Three nautical books to read before casting off, stories of lost boats, past routes, and seafarers who have made nautical and navigation history
While waiting for the arrival of the warm season and the opportunity to set sail again from Marina Porto Antico to discover the coasts of our Liguria (and beyond), we can entertain ourselves with some readings about stories of lost vessels, past routes, and seafarers who have made nautical history. Here are three very interesting navigation books.
Lost and Unforgettable, the book for vintage boat enthusiasts
If you like vintage boats, you will certainly appreciate the book Lost and Unforgettable, written by Bruno Cianci and published by Nutrimenti Mare. A photographic volume that brings important pieces of sailing history back to life.
When talking about vintage boats, generally, one thinks of a limited number of vessels still sailing that are often seen on special occasions, such as the training ship Amerigo Vespucci, which visited Genoa last summer to pay homage to the new San Giorgio bridge. But little is known about equally important boats, designed by famous designers and built by well-known shipyards, that have unfortunately disappeared over the years.
This book was created with the intent of restoring to memory the stories of these boats that no longer sail, but which marked the golden age of sailing between the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
The volume is a review of some of the most important projects of that period and is the result of extensive research conducted at major registries such as the Lloyd’s Register of London, archives of renowned designers (one among many being Mylne Yacht Design) and famous shipyards like Camper & Nicholsons.
A collection of original documentary material, archival photographs, construction plans, illustrations, but above all stories of unforgettable boats, some lost due to neglect, but many sunk during wars. It is the case, for example, of the schooner Margherita, one of the fastest vessels designed by Camper & Nicholsons, which was sunk in the Gulf of La Spezia by the Germans during World War II.
The book is not only a precious document for sailing history enthusiasts, but also an incentive for enthusiasts to recover and restore to their former glory boats that are today in poor condition and often found abandoned in ports and marinas, or out of the water.
Maritime History of the World, for enthusiasts of nautical and navigation history
If you are passionate about nautical history and are looking for a read that gives you an overview of navigation from its origins, among the most relevant books we recommend Maritime History of the World, written by David Abulafia and published in 2020 by Mondadori.
The author, a professor of Mediterranean History at the University of Cambridge and already the author of other volumes, has created a work of history conceived with an original perspective, following explorers, cartographers, pirates, and merchants in search of lands, spices, and gold. It is the story of man’s incessant struggle with seas and oceans. The reconstruction examines the Pacific, Indian, and Atlantic oceans and then focuses on the consequences caused by the great explorations covering almost four millennia of history. With the discovery of America, a new era begins that will change the relationship between man and the oceans for centuries to come.
An opportunity to understand how maritime routes have been real driving forces for the development of civilizations, making conquest and trade possible, but also the spread of ideas, cultures, and religions.
Moana. The Offshore Cruise , for sailing enthusiasts
Among the three recommended books, this one is specifically for sailing enthusiasts, who, we are sure, will appreciate Moana. The Offshore Cruise , a somewhat dated volume (its release dates back to 1999), but still relevant, which recounts the around-the-world adventure of Franco Malingri, the “father of Italian oceans” who recently passed away after a lifetime of sailing.
Malingri participated in the first Whitbread in 1973, the crewed race around the world (today’s “Ocean Race”), and in 1978 he completed a world tour with his family and friends. And this is precisely the adventure recounted in the book. But the volume is not limited to the story of this journey; rather, the author describes in detail two fundamental aspects of offshore cruisingthe boat with its waterlines, sails, systems, instruments, and the cruise from a more practical point of view. In this second part, topics such as planning, maintenance on long trips, provisioning, crew, life on board, anchorages, maneuvers, and finally navigation in bad weather, safety, and emergencies are addressed. The volume has a simple tone, alternating brief accounts of lived situations with more technical parts where the author explains the choices made, sharing his years of experience.
While waiting to cast off, you can find inspiration, interesting information, stories, and practical advice in these books that will be useful once you leave the marina and set sail offshore.
