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The Capable Cruiser
The Capable Cruiser is a logical extension of the Pardeys' The Self-Sufficient Sailor (978-0964603677), with more emphasis on seamanship underway, including careful analysis of extreme anchoring situations and solutions for mitigating them. Underlying each and every chapter is the warmth and encouragement that spurred Herb McCormick, former editor of "Cruising World" magazine, to label Lin and Larry Pardey "the enablers." This revised and expanded third edition of a cruising classic includes 10 completely new chapters with such advice 16 ways to encourage your lover (partner) to share your dream; strategies for turning sudden engine failure into a minor incident; choosing safety equipment and repairing rigging at sea. All of the original chapters have been updated to ensure that the information will be helpful for everyone who dreams of cruising-whether now or in the near future.
400 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1995
38 people are currently reading
78 people want to read
About the author
Lin Pardey
34 books46 followersLin Pardey (aka Mary Lin Pardey) is famous internationally for her expertise and experience in small boat sailing. Together with her husband Larry Pardey she has been sailing and writing for many years.
Lin's (& Larry's) sailing records speak for themselves:
Smallest boat to have circumnavigated contrary to the prevailing winds around all the great southern capes
Only couple to have circumnavigated both east-about and west about on boats they built them selves, using traditional means of navigation and having no engine.
Their awards tell about their dedication to the world and spirit of ocean cruising:
Ocean Cruising Club Award - for contributions to Seamanship for small boat sailing. Presented to Lin Pardey 1996.
Geoff Pac Memorial Award- to both Lin and Larry for fostering and encouraging ocean cruising in small yachts
Cruising World Hall of Fame-2000
Ocean Cruising Club Merit Award -To Lin and Larry for inspiring voyages including a west-about rounding of Cape Horn
Seven Seas Cruising Club Service Award - To Lin and Larry for their lifetime voyaging achievements 2004
Cruising Club of America Far Horizons Award – To Lin and Larry for life time achievements and contributions to seamanship 2009
Sail Magazines Top 40 Sailors who made a Difference – 2010 – As America’s first couple fo cruising, Lin and Larry have inspired countless sailors.
Lin and Larry currently make their home port in New Zealand.
Lin's (& Larry's) sailing records speak for themselves:
Smallest boat to have circumnavigated contrary to the prevailing winds around all the great southern capes
Only couple to have circumnavigated both east-about and west about on boats they built them selves, using traditional means of navigation and having no engine.
Their awards tell about their dedication to the world and spirit of ocean cruising:
Ocean Cruising Club Award - for contributions to Seamanship for small boat sailing. Presented to Lin Pardey 1996.
Geoff Pac Memorial Award- to both Lin and Larry for fostering and encouraging ocean cruising in small yachts
Cruising World Hall of Fame-2000
Ocean Cruising Club Merit Award -To Lin and Larry for inspiring voyages including a west-about rounding of Cape Horn
Seven Seas Cruising Club Service Award - To Lin and Larry for their lifetime voyaging achievements 2004
Cruising Club of America Far Horizons Award – To Lin and Larry for life time achievements and contributions to seamanship 2009
Sail Magazines Top 40 Sailors who made a Difference – 2010 – As America’s first couple fo cruising, Lin and Larry have inspired countless sailors.
Lin and Larry currently make their home port in New Zealand.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
April 28, 2014
Okay. I love the Pardeys, I’m a big fan. I zipped right through another book in this ‘series’ by Lin Pardey.
Their philosophy of simplicity and downsizing spoke to my furry heart. It had large sections that could be described as ‘introduction to lifestyle’ themed. So these sections were often not so tough to get through.
Capable Cruiser is dense – and that’s good. Have to admit though that I pushed myself at times to get through Capable Cruiser. It’s focus leans more towards seamanship, anchoring and repairs. All of it critical info to know, but denser to absorb.
How to buy a yacht, medical issues, life at sea, getting along with crew are discussed too.
While I will probably not buy a boat with a bowsprit, absorbing Larry’s detailed descriptions of the pros and cons and how to add one to your yacht yourself (should you decide to) is important to get through at least once. Ditto the section on tenders, steering failures and repairs at sea.
Conclusion: So I got through it and am glad I did. A good add to the sea library.
Their philosophy of simplicity and downsizing spoke to my furry heart. It had large sections that could be described as ‘introduction to lifestyle’ themed. So these sections were often not so tough to get through.
Capable Cruiser is dense – and that’s good. Have to admit though that I pushed myself at times to get through Capable Cruiser. It’s focus leans more towards seamanship, anchoring and repairs. All of it critical info to know, but denser to absorb.
How to buy a yacht, medical issues, life at sea, getting along with crew are discussed too.
While I will probably not buy a boat with a bowsprit, absorbing Larry’s detailed descriptions of the pros and cons and how to add one to your yacht yourself (should you decide to) is important to get through at least once. Ditto the section on tenders, steering failures and repairs at sea.
Conclusion: So I got through it and am glad I did. A good add to the sea library.
November 23, 2018
I really love the Pardeys. They are a legend in the sailing / cruising community. They are good natured, immensely knowledgeable but not full of themselves - just truly accomplished mariners. Some of the chapters in this book are dated, such as the one about hand-bearing compasses and compass adjustment (just try to find a compass adjuster these days), but many parts are as valid today as when they were written. I will refer in future to the chapters on installing a new caprail on the toerail, emergency steering, and selecting chain, to site a few examples.
Part of the attraction of the Pardeys' books is Lin's accessible style, and her transparent earnestness and love of sailing. That Larry Pardey is a very lucky guy! But also, as a sailor myself, I just stand in amazed awe at their accomplishments and their dedication to the craft of the seaman. They write about topics any sailor who has done a bit of voyaging can relate to. For example, writing about her navigational problems in finding the channel approaches for Tongatapu, Lin describes one of every sailor's nightmares - being lost at night in a channel with shoals on either side - and her humility, one she discovered the navigational problem, in explaining the issue makes you appreciate all the more the solution she shares. The fact that GPS makes it simpler to know one's position these days does not reduce the anxiety of night-time approaches all that much, I can tell you. I entered an unknown-to-me harbor in the Bahamas at night one time (unavoidable, but still bad seamanship), and i kept thinking, "I hope the chart is right, I hope the chart is right". Electronic charts have been known to lead sailors to fetch up hard aground on reefs or land because of errors by the chart makers more times than can be counted, especially outside of the U.S. or Europe. But I digress.
If you are a sailor, or want to be one, you owe it to yourself to read some of the Pardeys' books. Their mantra of "go small, go now" is still valid in many ways for most people. In an era when most owners of oceangoing-capable yachts rarely go past the ocean buoy, Lin and Larry's ability to cross oceans in their hand-built small boat, much like Joshua Slocum did, and using mostly the same methods and tools as Slocum, still makes my heart rise 40 years after the Pardeys crossed the Atlantic for the first time. Their willingness to forego creature comforts in order to enjoy the lives and experiences of voyagers is directly in line with my minimalist approach to sailing, and therefore many of their lessons are still meaningful to me, and their advice about how to adopt a successful attitude toward and approach to voyaging is timeless.
My only caution is that since many of their books are 30 to 40 years old, you need to cross-reference the technical advice with modern books, but the writing is clear and enjoyable for any sailor or sailor wannabe.
Part of the attraction of the Pardeys' books is Lin's accessible style, and her transparent earnestness and love of sailing. That Larry Pardey is a very lucky guy! But also, as a sailor myself, I just stand in amazed awe at their accomplishments and their dedication to the craft of the seaman. They write about topics any sailor who has done a bit of voyaging can relate to. For example, writing about her navigational problems in finding the channel approaches for Tongatapu, Lin describes one of every sailor's nightmares - being lost at night in a channel with shoals on either side - and her humility, one she discovered the navigational problem, in explaining the issue makes you appreciate all the more the solution she shares. The fact that GPS makes it simpler to know one's position these days does not reduce the anxiety of night-time approaches all that much, I can tell you. I entered an unknown-to-me harbor in the Bahamas at night one time (unavoidable, but still bad seamanship), and i kept thinking, "I hope the chart is right, I hope the chart is right". Electronic charts have been known to lead sailors to fetch up hard aground on reefs or land because of errors by the chart makers more times than can be counted, especially outside of the U.S. or Europe. But I digress.
If you are a sailor, or want to be one, you owe it to yourself to read some of the Pardeys' books. Their mantra of "go small, go now" is still valid in many ways for most people. In an era when most owners of oceangoing-capable yachts rarely go past the ocean buoy, Lin and Larry's ability to cross oceans in their hand-built small boat, much like Joshua Slocum did, and using mostly the same methods and tools as Slocum, still makes my heart rise 40 years after the Pardeys crossed the Atlantic for the first time. Their willingness to forego creature comforts in order to enjoy the lives and experiences of voyagers is directly in line with my minimalist approach to sailing, and therefore many of their lessons are still meaningful to me, and their advice about how to adopt a successful attitude toward and approach to voyaging is timeless.
My only caution is that since many of their books are 30 to 40 years old, you need to cross-reference the technical advice with modern books, but the writing is clear and enjoyable for any sailor or sailor wannabe.
February 22, 2014
Lin & Larry have for many years been the champions and standard-bearers of a certain sub-set within the circumnavigator community: those who do it in smaller, simpler, less costly boats. Their famous exhortation to "go small, go now" has been the motto and rallying cry of more than one generation of eager sailors. Why wait until you're rich? There is never a Perfect Time and there is no such thing as Enough Money, so Lin & Larry have become passionate advocates of Finding a Way. Not everyone can afford a 50-foot yacht, but that's OK, they said. You don't need one.
This third edition of the cruising classic features nine new chapters. All the original chapters have been revised and expanded. The irony is that despite their reputation for waxing rhapsotic, this book is 85% solidly practical advice and useful suggestions. If anything, it can get pretty technical. (That is to say, this is not an introduction-to-sailing texbook for the complete novice, although it can still be a very interesting preview of what lies ahead in your sailing future.) The subjects covered include preparation and cost estimates, choosing gear, ongoing maintenace work, getting along harmoniously with your partner while at sea, principles of seamanship, and anchoring. The six sections entail 36 chapters.
The material presented in this book represents a distillation of their experiences sailing to 75 countries over a span of more than 40 years, much of it in their first boat, Seraffyn, an engineless wooden cutter with a waterline length of 27' 6". That's right: two people living together and sailing around the world in a 27-foot boat with no engine. It can be done. (Their second boat, Taleisin, is only slightly larger.)
It's tempting to apply the term "minimalism" to what they do, but it might be more accurate to describe Lin & Larry conversely as "maximizers," doing more with less. Their method can be summarized as: (1) Do as much as possible yourself. Hiring people to build things, fix things, paint things etc. costs a lot of money. (2) Have an "Unstoppable" boat: not just a ruggedly seaworthy hull and rig, but non-interdependent systems. The failure of one system should not cascade into a multiple-failure scenario that leaves you stranded, helpless, and in need of pricey outside help. (3) Keep all of your systems as simple as possible. This means they will be easy to maintain and easy to repair or replace as needed (see rule 1). (4) Know what you're doing. A capable cruiser doesn't need fancy gadgetry. Competence translates into being safe and happy with less stuff to break.
Their emphasis on keeping everything on a small scale is closely analogous to the increasingly popular off-the-grid micro home movement, although their original motivation was less about any socio-political or ecological philosophy and more about finding a way to go sailing on a tight budget. (If you want to know their life story, read Herb McCormick's excellent book, As Long As It's Fun.)
Some people just want to travel and explore, and they want to do it the old-fashioned way: slowly and in depth, really getting to know a new place like a local, experiencing it fully. These kinds of people eschew guided tours, resort hotels, round-trip airfare and a busy itinerary packed with famous, overcrowded destinations. These are the types of people who will hitchhike across Europe, hump a backpack up the Appalachian Trail, or ride motorcycles cross-country. They're willing to trade a small amount of discomfort, inconvenience, and uncertainty for interesting and memorable life experiences. A sailboat is the ideal vessel for endeavors of this flavor. It can go anywhere in the world where there is enough water to float the hull, and its source of propulsive power is free and limitless. If that sort of immersive, adventurous, long-term travel appeals to you, then you will get a lot out of Capable Cruiser.
Capable Cruiser doesn't make false promises and warns readers not to do that, either. Life on the water is not without challenges, hardships, and risks. It's not all hammocks and palm trees under cerulean Polynesian skies. Not everyone is going to round Cape Horn, either, but even if you keep your plans relatively unambitious a certain amount of unexpected excitement (as well as a certain amount of boredom) is inevitable. If the reality of living with your partner in a small, simple boat and sharing the adventure of crossing oceans together truly appeals to both of you, you will find few books jammed with a denser wealth of helpful information from people who have actually been out there doing it. Plus, Lin looks great in a sarong. Highly recommended.
This third edition of the cruising classic features nine new chapters. All the original chapters have been revised and expanded. The irony is that despite their reputation for waxing rhapsotic, this book is 85% solidly practical advice and useful suggestions. If anything, it can get pretty technical. (That is to say, this is not an introduction-to-sailing texbook for the complete novice, although it can still be a very interesting preview of what lies ahead in your sailing future.) The subjects covered include preparation and cost estimates, choosing gear, ongoing maintenace work, getting along harmoniously with your partner while at sea, principles of seamanship, and anchoring. The six sections entail 36 chapters.
The material presented in this book represents a distillation of their experiences sailing to 75 countries over a span of more than 40 years, much of it in their first boat, Seraffyn, an engineless wooden cutter with a waterline length of 27' 6". That's right: two people living together and sailing around the world in a 27-foot boat with no engine. It can be done. (Their second boat, Taleisin, is only slightly larger.)
It's tempting to apply the term "minimalism" to what they do, but it might be more accurate to describe Lin & Larry conversely as "maximizers," doing more with less. Their method can be summarized as: (1) Do as much as possible yourself. Hiring people to build things, fix things, paint things etc. costs a lot of money. (2) Have an "Unstoppable" boat: not just a ruggedly seaworthy hull and rig, but non-interdependent systems. The failure of one system should not cascade into a multiple-failure scenario that leaves you stranded, helpless, and in need of pricey outside help. (3) Keep all of your systems as simple as possible. This means they will be easy to maintain and easy to repair or replace as needed (see rule 1). (4) Know what you're doing. A capable cruiser doesn't need fancy gadgetry. Competence translates into being safe and happy with less stuff to break.
Their emphasis on keeping everything on a small scale is closely analogous to the increasingly popular off-the-grid micro home movement, although their original motivation was less about any socio-political or ecological philosophy and more about finding a way to go sailing on a tight budget. (If you want to know their life story, read Herb McCormick's excellent book, As Long As It's Fun.)
Some people just want to travel and explore, and they want to do it the old-fashioned way: slowly and in depth, really getting to know a new place like a local, experiencing it fully. These kinds of people eschew guided tours, resort hotels, round-trip airfare and a busy itinerary packed with famous, overcrowded destinations. These are the types of people who will hitchhike across Europe, hump a backpack up the Appalachian Trail, or ride motorcycles cross-country. They're willing to trade a small amount of discomfort, inconvenience, and uncertainty for interesting and memorable life experiences. A sailboat is the ideal vessel for endeavors of this flavor. It can go anywhere in the world where there is enough water to float the hull, and its source of propulsive power is free and limitless. If that sort of immersive, adventurous, long-term travel appeals to you, then you will get a lot out of Capable Cruiser.
Capable Cruiser doesn't make false promises and warns readers not to do that, either. Life on the water is not without challenges, hardships, and risks. It's not all hammocks and palm trees under cerulean Polynesian skies. Not everyone is going to round Cape Horn, either, but even if you keep your plans relatively unambitious a certain amount of unexpected excitement (as well as a certain amount of boredom) is inevitable. If the reality of living with your partner in a small, simple boat and sharing the adventure of crossing oceans together truly appeals to both of you, you will find few books jammed with a denser wealth of helpful information from people who have actually been out there doing it. Plus, Lin looks great in a sarong. Highly recommended.
July 7, 2017
More historical snapshot than relevant modern strategy, so less interesting for me than "Cruising With"
May 31, 2017
Lots of Great Info
This book is full of excellent information, even for someone that is only aspiring to become a sailor. Why learn the hard way when you can learn from others.
This book is full of excellent information, even for someone that is only aspiring to become a sailor. Why learn the hard way when you can learn from others.
June 6, 2018
cracke
Best of their books I think. You get real world advice and its also a fun read. Part of the boat's collection for a rainy day for guests or others.
Best of their books I think. You get real world advice and its also a fun read. Part of the boat's collection for a rainy day for guests or others.
Read
April 29, 2020Quite dated, of course, but I learned a lot from this book.
September 10, 2025
I just finished my second reading! (4/25/11) Informative for the serious planner of sailing adventures. Fun for the casual reader because of all of the personal anecdotes shared along the way.
October 29, 2012
Glossed over the last few chapters which were way over my head (I haven't sailed yet) but a very good read I will revisit in a few years, hopefully after I have some experience :)
January 27, 2015
As usual, the Lin Pardey has written a very useful guide for anyone cruising in a sailboat, or getting ready to take the plunge.
February 29, 2016
So much useful info. This was a good read and will be an invaluable reference.
August 17, 2016
A fascinating and eminently applicable look at the cruising lifestyle packed full of advice on many aspects of the crusing life.
September 12, 2016
If your considering 'live aboard' anything by the Pardey's is a must read.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews