“The book is a mine of information…(with) an up-to-date freshness that makes it THE successor to Adlard Coles’ classic! Well done you lot.” Angelo Lavranos, yacht designer<\/strong><\/p>\n “Thank you for the copies of Storm and Weather. I devoured them both enroute to the Seattle Safety at Sea Seminar. I found them to be the best books on these subjects I’ve ever seen, for the blue water sailing public. I touted them very highly at the seminar…These are very important additions to the growing literature targeted at bluewater sailing.” John Bonds, Safety at Sea Educator<\/strong><\/p>\n “Surviving the Storm is the most sweeping manual on heavy-weather sailing I know. Encyclopedic in scope yet precise in analysis, it is extremely strong on the theories of seamanship and meteorology and also on actual practices in all types of boats. The Dashews and their co-authors avoid careless overgeneralizing as they sympathetically examine how particular crews in particular boats handled particular storms. The photographs and the accompanying schematic drawings showing how boats behave in big seas are worth the price of the book alone and demand careful study.” John Rousmaniere, author,The Annapolis Book of Seamanship<\/em> and Fastnet, Force 10<\/em>.<\/strong><\/p>\n “Detailed look at passage-making in the filthiest weather – what to do, how to do it, what not to do – with some of the scariest photographs of nasty sea conditions you’ll ever want to see and case histories that will keep you up at night.”\u00a0 Wooden Boat magazine *****<\/p>\n From Canadian Yachting: Their most recent undertaking, Surviving the Storm, examines the complexity of preparing for heavy weather. Sections in this stunningly illustrated book discuss sea state, wind, navigation, weather tactics, rescue procedures and boat design (mono- and multihull, sail and power). While perhaps the most complete work that I have come across, it is by no means laborious. The Dashews relate (verbatim in many cases) the collected accounts of several cruising sailors, professionals and around-the-world racers who share their exhilarating encounters and preferred tactics. Readers learn from the firsthand experiences (and sometimes, mistakes) of the experts. These stories alone are incredibly captivating.<\/p>\n I asked Steve for his comments on the intensity of the weather that shattered the 1998 Sydney-Hobart Race. “All the warning signs were there for anyone who took the time to see – subtropical low to the NE, a blocking high expanding over New Zealand creating squash zone potential, vigorous upper level troughing rotating into the area from the Southern Ocean. No computer model can deal with this, and the forecasters don’t want to be overly alarmist if there is only a 1 in 20 chance of a weather bomb happening.” He believes that had the same weather conditions presented themselves in the pre-EPIRB era, the judgment of individual skippers to race would have been different. “Such electronic equipment provides false security. Few boats now carry even the basic, though essential barometer. Unfortunately, many sailors avoid spending time developing their own personal forecasting skills.”<\/p>\n Developing skills, and ensuring that your boat and equipment are appropriate, is the theme of Surviving the Storm. While being an authoritative and serious tome, it is an entertaining read even for the armchair adventurer. You will alternately be calmed by the authors’ conversational style, and exhilarated by being thrown into the teeth of frightful storms. The Dashews feel that if you prepare for the worst, the rest of the usual gales\/storms are just ongoing learning experiences. There’s enough valuable information here to fill three or four volumes. Look upon it as a professional and pleasurable training course that could ultimately save your life.”<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n “You can take a half-dozen different books on storm seamanship with you, or you can take Dashew’s Surviving the Storm and have it all in one volume. Not only that, it’s a good read when the wind isn’t blowing.” Gregory Jones, Editor, Sailing Magazine.<\/strong><\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n From Sail Magazine: The book’s strength is the range of experiences and storm-management solutions it details. The Dashews draw from their and other sailor’s findings to take a comprehensive look at the pros and cons of such subjects as heaving-to, running off (including how to steer safely in storm seas), using drogues and parachute anchors, and equipment tests of safety gear such as harnesses and tethers. Some e of the most gripping and useful reading comes in a 67-page section of interviews with top-level professional skippers and seamen, a wealth of seasoned info and opinion.<\/p>\n The Dashews aren’t afraid to step on some toes–the makers of safety gear that’s touted for storm use won’t be happy with field-test descriptions of their equipments’ breakdowns or malfunctions, for example. Neither will believers in the “one tactic fits all” approach to storm management. But the Dashews’ frankness and open-mindedness is a considerable strength of Surviving the Storm. After all, where dangerous weather is concerned, the more you know the more options you’ll have, and the better your chances of weathering a storm will be.”<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n “Take the unblemished frankness and candor of Adlard Coles in Heavy Weather Sailing and process it through the prolific, if exhaustive, writing machine that is Steve Dashew, and you’re apt to end up with something along the lines of this valuable tome. With a wealth of stark photographs, and illustrative diagrams, Dashew digests heavy weather from every possible angle – human , mechanical, and meteorological – annotating his treatment by citing countless case studies of real boats in really horrific conditions. No aspect of or item on a typical voyaging sailboat is left unanalyzed. Tactics and storm procedures are outlined. Renown professional skippers are interviewed and profiled. This has all the makings of an indispensable voyaging recourse.” Bluewater Sailing<\/strong><\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n From Latitude 38:<\/strong> It’s therefore timely that Steve and Linda Dashew are about to release Surviving the Storm: Coastal and Offshore Tactics. In the tradition of their other works–Offshore Cruising Encyclopedia and Mariner’s Weather Handbook being the most recent– this volume is as readable as it is long and thorough. The 672-page mini-epic is current, with long reports and personal accounts of surviving last year’s storms, and of confronting heavy weather in everything from traditional ketches, modern racing and cruising boats, and racing and cruising multihulls.<\/p>\n In addition to covering just about everything you could ever want to know about storm preparations, gear and tactics from those who have been through life-threatening storms, there are first person accounts of storm experiences from amateurs as well as experts including Commodore Tomkins, John Jordane, Gino Morrelli, John and Amanda Neal, and Cam Lewis. It’s fascinating reading. In addition, the book includes 540 dramatic photographs or illustrations. Many of the photos are from last year’s storms, and many of the illustrations depict tactics used to face the difficult conditions…We can report that it makes for some of the most riveting and educational reading we’ve enjoyed in a long time.<\/p>\n “…It has been hard to put down. Not exactly what I expected from a non-fiction book!” D.O., via e-mail<\/p>\n “I enjoyed Surviving the Storm…It gave me lots of ideas…” T.B., by e-mail<\/p>\n “I enjoyed your book very much…essential reading…” B.C., Australia<\/p>\n “I want to congratulate the writers for the excellent job done.” L.S., via e-mail<\/p>\n “I purchased Surviving the Storm and Mariner’s Weather Handbook and…have found them to be immensely informative…I have learned much from your books and enjoy browsing your site. I am thankful that you take the time to share your experience and knowledge…You do the world a great service by simply sharing some of your insights and experience. I will look forward to learning much more from you via your site and your books.” S.H., Westport, CT<\/p>\n “We recently purchased, Surviving the Storm…(We) find the comments and knowledge of those interviewed good food for thought. The interview format is a great idea. This book will be read again and again…Thanks again for a great book.” H. & T.H., via e-mail<\/p>\n “Your storm book as expected is excellent.” D.E., United Kingdom<\/p>\n “Love your books on Weather and Heavy weather.” D.S., via e-mail<\/p>\n “I am currently reading your book entitled “Surviving the Storm” and want you to know I think it is one of the most comprehensive books I’ve read thus far – more like a textbook than the typical books on rough wx sailing.” F.J., Morris, IL, USA<\/p>\n “Hi, I’ve just finished your latest Storm Tactics, it’s great. I’ve also read and loved your others.” A.S., Phoenix, AZ, USA<\/p>\n “I am to take part in the 2000-2001 ‘BT Global Challenge – the world’s toughest yacht rac’… and I am enjoying Surviving the Storm which I kept back to be a Christmas present to myself. I’m sure it will come in handy!!” C.B., UK<\/p>\n “I was fortunate enough to receive both the Encyclopedia and Surviving the Storm for X-mas. Yea me. Both a hugely informative and exceptionally well done, my complements…Thanks for your time and expertise.” E.S., Marina del Rey, CA, USA<\/p>\n “Last year I read your O.C.E. and have just got into Surviving the Storm, both excellent works – thank you. They were worth 2X the price, as they helped me start to put some of the art of design into some perspective of reality which I am trying to apply to my proposed use.” D.H., Nashville, TN, USA<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\n“A very impressive book.” Reg Ellwood, rescue helicopter pilot<\/strong><\/p>\nMagazine Reviews<\/h4>\n
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\n<\/strong>“Steve and Linda Dashew are certainly a fascinating couple – prolific and thorough about everything they do. Their experiences include sailing more than 200,000 miles, designing and building 50 large cruising yachts, and jointly writing several articles and books, including the comprehensive Offshore Cruising Encyclopedia and Mariner’s Weather Handbook.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>“They’ve done it again: Steve and Linda Dashew, the prolific proponents of modern cruising design and equipment, have penned another encyclopedic (674-page) book on offshore sailing. But there’s more to the Dashew’s Surviving the Storm: Coastal and Offshore Tactics than heft. The Dashews, through the first-person accounts of sailors who not only survived but dealt actively and successfully with a wide variety of storms and rough-weather situations, have put together an in-depth and long-needed examination of storm tactics and heavy-weather gear for modern boats.<\/p>\n
\nThe last couple of months of 1998 were pretty tough on cruisers. There were the Nightmare Off New Zealand storms that terrified many and claimed several lives. Then one entry in the West Marine Caribbean 1500 was rolled by the leftovers of hurricane Mitch and the crew had to be rescued, while the crew of another entry simply abandoned ship. Finally, there was the deadly Sydney to Hobart Race. Given that background, those of you about to take off cruising are probably more interested in heavy weather sailing than normal.<\/p>\nReader Reviews<\/h4>\n