SAILING LIBRARY
THE FIELD GUIDE TO KNOTS By Bob Holtzman, published by Apple at £12.99
This is a guide to forming 80 ‘essential’ climbing, fishing and boating knots. It’s well bound with a hard cover hiding a spiral binding, which makes it easy to lie the book open in front of you as you practice. Some of them do not bear their familiar names and it must be assumed that the American author is using the names commonly used in the US.
Sections cover stopper knots, binding knots, loops, bends, hitches, lashings, and whippings and seizings. Each knot is described, its uses and its pros and cons noted together with instructions for untying it, then its formation is shown in good ‘over the shoulder’ photos with captions. Sadly, some of the photos are too small to be of much help. There are better books on sailing knots, but it’s an attractive looking tome.
ATE THE DOG YESTERDAY By Graham Faiella, published by Whittles Publishing at £30
This is not a cheap book but it is the result of a huge amount of research and runs to 500 pages! Is it worth the price? That depends on your interest in seagoing life in the days of sail, although, frankly, I’d be astonished if you did not find the text fascinating even with zero interest.
The author has culled a remarkable array of extracts from ships’ logs, personal diaries and contemporary news reports to give a real insight into the hardships of life at sea. He has intentionally chosen the dramatic and the catastrophic, so it’s not a complete picture, but it sure is a revealing one. The illustrations too are wonderfully evocative. I don’t think it’s a book that you would necessarily read straight through, but it’s ideal to dip into – and become enthralled.
HMS PICKLE By Peter Hore, published by The History Press at £14.99
Though too small to fight at Trafalgar, HMS Pickle nonetheless became one of the best-known ships to have been there. She was essentially a communications vessel and was detailed to carry the news to London of the British victory and the death of Nelson. She sailed from Trafalgar to Falmouth in nine days, weathering a storm off Cape Finisterre on the way, then Captain John Lapenotière rode to London in an astonishing 37 hours, using more than 20 horses. The journey normally took a week.
The story of Pickle is intriguing, from her early (civilian) days as Sting to her adoption by the Navy (when she was given 10 guns), through Trafalgar to her demise at Cadiz in 1808. The author’s research and his Naval background bring the story to life. It’s ideal for those interested in our Naval heritage.