Search - Annapolis Book of Seamanship Heavy Weather Sailing on DVD

Might be a good DVD for a beginning sailor

cjsmall | Rocky Hill, CT United States | 11/16/2003

(1 out of 5 stars)

"I've been sailing for 18 years and have about 3,000 miles of offshore experience that includes some pretty nasty weather. I picked up this video looking to further my education and find something that I could share with less-experienced crew members who help me on deliveries. This rather short (55 minute) DVD would be an OK intro to the basics of heavy weather sailing for a beginning sailor, but doesn't have much to offer to anyone who's spent some time out on the water in rough weather. One of the curious things about this video is its lack of heavy weather footage. A good portion of the video was filmed in weather where there isn't even a visible white cap on the water and the boat appears to actually be motor-sailing in more than a few shots! The "exciting footage from the Whitbread Round the World Race" that's promised on the box amounts to a minute or two of brief clips. The narrator has a strange aversion to roller-furling headsails and spends a fair amount of the video demontrating how to crawl up on the foredeck to change a hanked-on headsail. It's true that roller furlers can be a problem in heavy weather if not handled properly, but the narrator ignores the fact that virtually all sailboats have switched over to them. Personally, I didn't find this to be very informative. Overall, I found this DVD to be rather disappointing. I'm loaning it out at my marina and don't care if it doesn't get returned. Cap'n Jeff
s/v Aurora
Mystic, CT"

Better then that (the first review).

Pecos Pete | Los Angeles | 01/20/2006

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Although it is short for the money and the film of real high sea action is minimal, I find John Rousmaniere's style wonderfully listenable. For a new sailor such as myself, it is good to hear the obvious repeated in this gentle, friendly voice. It is one of the few ways that it sinks in. Until I have the actual experience, this helps me mentally prepare, and at some serious moment, something recalled that I heard or saw in this film may just save my life. In my short time at it, sailing seems to be a skill of accumulation of experience. This video is time well spent (imho)."