Jane Golden has been a sailor for most of her life, beginning with some raucous experiences as a young adult volunteer crew member on other people's sailboats. Fast forward and she was cruising the Gulf Coast with family and friends on her own boat, Gypsy Lady. After an enjoyable description of her Gulf Coast experiences, Jane ventures to Europe where she first charter sailed with friends, and later crossed the Atlantic Ocean as a crewmember for the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers. She goes into great depth about the positives and negatives of such events; including how they are organized, the peculiarities and politics of such events, and what it was like to be a part of the crew on a transatlantic crossing.Finally, she writes about the very enjoyable experiences supporting Gypsy Lady and her family's participation in the annual Regata al Sol from Pensacola to Mexico, a regional yacht club race that began in the early 60's. The descriptions of the Regata al Sol event founder, and the post-race celebrations, are a treasure trove of details that would make anyone want to participate in the race and the festivities. Jane gives us a compelling look at her experiences as a woman in the world of sailing, and great descriptions of the various kinds of sailing, racing, and cruising in which she has participated. Her book informs, instructs, and entertains.

"Doris Colgate knows what women want. Well-known as a sailing role model and a confident yet gentle teacher, she writes with clarity on even the most complex sailing concepts, as well as answering often-asked questions on the safety, comfort, and social sides of sailing. Sailing: A Woman's Guide pulls it all together for the beginning sailor. Finally, an excellent book for women that both teaches and motivates. Bravo, Doris. You've opened up the sport." --Bernadette Peters, editorial director, Cruising World "It took a person with her fingers on the pulse of women aspiring to sail to write this book, and that person is clearly Doris Colgate. Sailing: A Woman's Guide is as much a source book as empowerment to women the world over desiring to become sailors." --Micca Leffingwell Hutchins, editor of SailNet "An excellent introduction to the sport of sailing. It will undoubtedly encourage many women to try this challenging, noncontact activity while enjoying the great outdoors."--Betsy Alison, Four-time Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year "This new series is designed to teach outdoor skills to women in the way they learn. . . . Women of all ages describe how they overcame obstacles, what they enjoyed most, or just how they felt about undertaking a new activity . . . extremely well done and appealing." --Library Journal (starred review)

Guide to the essentials in equipment and techniques for sailing. Ragged Mountain Press Woman's Guide.

Joy Smith is a correspondent for The Ensign and a contributor to SAIL, Latitudes and Attitudes, and other boating periodicals.

A chance sailing trip with a friend from work led me to wonder if I could learn to sail. After all, I’m a woman, and the sailing world seems to favor men. I am not athletic; I didn’t grow up in a family where we learned about boating; I would be starting late, since I was in my thirties; and I suffer from seasickness. What I discovered over the next twenty-five years is that I could indeed learn to be a competent sailor. But I didn’t expect to be an expert overnight. Instead, as a novice, I layered on new knowledge slowly, over time, through experiential learning. This book describes the process whereby this happened. Using examples from trips along the coast of Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts, it reviews the essential knowledge needed to be a sailor as well as explanations about the parts of a sailboat, major boat systems, and tasks associated with maintaining a sailboat. It also discusses some Zen-like attitudes that lead to successful and fun sailing, such as focusing, the no-blame rule, and stripping down to the essentials. Unlike some other sailing guides, this book points out that sailing can be a lifestyle that includes many dimensions. It’s not just about getting a boat to sail. Traveling by boat is a unique experience, and visiting small coastal New England communities is an adventure. Learning about history, art, ecology, star constellations, technology, and birds are only a few of the kinds of activities that can be built into a rich and rewarding sailing experience. This book will be helpful for people who would like to learn to sail but who are intimidated by the process, particularly women, fledgling sailors just starting out, and families with children.

"[A] well-researched, gracious and truthful account." --Georgian Bay Today When her husband proposed living on a boat full-time, Debra Cantrell wondered what other women in her position had done and began a five-year study to find out what choices they had made and how it had all worked out. The result is Changing Course, a guidebook for navigating this odyssey. No matter what the outcome, each woman was strengthened by the experience. In an era when "downshifting" is common and people are considering the benefits of simplified living, Changing Course is both timely and practical.