| Introduction: Welcome to the Dream | p. ix |
| Choosing a Boat | |
| Starting with the Basics | p. 3 |
| How much boat do you need? | |
| Hull and engines come first | |
| Diesel engines and turbochargers | |
| Engines: single versus twin | |
| Engine vibration dampeners | |
| Hull materials: what's best? | |
| Are stabil'zers necessary? | |
| Selecting a Functional Layout | p. 26 |
| Main deck layout | |
| Crusing cockpits | |
| Upper deck layout | |
| Interior layout | |
| Below-decks accommodations | |
| Engine room layout | |
| Choosing the Right Basic Systems | p. 36 |
| Fire-extinguishing systems | |
| Alarm systems | |
| Steering systems | |
| Engine synchronizer systems | |
| Electrical systems | |
| Determining What It's All Going to Cost | p. 47 |
| Boat-buying budget | |
| Budgeting for boat operation | |
| New or used? | |
| Domestic or import? | |
| Finding the Cruiser of Your Dreams | p. 55 |
| Searching for a new boat | |
| Searching for a used boat | |
| Performing the initial sea trial | |
| Negotiating the Purchase | p. 67 |
| Buying a new boat | |
| Buying a used boat | |
| Arranging for the marine survey | |
| Negotiating a trade-in | |
| Understanding sales taxes | |
| Financing the boat | |
| Insuring the boat | |
| Documenting, numbering, registering, and titling the boat | |
| Registering a tender | |
| All the Bells and Whistles | |
| Buying Marine Accessories | p. 89 |
| Buying from a dealer | |
| Buying from a specialty retailer | |
| Buying from a marine catalog | |
| Choosing a Marine Navigation System | p. 92 |
| GPS | |
| Electronic charting software | |
| Radar | |
| Autopilots | |
| Depth-sounders | |
| Interfacing electronic navigation equipment | |
| Integrating electronic navigation equipment | |
| Marine compass options | |
| Selecting a navigation system: magnetic or true? | |
| The Loran-C navigation system | |
| Sound-signaling equipment | |
| Communicating while Cruising | p. 113 |
| How marine radios work | |
| Propagation | |
| VHF marine radio | |
| Single-sideband marine radio | |
| Digital Selective Calling | |
| Marine satellite telephones | |
| Marine cellular telephones | |
| Weather receivers | |
| Ham radio in cruising | |
| Choosing Anchoring Equipment | p. 146 |
| Bow pulpits | |
| Cruising anchors | |
| Anchor rodes | |
| Windlasses | |
| Anchoring accessories | |
| Selecting and Using Tenders | p. 160 |
| Hard or soft? | |
| Tender power | |
| Tender registration, sales taxes, and insurance | |
| Tender anchors and rodes | |
| Tender security | |
| Tender davits | |
| Tender towing | |
| Cruising Safely | p. 174 |
| Rigging for a blow | |
| Fire protection | |
| Lightning protection | |
| Safety and survival equipment | |
| Preparing for Medical Emergencies | p. 190 |
| Emergency medical training | |
| Emergency medical supplies and equipment | |
| Emergency medical reference | |
| Scuba diving emergencies | |
| Immunizations | |
| Medical checkups | |
| Emergency medical communications | |
| Boat Handling | |
| Getting Under Way | p. 197 |
| Taking an initial shakedown cruise | |
| Planning a daily cruising schedule | |
| Everything shipshape? | |
| Engine starting tips | |
| Leaving the dock | |
| Handling Routine Operations Under Way | p. 211 |
| The Rules of the Road | |
| Aids to navigation | |
| Bridges | |
| Locks | |
| Engine room check under way | |
| Operating Smootaly in Special Running Situations | p. 228 |
| Heavy-weather handing | |
| Inlet running | |
| Night running | |
| Operating in reduced visibility | |
| Responding appropriately if you have an accident | |
| Arriving at a Dock | p. 237 |
| Dealing with dockmasters | |
| Docking alongside a pier | |
| Entering a slip | |
| Anchoring | p. 253 |
| Selecting an anchorage | |
| Using anchoring hand signals | |
| Using good anchoring technique | |
| Keeping watch at anchor | |
| Anchoring in tropical storms or hurricanes | |
| Retrieving an anchor | |
| Navigating and Communicating | |
| Understanding Coastal Piloting and Eyeball Navigation | p. 267 |
| Using paper nautical charts | |
| Reading the bottom | |
| Using Marine Navigation Electronics | p. 272 |
| Navigating by GPS | |
| Navigating by Loran-C | |
| Navigating by radar | |
| Navigating by knot meter--distance log | |
| Using Cruising Communications | p. 279 |
| Using VHF marine radio | |
| Using single-sideband marine radio | |
| Troubleshooting marine radios | |
| Predicting the Weather | p. 290 |
| Understanding basic weather patterns | |
| Obtaining basic weather pattern information | |
| Interpreting weather information | |
| Reading local weather signs | |
| Emergency Preparedness | |
| Using a Marine Radio during Emergencies | p. 311 |
| Keep calm | |
| International radiotelephone alarm signal | |
| Automatic distress calls | |
| Make an urgency or distress call immediately | |
| If you receive a Mayday distress call and message | |
| Emergency medical communications | |
| Reacting to Loss of Power or Steering | p. 322 |
| Common problems and solutions | |
| Tips on towing and being towed | |
| Knowing What to Do If You Go Aground | p. 330 |
| Extricating a grounded vessel with an assisting vessel | |
| Understanding the legal aspects of accepting and providing assistance | |
| Handing Crew Overboard Situations | p. 336 |
| Advance COB preparation | |
| Basic COB procedure | |
| Tips for conducting a COB search | |
| Assessing and Reacting to Severe Hull Damage | p. 341 |
| Finding the source | |
| Assessing the damage and taking action | |
| When to call for help | |
| Fighting Fires Afloat | p. 344 |
| Tips on fire defense | |
| Engine room fire | |
| Galley fire | |
| Electrical fire | |
| Accommodations fire | |
| Deck fire | |
| Handing Medical Emergencies | p. 349 |
| Assessing the victim | |
| When to provide assistance | |
| The ABCs of emergency medical care | |
| Understanding the types of medical emergencies | |
| When to call for emergency evacuation | |
| Conducting emergency evacuation | |
| Understanding Abandon-Ship Procedures | p. 375 |
| Tips on life raft survival | |
| Tips on air-sea rescue | |
| Life raft inspections | |
| The Crusing Life | |
| Handling Money and Mail | p. 383 |
| Covering the home front | |
| Keeping a cruising kitty | |
| Forwarding mail | |
| Maintaining the Essentials | p. 386 |
| All systems | |
| Engine maintenance | |
| Cruising Securely | p. 395 |
| Securing your vessel | |
| Filing a float plan | |
| Avoiding trouble spots and pirates | |
| Refusing to board a stranger | |
| Choosing whether to carry weapons | |
| Behaving appropriately if you are boarded | |
| Preparations for Voyaging | |
| Assembling Spares and Preparing for Repairs | p. 403 |
| Assembling a cruising tool kit | |
| Gathering spares | |
| Performing routine maintenance | |
| Taking a shakedown cruise | |
| Analyzing engine oil | |
| Planning Cruises | p. 406 |
| Considering the weather | |
| Checking out celebrations | |
| Collecting charts and cruising guides | |
| Acquiring and updating passports and visas | |
| Scheduling guests | |
| Provisioning | |
| Setting a daily cruising schedule | |
| Understanding International Buoyage, Lighting, and Chart Systems | p. 410 |
| Buoyage systems | |
| Aids to navigation lighting systems | |
| Charting systems | |
| Keeping Legal in Foreign Ports | p. 412 |
| Leaving U.S. waters | |
| Entering foreign countries | |
| Operating marine radiotelephone and amateur radio abroad | |
| Understanding vessel lighting regulations | |
| Departing foreign countries | |
| Returning to U.S. waters | |
| Epilogue: Just Do It! | p. 417 |
| Appendices | p. 418 |
| Powerboat Hull Forms | |
| Marine Diesel Engines | |
| Recommended Medical Supplies | |
| The Cruising Tool Kit | |
| Spare Parts and Supplies | |
| Resources | |
| Index | p. 436 |
| Table of Contents provided by Syndetics. All Rights Reserved. |