The Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Oceans

Publisher: Adlard Coles Nautical, 5 th ed., 2005 £ 11.99:

First published 15 years ago, this latest edition has been updated and provides an excellent guide to the pleasures and demands arising from social interaction aboard a yacht. 

As the title indicates, the guide is addressed primarily to crew seeking skippers, but it is not aimed solely at the gap-year market or intended for any escapee who thinks it might be interesting to bum a lift on a boat for a few weeks to live cheap, enjoy the sun and see the world.  The observations and advice contained in this relatively slim volume are useful to every skipper/owner who plans to have others on board.  Even if not suggested as required advance reading, it should at the very least be left lying around on the saloon table so that the newly joined crew could glance at it.  As Alison points out, all too often prospective crew members fail to appreciate that the yacht they are joining, is, for the time being at least, the owner’s current home. Furthermore, most individuals tend to have occasional idiosyncrasies which can easily become irritating when magnified in the close confines of a boat and which need to be dealt with sensitively. 

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