfalls
By Rod Heikell and Andy O’Grady

The Trade Wind Foodie
By Rod & Lu Heikell

Voyaging on a Small Income
By Annie Hill

Atlantic Spain and Portugal
By Martin Walker and Henry Buchanan

The Atlantic Crossing Guide
By Jane Russell

World Cruising Handbook
By Jimmy Cornell

And two not pictured:

Cornell’s Ocean Atlas: Pilot charts for all oceans of the world

Sail Away: How to Escape the Rat Race and Live the Dream
By Nicola Rodriguez

Here are some links to useful forum threads about the cost of living aboard and cruising in different parts of the world:

http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?297135-Cost-of-cruising-for-two-years-advise-required&highlight=liveaboard+cost

http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?304169-liveaboard-the-actual-cost/page4

http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?107348-Voyaging-on-a-small-income

http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?320540-Liverboard-costs-Again!&p=3606792#post3606792

http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?344903-Cost-of-living-aboard&highlight=living+aboard

The amount of blue water blogs is never-ending, but here are some we’ve enjoyed:

The mother of liveaboard budget cruising:

http://anniehill.blogspot.co.uk

The sailing world’s most glamorous bloggers:

www.worldtourstories.com

Philosophy and liveaboard solid gold:

http://sailingsimplicity.com

Blog about doing an Atlantic circuit:

http://blog.mailasail.com/summersong

Rod Heikell’s blog:

http://www.mediterraneansailing.info/skylaxbloggreece2007.htm

And finally, no blue water cruising and particularly no circumnavigator should be unaware of the renowned noonsite, designed specifically with them in mind:

http://www.noonsite.com

Fair winds!