Blue Water Sailing is the long awaited update to Barry Pickthall's classic textbook Blue Water Racing published in 1985. The book became essential reading for anyone - owners and crew - planning to race or cruise offshore. Two decades on, the popularity of sailing offshore has never been greater. Events like Chay Blyth's Global Challenge circumnavigation, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston's Clipper Round the World Race, the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers, and classics like the Volvo, Newport-Bermuda, Fastnet, Sydney-Hobart, Transatlantic and Transpac races are attracting record entries from crews keen to test themselves against the elements. And many more people are selling up and cruising around the world to escape the pressures of their lifestyles. This book offers up-to-date advice on topics as diverse as equipment setting, sails, rig strength, electronic navigation, weather routeing, preparing the crew, boat handling, night sailing, heavy weather tactics, jury rigs and survival techniques and much more.