Western Australian Cruising Guide Version 5.3
by Kim Klaka 18 Mar 2021 16:30 PDT
The Western Australian Cruising Guide is regarded as the coastal cruising bible for WA, covering the coast from Darwin to Eucla, including the Christmas and Cocos Islands.
This book is a definite "must have", especially for cruising the Kimberley, with over 600 pages, 220 chartlets and many interesting colour photos. The main source of information for this guide is feedback from the hundreds of sailors who have shared their knowledge of this largely unexplored part of the coast.
This latest edition is version 5.3, published in March 2021. It contains more than 100 changes and updates since version 5.2 was issued in January 2019.
The first part of the guide covers weather, tides, passage planning, communications, emergency services, marine animals and government departments. The second part contains specific pilotage information on many anchorages, showing suitable spots to anchor, dangers, the amount of protection, tidal information, places of interest, history of the area, and local contact details.
The guide is available in two electronic formats, downloadable without charge:
- A pdf file, for reading on any computer, tablet or smartphone with Acrobat Reader installed.
- An ePub file, for use with e-readers such as Kobo, and any platform with software such as Adobe Digital Editions, or iBooks (Apple devices only).
This will enable the guide to be read on almost any platform, including desktops (PC and Mac), laptops, tablets (iPad etc.), android phones and iPhones.
The pdf file is about 70MB and the ePub file is about 180MB, so a reasonable internet connection is required for sensible download times. Once downloaded, you do not need an internet connection unless you want to use the live links in the document.
Download free copy of this invaluable resource here
Photocopies of the guide are available from Fremantle Sailing Club in an A4 lever-arch file. To buy one of these hardcopies contact FSC on: 08 9435 8800 or
Alternatively you can print out all or part of the guide yourself, in any format you want.
Do you want to understand what makes a sailing yacht perform the way it does, but are sometimes baffled by the science?
- What stops a yacht from capsizing?
- How smooth should the antifouling paint be?
- What is the best shape for a rudder?
- How can I keep a boat safe during a storm at sea?
- Are catamarans and monohulls really that different?
The answers can be found in the pages of this book. It explains things in ways that can be understood by the lay person, using the minimum amount of science. The book comprises 5 chapters, 40,000 words and 75 diagrams. The diagrams are simple line drawings that can be read easily on all e-platforms and screen sizes.
The author is a naval architect with more than 40 years' experience in yacht design. He holds a Masters degree and a PhD in sailing yacht performance, and was the director of a university marine research centre. He has sailed over 30,000 miles, including singlehanded offshore passages and world championships. In 2015 he was awarded the David Walters Memorial Medallion for services to yachting safety.
If you want to improve your understanding of sailing yacht design, this is the book for you.
Available for purchase at all good on-line book stores or from books2read.com/u/mqrRL1