Bosun's Bag

An illustrated treasury of expert tips on maintenance, navigation and seamanship from the internationally renowned Tom Cunliffe.
The bosun's world is a colourful mix of time-honoured techniques, living history and a knowledge of materials beyond the run of common experience. It's the bosun's bag of tools, and the skills that go with them, that forms the core of traditional seafaring. This book is a treasure trove of Tom Cunliffe's priceless practical advice that'll be invaluable to sailors of traditional craft and delight those who love the character, grace and history of these unique boats. Illustrated with Tom's popular salty yarns and exquisite paintings by acclaimed marine artist Martyn Mackrill, this book brings together a lifetime's worth of hands-on knowledge with sections covering sails, rigging and working the ship. From avoiding seized bolts and stowing the main, to drying out and the wonders of beeswax, this collection is packed full of age-old seafaring wisdom.
Find out how a real vessel works, how to expand your sailing ability and how you can all live better for it. Dip into this bag now. Whatever you're sailing, you will find something to enrich your passion.

Tom Cunliffe has many years of experience cruising all round Europe and from the Caribbean to Russia and Brazil to the Arctic. He is an RYA Yachtmaster examiner and a training consultant for Sailing USA - the governing body of yachting in the USA. He is a regular columnist for Sailing Today, Classic Boat and Yachting World in the UK, and SAIL in the USA.

Sails
Setting a single-luff spinnaker
Tricing up or Scandalising
Gollywobbler
Topsails in small yachts -Luff yard or full jackyard/ how long?/ downhauling
The mysterious watersail
Single headsails
Cutter foretriangles
Rigging
Ratlines
Topping lift. One or two
The problem of the crane
Sheer poles
The humble burton
Spreaders
Baggywrinkle
Lazy jacks
Artificial Hemp
Staying an offset bowsprit
Mast rake
Boom angle
Deadeyes, the excellent and the ludicrous/setting them up
Maintenance
Slushing down
Tallow
Kiss the green goodbye
Seized bolts? Not on my boat
Pouring Pitch
Wax for Happiness
Varnish in the winter
Restoring blocks
Caulking irons
Cove lines
Boot top
Necessity for good quality nails
Beeswax
Brightwork
Frozen seacocks
Rusty fastenings
Masts in winter - mast out/rot hotspots
Wooden blocks - maintaining performance
Repairing deck seams
Navigation
Back to basics - distance run
Steer northeast by east a half east
Log book
The traditional barometer
A classic logbook
Working the ship
Instant sheet-lead adjustment
Mast hoops - extra one
Sail ties
Flaking for the drop
Stopping up
Frapping
Hanging the coil
Stowing the main
Harbour-stowing the staysail
Tiller lines
Instant lizard
Peg it down (tiller)
Tricing lines
Stanchions and Guardrails
Seamanship
Purchases - an extra part for nothing
Towing dinghies in a following sea
How to sail an anchor out
Drying out
Shift the trim - ballast
Flag etiquette
Securing a rope
Using fathoms for the chain
Swigging
Holding a stopper
Sculling
Reef combs
A bullseye aloft
Hoisting dinghy to the deck - lifting bolts/lifting power/bearing off/which way up/right way up
Offset props
Burgees
The mystery of the foretriangle. Sailing to windward
The honest Fisherman (anchor)
Bull ropes
Miscellaneous
Fiddles
Oil lamps
Thinking outside the box - empty loo roll usage
Keep awake
Using up old sawdust
Chain plates - internal and external
Idle Machinery
Christmas - oil lamps/cabin heat/roast turkey
Wale strakes
Mastheads akimbo