SCHWERWETTERSEGELN / Martin Thomas, Peter Bruce

Astronavigation has the status of a secret science from the last millennium - interesting, demanding, completely outdated and far too strenuous. Most water sports enthusiasts only study it - if at all - in preparation for an exam, such as the German Sporthochseeschifferschein (SHS) or the British RYA Yachtmaster Ocean.In the event of a total power failure on board or interference with satellite signals, astronavigation is still regarded as THE backup for GPS & Co. But who can really switch to the navigation system of our ancestors on an ad hoc basis or even has the necessary nautical documents on board?Helmut Hoffrichter has developed a completely computerised method of determining location using the sun and a sextant, which he calls ‘postmodern astronavigation’. The revised, expanded 2025 edition of his book "Postmodern Astronavigation. Travelling with the sun" has been published.The book begins with an easy-to-understand review of the history of astronomical navigation. Hoffrichter then introduces his self-developed app ‘Circle of position navigation’ (Apple) and ‘Sun Navigation’ (Android).A sextant is used to measure the distance to the unmistakable sun. For the sake of simplicity, planets and fixed stars are left out as natural celestial bodies. After measuring the elevation angle, astronavigation traditionally begins with an extensive mathematical calculation and then a graphical approximation method. This was devised in 1875 by the French naval officer Marcq Saint-Hilaire (1832-1889) as an ‘emergency solution’ that was solely due to its time.Although mathematically exact navigation methods have been known since the mid-18th century, the calculation could not be automated without a computer. In Hoffmeister's app, the elevation angle measurements can simply be entered on a mobile device. Of course, the tablet or smartphone would have to run independently of the on-board power supply failure.The long-displaced methods of mathematicians Johannes Keppler (1571-1630) and Leonhard Euler (1707-1783) as well as the ephemeris are stored in the software, which performs the location calculation at lightning speed. After using the sextant, ‘postmodern astronavigation’ is as easy to use as the familiar satellite navigation on the chart plotter. Extensive nautical documentation is not required, nor do you have to do any calculations or drawings yourself.With ‘postmodern astronavigation’, a location can be determined more precisely with the help of the sun than with the Saint Hilaire altitude difference method. Since this does not even require a gissort, the art of earlier navigators is simplified to such an extent that a genuine, easy-to-use, practical navigation backup is now available.The chapters in detailHistory of astronavigationThe Sun Navigation appA little sextant loreAnalytical position determinationDead reckoningGreat circle calculationThe equation of timeAppendix, including an extract from the 1809 publication by Carl Friedrich Gauss (1777-1855) in which he solves the two-height problem188 pages, 70 illustrations and 15 tables, format 14.8 x 21 cm, hardback. German edition.

THE practical handbook for navigation on seagoing yachts.Sven M. Rutter has incorporated many valuable tips from his numerous specialist articles on the subject of navigation into this book. He provides beginners with the necessary basic knowledge for safe navigation at sea as well as experienced yacht skippers with valuable information for the selection and use of modern navigation systems.A clear structure and comprehensible language make it easy to use - a comprehensive glossary allows targeted reference. Every issue is explained in a comprehensible manner. No prior knowledge is required.Over the years, BESSER NAVIGIEREN has established itself as the standard work for navigation on seagoing yachts. Whether for exam preparation, for refreshing/updating existing knowledge, as a guide to well thought-out navigation equipment for your own yacht or as a reference book for practical use; whether on smaller coastal tours or on extended ocean cruises; whether classically with a course triangle and compass or with a chart plotter/navigation software/app, AIS and radar system - this book can be a helpful companion for many nautical miles.The book covers the complete navigation exam material for the Sportbootführerschein See (SBF See), Sportküstenschifferschein (SKS) and Sportseeschifferschein (SSS).The current edition also incorporates innovations and further developments in the field of electronic navigation, radar technology and AIS. Additional information and further practical tips have also been added.The reading sample - see further down on this page under "Downloads & Information" - gives a good first impression.376 pages, 388 colour illustrations, format 17 x 24 cm, hardcover. German edition.

Template for celestial navigation created by RYA Yachtmaster Ocean Instructor Leon Schulz in cooperation with the German sextant manufacturer Cassens & Plath.The clearly laid out DIN A4 sheet has proven itself in theory and practice and has helped hundreds of sailors to quickly understand, with helpful designations, information and notes, where in the sight reduction tables and Almanacs which values must be taken step by step.These are not only helpful for understanding celestial navigation, for example during an RYA Yachtmaster Ocean course, but above all as a later memory aid. The templates are clearly structured and provide step-by-step instructions on how to determine your own position.There is a template for observing the sun and one for determining the noon latitude.Each pad has 25 sheets (printed on one side). Texts in English.The free instructional videos on how to use the templates on Leon Schulz's homepage help you to familiarise yourself with the working method.www.reginasailing.com/celestial_videos/

OT: Reading the Glass: A Captain’s View of Weather, Water, and Life on Ships.What is hidden in a cloud? How do jet streams and hurricanes form? How could Polynesian explorers sail east when the trade winds have been driving ships west for centuries, and what exactly is El Niño? After 30 years on board various ships, Elliot Rappaport shares his knowledge of the weather with us. He takes us on sailing voyages from the Mexican coast to the heart of the tropics, from the icy waters of Greenland to the Roaring Forties. Based on his experiences at sea, captain Rappaport explains phenomena such as thunderstorms, ice formation and volcanism in a gripping and vivid way and familiarises us with great-circle navigation and how radar works. Last but not least, he makes the connection to larger contexts such as climate development and thus manages to combine personal experience with science.Elliot Rappaport studied geosciences with a focus on meteorology and currently prepares cadets for a career at sea as a professor of maritime transport at the Maine Maritime Academy. Previously, he was a captain and professor of nautical science for over two decades at the SEA Education Association in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, which offers bachelor's degree programmes in marine science on board sailing ships.Translated from American English by Rudolf Mast. Born in 1958, Mast was a sailing instructor and sailmaker before studying theatre studies and philosophy in Berlin. He now works there as a theatre scholar, editor and translator.You will find a sample under ‘Downloads’.400 pages, format 15 x 22 cm, hardcover with dust jacket and ribbon marker. German edition.

A very detailed handbook for owners and enthusiasts of traditional sailing boats.The renowned British water sports journalist Tom Cunliffe describes manoeuvres, partly forgotten techniques of equipment, handling and maintenance of old ships.Beautiful photos and coloured hand drawings make the technical connections visible.In English language.176 pages, colour photos and drawings, format 19 x 24 cm, paperback.

The "Ship Maintenance Manual for Bosuns and Sailors on Traditional Sailing Vessels" is a "textbook, manual and reference work for all manual activities required to maintain the rig of the brig ROALD AMUNDSEN and other traditional tall ships. It is intended to impart the knowledge and skills of the boatmen as well as the physical and technical basics and to preserve them for the next generation. It includes techniques that have been tried and tested over centuries as well as current standards and procedures."Mike Marquardt and Helge Neumeister have completely rewritten and significantly expanded the crew's own work "Der kleine Bootsmann". The collected knowledge from the training on board the brig ROALD AMUNDSEN has now been published by the operator association LebenLernen auf Segelschiffen.The ten chapters:The boatswainBasicsRope - Rope workRigger workSailmakingShore connectionsPreservation of ship and riggingAnchors & windlassEmergency situationsAppendix (including a German-English glossary)In addition to in-depth basics, various tasks are explained step by step using corresponding photos. Traditional sailors are provided with the tools they need to maintain and sail these beautiful old ships for a long time to come.Currently the most comprehensive standard work on the subject of ship preservation on traditional sailing ships.270 pages, numerous photos and illustrations, format 21 x 21 cm, paperback. German edition.

Published by the Sail Training Association Germany (S.T.A.G.).Written by practitioner Jochen Garrn for all those who care about the preservation of traditional ships - from bosun, coxswain or helmsman to sailor and trainee.This handbook brings together the scattered, mostly only orally passed on knowledge about the use of traditional materials and techniques on traditional sailing ships. It saves this from being forgotten and combines it with modern working methods. The volume thus follows on seamlessly from the successful "Handbook for deckhands on traditional sailing ships" by the same author.Practical descriptions and numerous illustrations cover topics such as ship maintenance work, aligning masts, tying eyelets into shrouds and stays, sail and tarpaulin repairs, the art of making jib boom nets and weaving fenders and mats.The author pays particular attention to personal safety when working on board and providing assistance at sea for people and ships.170 pages, numerous colour photos and drawings, format 15.5 x 21.5 cm, hardcover. German edition.

Published by the Sail Training Association Germany (S.T.A.G.).This handbook by Jochen Garrn offers fellow sailors, regular crew on deck or navigators on traditional sailing ships a comprehensive and well-founded overview of the required seamanship.Manoeuvring procedures and line handling on traditional ships are described in just as much detail as knots, splices, routine procedures on board and safety measures.Numerous colour photos and colour illustrations illustrate the detailed explanations. The inclusion of a wide variety of ship types - square-rigged sailing ships, large and small schooners, galleasses, cutters, ewers and flat-bottomed ships - makes it possible to familiarise oneself with the similarities and differences in the most important manoeuvres on these sailing ships.A must for every active crew member in the traditional sailing scene.307 pages, numerous photos and drawings, format 15.5 x 21.5 cm, hardcover. German edition.

The "Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea", or Collision Prevention Regulations (COLREG) for short. The German translation Kollisionsverhütungsregeln (KVR) is annotated in this book for onboard use with numerous illustrations and easy-to-understand summaries.This makes it easy to understand the international regulations for the signals and avoidance rules that ships must follow at sea in order to avoid collisions.The 10th edition from 2019 contains:the Collision Prevention Rules in fullthe regulations to the International Rulesa compilation of the visual signals for small vesselsthe buoyage regions A and B and the German buoyage system88 pages, 88 photos and illustrations, format 13 x 20.1 cm, paperback. German edition.

With this bestseller, the award-winning science editor of the New York Times Dava Sobel founded a completely new, extremely successful form of popular science non-fiction."The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time" tells the story of the Scottish watchmaker John Harrison. He sets himself an ambitious and seemingly impossible goal at the beginning of the 18th century: to devise a method that would allow sailors to determine the exact longitude of their position at sea.For over forty years, Harrison worked obsessively on the production of a perfect chronometer. Finally, the ingenious mechanic experiences an unprecedented triumph - despite resentment and numerous hostilities.Translated into German by Matthias Fienbork.208 pages, format 12.2 x 18 cm, paperback.

This compact guide covers the central topics of sailing: boat handling, seamanship, navigation, sail trim, skipper skills and emergencies.Tom Cunliffe gets to the heart of complex topics and illustrates them with step-by-step pictorial explanations.His advice and tips encourage sailors of all experience levels to try out critical manoeuvres and gain new experience.Tom Cunliffe is one of the most important sailing authors in the UK and has more than 40 years of experience on boats. His writing is undogmatic and entertaining.224 pages, 680 photos and illustrations, format 19 x 24 cm, paperback. German edition.

This proven reference book contains a summary of all the basic information a skipper needs at sea. In a practical pocket format, it is equipped with numerous clear tables and schematic drawings.Information on electronic and classic navigation, calculating positions, distances and tides is complemented by chapters on traffic rules and safety at sea, meteorology or knot tutorials. With this book, Malcolm Pearson offers the best information for beginners and advanced sailors. An excellent handbook for the on-board library.204 pages, 4 colour pictures and 243 drawings, size 16 x 10 cm, paperback. German edition.

This book by Adlard Coles has been conveying the latest findings on heavy weather sailing for decades and is one of the most outstanding specialist books on the subject of "safety at sea".The storm-tested offshore sailor Peter Bruce, together with Martin Thomas, has once again updated and modernized the 15th, completely revised, edition of 2025 of this standard work with the help of numerous specialist authors.Peter Bruce gained extensive experience of sailing in heavy weather during his service in the Royal Navy. Numerous regatta victories, including the Admiral's Cup and the infamous Fastnet Race in 1979, earned him the reputation of being one of the world's best skippers in storm regattas.The theoretical and technical part of the book explains the behavior of sailing and motor yachts as well as rigid hull inflatable boats, monohulls and multihulls in heavy seas and presents the appropriate heavy weather tactics. Equipment such as masts, trysails, sea and drift anchors are presented with regard to their suitability and use in heavy weather, as well as the latest findings and developments.The practical section deals with various methods of safely weathering strong and hurricane-like storms. The author analyzes reports on severe weather events and gives specific tips for your own sailing practice. For example, which tactics are best for surviving hurricane-like storms at sea. How the boat remains maneuverable in heavy weather or how the yacht should be constructed and equipped to prevent capsizing in strong winds.400 pages, around 230 illustrations, maps and tears, format 18.1 x 25.2 cm, flexible binding with dust jacket.

The unique standard work for over 80 years. Always keeping pace with developments in sailing, "Seemannschaft" has become an indispensable reference work for generations of cruising sailors, with over 300,000 copies sold.For the beginner, it is an introduction and overview, for the experienced skipper a means of recalling forgotten points.From the contents of the updated 33rd edition of 2025: The yacht - design, construction and equipmentTheory of sailingSafe boat handling from mooring and casting off to heavy weather sailingManoeuvres from A to ZBehaviour in the event of accidents and emergenciesDinghy sailingRacingTerrestrial, electronic and astronomical navigationWeather and tidal scienceMedicine and first aid on boardboat care and maintenanceLicences, radio certificates and boat documentsNavigational law for inland waterways and the seaOrganisations, institutions, environmental protectionExtra chapter on motorboats - types, drives and manoeuvres828 pages, 871 colour illustrations, format 18 x 25 cm, hardcover with dust jacket. German edition.

The German edition of the book is being discontinued by the publisher.David Barrie (born 1953) is a butterfly researcher, chairman of various foundations, passionate sailor and great author with great enthusiasm for navigation topics.With his first book "SEXTANT - A voyage guided by the stars and the men who mapped the world's oceans" he succeeded in creating a successful mixture of adventure, science, mathematics and heroic deeds. Above all, however, the book is also a declaration of love for the sea. "Barrie ties everything together in a light, airy way, surprises with historical detail, pays tribute to the courage of the first seafarers setting out into the unknown and brings tragic fates out of the mist of the past," a review said.Barrie describes how unknown the outlines of entire continents were just 250 years ago. Orientation by the stars was considered imperfect. Only a new observation instrument gave the modern world its shape: the sextant. David Barrie tells the story of how and why it was invented, how vital it was for seafarers and what a central role it played in the history of exploration and discovery.He artfully combines the experiences of intrepid seafarers such as James Cook, La Pérouse and Joshua Slocum with memories of his own Atlantic crossing, which he undertook as a young man.352 pages, 12.2 x 18 cm, paperback. German edition. English edition.

Lutz Böhme has been working for over 15 years for various sailing and sports boat schools in the training of sailing licences for the German certificates of competency Sportseeschifferschein (SSS) and Sporthochseeschifferschein (SHS).His special "hobbyhorse" is astronomical navigation. He has therefore compiled his various explanations, instructions and exercises on 75 pages for easy-to-understand, well-founded exam preparation.The very helpful, detailed script in ring binder form introduces astronavigation in easy-to-follow steps. It also deals with the great circle, cutlery and coupling calculations with information on using a pocket calculator for the current SHS navigation examinations.Currently the best source of information for SHS exam preparation in the field of astronavigation.The reading sample - see further down on this page under "Downloads & Information" - gives a good first impression (even if it is not from the latest edition).75 pages, numerous photos and illustrations, DIN A4 format, edition: June 2023. German edition.

Lutz Böhme has been working for over 15 years for various sailing and sports boat schools in the training of sailing licences for the German certificates of competency Sportseeschifferschein (SSS) and Sporthochseeschifferschein (SHS).He has therefore compiled his various explanations, instructions and exercises on 135 pages for easy-to-understand, well-founded exam preparation.In the terrestrial navigation section, he goes into particular depth on the content above the Sportküstenschifferschein (SKS), for example by describing current triangles lasting several hours.The topics of tidal science and calculations with the Admiralty Tide Tables (ATT) and electronic navigation are also covered. The chapter on shipping law also includes radar plotting and the evasive manoeuvres required for the SHS.A very helpful script in ring binder form.The reading sample - see further down on this page under "Downloads & Information" - gives a good first impression (even if it is not from the latest edition).135 pages, numerous photos and illustrations, DIN A4 format, edition: February 2024. German edition.

Roger Barnes believes that small boats are the perfect way to access remote, beautiful places.The Brit, who was featured in the 01/2024 issue of "Yacht Classic" magazine, among others, has been sailing for years with a minimum of equipment in an open dinghy, even in such challenging waters as Brittany. His aim is to integrate sailing into everyday life without making a fuss about it, because "one of the surest routes to satisfaction in life is a small boat, a favourable wind and a new coast to explore".The book, which is now available in a second, revised edition, has long been regarded as the standard work on cruising in a simple dinghy. The information and advice are interwoven with wonderfully vivid stories about the author's adventures on the water. They range from idyllic weeks on remote rivers and along the coast to hair-raising journeys to remote islands.For this new edition, an account of the author's first capsize, new material on electronics and clothing, and more information on boat designs have been added.Topics covered in the guide are: the search for a good boatequipment for day tripsboat technique under engine and rudderMooring and anchoringPreparing for open waternavigation on open seasmaintaining a dinghycomfort and safetyHere you will learn that dinghy sailing is a wonderful way to experience nature and new coastlines at close quarters and at low cost. Sailing where bigger boats can't go and sleeping under canvas on board or ashore - it's boating stripped down to the essentials, and all the better for it. 272 pages, with inspiring colour photos and helpful illustrations throughout, 17x24 cm, paperback, Adlard Coles Nautical London. In English.