Be The Captain - A Field Manual for Offshore Sailing

Advantages

Positives first. Self described as a book about being in command, it’s well presented, logically laid out, and supported by a useful index. It prompts the reader to think through options, scenarios, and possibilities.
At around 118,000 words it’s easy to read in short bursts. The chapters are brief, broken into tidy sections, and the occasional diagram helps. You can read it cover to cover or dip into specific topics as needed.

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Disadvantages

However, the book is repetitive and the language often dull. It would benefit from stronger editing by people with real sailing knowledge.
As I read, I couldn’t decide whether this was meant to be a manual, a buying guide, a supplement to a training course, or an attempt to update the classic cruising texts — the Dashews, Hiscock, Don Street, and the like. I’m not convinced the author knew either.

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Comment

This is essentially James’s personal view of what makes a good cruising boat. While he’s very experienced, the book clearly serves as an extension of his YouTube channel. Unlike his technical videos, little here is substantiated or supported with evidence, and there are many generalisations.
Take the section on vessel architecture. Keel types are reduced to two categories — encapsulated or bolted — with only a couple of sentences on keel shapes. There’s no depth, and the section doesn’t genuinely inform the reader. I found this typical of most of the technical material: broad, superficial, and lacking rigour.
There are good moments. The section on crew selection shows James at his best: straightforward, pragmatic, and grounded in real experience. The material on the first days of a voyage is also genuinely useful.
If I were editing, I’d drop Section 2 (The Boat), Section 3 (Rigs and Sails), and Section 5 (Anchoring). They could form the basis of a separate, more focused book.
There are also gaps. James has a young family, yet there’s only a single page on sailing with children. He does offer a free e book on that topic, but this only reinforces the sense that the main book lacks a clear audience or purpose. It’s a mish mash, and for me a disappointing purchase. As an avid follower of Sailing Zingaro, I expected much more.

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