Maritime History

Hardcore racing fanatics and casual daytrippers alike will be entertained and educated by an insider's view of the early history of the America's Cup. Highlighting this history are previously unpublished photographs of Edwin Levick and his sons from the first 10 America's Cup races. These evocative photographs are complemented by the personal anecdotes and insights of author Gary Jobson, a tactician on two winning America's Cup boats. Levick's photographs, housed at the Mariners' Museum in Newport News, Virginia, offer a rare and exciting look at sailing's premier race.

ISBN: 9780917376511

Pays tribute to a major art tradition. This work features the key works of the masters of each nautical painting school, from the Dutch painters and illustrators of the 17th century. It brings the romance and drama of the sea.

ISBN: 9781845730949

This illustrated volume presents facts about ancient Greek galleys, Viking longships, Spanish galleons, graceful clippers, ocean liners as well as many other nautical topics.

ISBN: 9780753404485

David White's meticulously researched and brilliantly told account of the Battle of the Atlantic is the first to assess this crucial theatre of the Second World War from the viewpoint of all the protagonists: Germany, USSR, USA, Canada and, above all, the UK. Packed with first-hand testimony from seamen and submariners, White shows the real hardships faced. He also shows how the U-boat threat was countered and eventually defeated, ensuring the survival of Great Britain and thus the defeat of Nazi Germany. The Royal Navy's triumph undoubtedly changed the course of history.

ISBN: 9780755310883

Which woman made the first solo transatlantic crossing? Who saved thousands of lives with the invention of navigation lights? What is the story behind the invention of the compass? Who was Francis Beaufort and how did he come to devise the Beaufort wind scale, still used to this day? Why did William Petty invent the catamaran (in 1662)? Many of us know the story of modern sailing pioneers - Dame Ellen MacArthur and Francis Chichester, Claire Francis and the challengers of the Americas Cup - but what about those unsung heroes who invented the mechanisms and technology which enabled sailors to speed across the oceans and navigate more safely This fascinating book reveals the extraordinary stories behind the apparatus which many take for granted. Learn how the Frenchman Boulanger produced the first binoculars in 1859, enabling sailors to spy landmarks more effectively; or how William Armstrong earned sailors' gratitude by devising the yacht winch. From cloud classification and screw propellers to radio telephones and the measurement of tides, from the sextant to the first fibreglass boat, this collection of stories, with a foreword by Ben Ainslie, Olympic gold medal winner, will inspire and intrigue sailors everywhere.

ISBN: 9780750933650

A Celebration of Marine Art 60 Years of the Royal Society of Marine Artists The whole wide world of the sea is here in this celebration of British Marine painting - great sailing ships, the darkrened waters of war, casual and carefree beach scenes, and images of working vessels on river and ocean.

ISBN: 9780753711392

In 1492 Christopher Colombus set sail across the Atlantic, on a voyage into the unknown. He was looking for a quicker route to the Indies. What he found was a whole New World...Ages 7-11.

ISBN: 9780746063286

Patrick O'Brian, C. S. Forester and Captain Marryat all based their literary heroes on Thomas Cochrane, but as David Cordingly shows, Cochrane's own real life exploits were far more daring and exciting than those of his fictional counterparts. Cochrane's impulsive nature meant that he was often his own worst enemy. It was this that lay behind his early success, and also behind the stock exchange scandal that saw him blackballed from the City and his beloved country. Taking his wounded pride and his undiminished abilities as a naval commander to South America, he helped liberate Chile, Peru and Brazil from their colonial masters, before returning home to restless retirement. Drawing on his own travels, wide reading and the kind of original research that distinguished Billy Ruffian, David Cordingly tells the rip-roaring story of the ultimate Romantic hero who helped define his age.

ISBN: 9780747580881

"The Command of the Ocean" describes with unprecedented authority and scholarship the rise of Britain to naval greatness, and the central place of the Navy and naval activity in the life of the nation and government. It describes not just battles, voyages and cruises but how the Navy was manned, how it was supplied with timber, hemp and iron, how its men (and sometimes women) were fed, and above all how it was financed and directed. It was during the century and a half covered by this book that the successful organizing of these last three - victualling, money and management - took the Navy to the heart of the British state. It is the great achievement of the book to show how completely integrated and mutually dependent Britain and the Navy then became.

ISBN: 9780141026909

Why is the sea salty? How does the wind create waves? If ice is transparent, why are icebergs white? Why are cold seas green and warm seas blue? Why don't rope strands untwist? Why does a dinghy slide backwards as you try to climb out? Why do the sun and moon sometimes have halos? Why do barnacles attach themselves to boat hulls? Do Dolphins Ever Sleep?provides the most astonishing answers to a whole range of fascinatingquestions you may have wondered about or may never even have thought ofasking!'This is one of those books that you open by chance and do not stop reading' Voiles et Voiliers

ISBN: 9780713687064

From the grand ships that first set sail in search of new worlds, to tallships and traditional lateen sails this gorgeous book explores the history and lore of the seven seas and the ships that attempt to tame them.

ISBN: 9788497940450

Sailing, one of the most ancient methods of transport and exploration, is becoming more and more extreme. Technological advancements mean that vessels are getting faster while sailors are better equipped than ever to conquer the elements and explore uncharted waters with sophisticated satellite navigation systems. This sailing subculture thrives on adrenaline, with sailors seeing just how far they can push their boats and crew. Today's sailors have an insatiable desire to smash records and make history, conquering near-impossible weather conditions and treacherous icy waters in the process. Maritime marathons such as The Race, in which competitors circumnavigate the globe in as fast a time as possible, are springing up around the globe and attracting more and more fearless individuals. "Extreme Sail" is a circumnavigation of the most extreme maritime feats - including the Vendee Globe, the Sydney-Hobart, The America's Cup and the Ostar. Light-hearted and engaging text is accompanied by visually breathtaking photographs capturing the true spirit of extreme sailing. There are also quotes interspersed throughout from sailors who have participated in extreme events and a gazetteer at the back of the book gives information on all the races, events and competitions mentioned throughout.

ISBN: 9781862057289

The Great Classic Yacht Revival Opening with a history of the golden years of wooden boats, the book celebrates the high point of craftsmanship, embodied in a plethora of fine materials and enduring designs. Despite the advent of modern materials, these skills have survived, ensuring the highest standards in restoration. Landmark restorations, such as Marigold and Partrige, and new-builds such as the "modern classic" Savannah are examined, offering insight into the minds of vessels' restorers and their owners. The book explores the objectives of designers who emulate the yachts of yesteryear by incorporating "retro" elements in modern designs - or by simply copying old designs wholesale. And it features a host of glamorous regattas where the many admiring eyes cast over the polished brass, varnished teak, and hand-stitched canvas bear witness to the growing popularity of the movement.

COVER PRICE £30.00

ISBN: 9781840008999

It was Henry VIII who began the process of making England a first-rate sea-power. He inherited no more than seven warships from his father King Henry VII, yet at his own death the King's Navy had 53 seaworthy ships afloat (much the same size as the Royal Navy today) manned by almost 8,000 sailors. Here was the springboard for Queen Elizabeth's captains (such as Francis Drake) a decade later. Henry VIII originally needed a navy to hold the English Channel and blockade the enemy while he invaded France. Later when invasion from the continent grew serious Henry's navy fought in many actions. Moorhouse doesn't only deal with seagoing exploits. Thanks to Henry VIII dockyards were built (Greenwich and Deptford), timber had to be felled in quantities previously unknown (from land seized during the dissolution of the monasteries), and hemp (for rope) was harvested; new skills were developed, not least the gun-founders and the master shipwrights. Some of the ships were celebrated - 'Henry Grace a Dieu' (aka 'Great Harry') was the biggest ship in the world - 1,000 tons, 122 guns, crew of 700 and the 'Mary Rose' (500 tons, 80 guns, 40 crew) became one of the most famous after she heeled over too far, took water and sank with the loss of almost all hands off Portsmouth.

ISBN: 9780753820995

Richly illustrated with full-colour artwork and maps, this informative look at cartographic history explores the use of maps during the age of exploration, focusing especially on the late thirteenth century through the seventeenth century, explaining how maps were used in navigation, how they were created, the art of map-making, and more.

ISBN: 9781859957509

Women have always been involved in maritime life, but their stories have rarely been told. David Cordingly looks at this traditionally male domain and finds some remarkable women: Mary Patten, who took command of a vessel and sailed it round Cape Horn at the age of nineteen; Grace Darling, the daughter of a lighthouse keeper, who rowed out in ferocious seas to rescue three shipwrecked men; and the awesome Anne Bonny, who disguised herself as a man and became a fearsome pirate before being sentenced to the gallows. From the waterfront prostitutes and the women who went to sea dressed as sailors, to the wives who were left waiting at home, "Heroines and Harlots" looks at the unique relationship between women and the sea. "Fascinating, never at a loss for detail." - "Herald".

ISBN: 9780330487993

Providing the reader with a clear insight into how man has progressed from the first dug-out canoe to the great ocean liners and modern warships of today, this title studies historical voyages, advancements in technology with special features on key sea battles that changed the course of history, including Trafalgar, the Spanish Armada and Jutland.

ISBN: 9780753706312

The first full account of a major disaster deliberately concealed during the Allied preparation for D-Day. Operation Tiger on Slapton Sands was one of the giant military exercises off the Devonshire coast conducted by the Allied armed forces in preparation for D-day. When part of the training force was surprised by nine German E-boats with heavy loss of life extraordinary measures where taken. Over 700 Americans were hastily buried and news of the attack was concealed. Security for the whole D-Day mission was threatened and confidence that Britain and America could successfully co-operate in such a complex plan was shaken. For the first time Edwin P. Hoyt brings together the details of Operation Tiger and assess its importance both in the history of Anglo-American relations and in the military lessons which were learnt in readiness for D-Day.

ISBN: 9780709032663

What does it mean to be an island people? How has our rich and complex relationship with the sea shaped our national psyche? This beautifully illustrated exploration of Britain's maritime history sets out to discuss these questions. Brian Lavery takes the reader on a journey around the ports and harbours of Britain's coast, across rivers and along canals, climbing up lighthouses and strolling down piers. He moves with consummate skill between topics as varied as the rise of the Royal Navy or the development of specialised fisheries, the motives behind exploration and emigration or the protection of our shores from invasion, to deliver an all-encompassing history that is accessible and revealing. The pages are alive with tales of the great naval heroes, famous battles, legendary explorers and talented shipbuilders and architects. Each chapter includes a featured ship, dockyard, museum or notable maritime site, such as Chatham Dockyard, the Royal Observatory at Greenwich, HMS Belfast, Liverpool's historic port, and the birthplace of Sir Walter Raleigh. The book is rounded off with a Gazeteer of over 100 heritage sites. The book is published as part of the major SeaBritain 2005 initiative whose aim is to co-ordinate all the various events that are planned for the Trafalgar bicentennary and promote the role that the sea plays and has played in British culture. Partners include The National Maritime Museum, The National Trust, English Heritage, the RNLI, The Royal Yachting Association and the Official Nelson Commemorative Committee, among others, with the support of the Department of Culture, Media and Sport. Each of these organisations has made a committment to the promotion of this book.

ISBN: 9781844860166

The Jane's Annuals were renowned for revealing the losses incurred on both sides in the two World Wars, as well as the battles that were won. This large-format volume is a definitive reference for anyone with an interest in the ships of World War I.

ISBN: 9781851703784

"Jane's Fighting Ships" has been published annually since 1897. To mark the centenary of this title, this edition reviews the full range of technological developments charted in the pages of this publication, from the beginning of the 20th century, when Britain was the world's greatest naval power, through the World Wars and into the long era of American maritime supremacy. It also reveals the latest ideas in warship construction: radical designs which may make many of today's warships as obsolete as the Victorian Royal Navy's battleships originally described by "Fighting Ships'" founder, Fred T. Jane.

ISBN: 9780004720654

The RNLI is one of the best known maritime rescue organisations in the world. It receives no financial support from the British government and is supported entirely by public donations. Edward Wake-Walker, the RNLI's former director of public relations, tells the story of the Institution from its beginnings during the reign of Queen Victoria, to the hi-tech rescue maritime organisation it has become in the 21st Century. He describes how it all began; the early lifeboats - pulling and sailing; early lifeboat heroes - what it took to be a volunteer in the 19th century, some famous coxswains; early rescues and disasters; motorised lifeboats; the arrival of speed - inshore and all-weather craft; the modern fleet; the modern volunteer crewmember; new areas for the RNLI - mudflats (hovercraft), rivers, beaches, prevention of accidents; partners in rescue - Coast Guard, Royal Navy, RAF etc; and concludes with a survivor's story.

ISBN: 9780750948586

What was it that led a man to make lighthouse-keeping his life's occupation - to select a monotonous lonely job, which takes him away from his family for months at a time, leaving him in a cramped, narrow tower with two other men not of his own choosing? Lighthouse-keepers and their families opened their souls to Tony Parker, who has been described as Britain's most expert interviewer. With this revelatory portrait of a small community he has given us an exceptional insight into the British character.

ISBN: 9780907871583

By "Payton, Charles"
ISBN 1905400128

By "Wilson, Jane"
ISBN 190405000X

The triumphant story of the last and greatest war under sail, an intimate history of the turbulent decades of global conflict that embraced the passage from one century to another.

ISBN: 9780712609272

CORE STOCK
By "Koenig, William"
ISBN 753710625

By "Lawrence, Richard Russell [Ed]"
ISBN 1841198196

By "Spectre, Peter H."
ISBN 954706218

Plimoth Plantation and the National Geographic Society come together to tell the true story behind the legendary voyage of the "Mayflower". A meticulously researched work, "Mayflower 1620" offers children a compelling, fresh account of this much-told story. Vibrant photography of a rare reenactment using the "Mayflower II" leads readers imaginatively into the narrative. The vivid and informative text explores the story behind the exhibits at the living-history museum in Plymouth, Massachusetts. Primary sources record what the voyagers wore, what they ate, and telling details of their journey. First-person accounts reveal the hopes and dreams they carried. Readers share in the long hours at sea, and in the dangers faced after landfall. Extensive end notes, a map, a detailed chronology, and a bibliography round out the full story of the "Mayflower". Readers experience a new look at this seminal historical event through the eyes of those who now regularly inhabit the world of the pilgrims--the actors who interpret the Pilgrim Voyage. This eye-opening book teaches children the value of closely reexamining everything we think we know.

ISBN: 9780792262763

By "Spaeth, Frank [Ed]"
ISBN 753711168

Ship ahoy! Come and experience the amazing 1,000 year story of a port. From stone-age settlement to modern marina, find out what life was like through the ages, and see how the port has been transformed over time. Incredible panoramic pictures show each stage of the port's history, while fantastic features reveal the important events, people, and places.With close-ups, captions, cross-sections and a canny time traveller who mysteriously appears in every era, there's so much to see on every page, the more you look, the more you'll discover!

ISBN: 9781405312677

For the British, the Battle of the Atlantic was a fight for survival, as they depended entirely upon the safe transit of hundreds of convoys of merchant ships laden with food, raw materials and munitions from America to feed the country and to keep the war effort going. The ultimate success of these convoys is much more than the triumph of one side's naval technology over the other, or of the revelations of the enemy's encoded orders assiduously teased out by the brilliant young decrypters at Bletchley Park; it is more too than the simple assertion that victory went to the Allies because they built more ships and therefore shipped more cargoes, than the Germans could sink. A national decline had left Great Britain desperately vulnerable in 1939, when she had to mobilise her civilian ships and revive the notion of a 'merchant navy'. It was this disparate collection of private vessels which endured the onslaught of the German U-boat offensive until Allied superiority overwhelmed the enemy. In this important, moving and exciting book, drawing extensively on first-hand sources, acclaimed historian Richard Woodman establishes the importance of the British, and Allied merchant fleets to the war effort, elevating the heroic civilians who manned them to their rightful place in the history of the Second World War.

ISBN: 9780719565991

This heavily illustrated volume offers a comprehensive and dramatic history of coastal life saving and rescues at sea from the earliest times to the present day. Divided into four sections, the book first covers the beginning of the humanitarian life-saving ethos in Europe and China and how it spread throughout the world, followed by a section on the milestones in rescue craft design, from the earliest pulling and sailing lifeboats to the high-speed lifeboats of today.

ISBN: 9780851779348

This is a highly original collection of stories and poems celebrating the joys of boating, from the very first experiences of sailing, to coping with raging storms on the high seas. Exploring all aspects of the sailing adventure, this imaginative anthology is split into 5 parts: MESSING ABOUT IN BOATS ALL AT SEA LET NOT THE DEEP SWALLOW ME UP THE TERROR OF THE SEA SAILOR'S LORE There are accounts of shipwreck and of sea-sickness; building a boat and learning to row; climbing the rigging to earn a place in the crew; and being thrown overboard. It includes extracts from Treasure Island, The Coral Island, The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and Robinson Crusoe.

ISBN: 9781851497034

ISBN: 9780954706265

At the height of the Second World War this small pocket-book was issued to all ratings on board ships of the Royal Navy. In straight period prose it outlines all the basic expressions and tasks a seaman needed to know to perform his duties efficiently. Chapters are broken down into: Sea Terms; Navigation; Steering the Ship; Rigging; Anchors and Cables; Boatwork; Miscellaneous (which includes details on uniform and folding a hammock, etc); and Ship Safety. Functional black line illustrations are used throughout, as well as a few pages of colour (used sparingly) for flag recognition. Faithfully reproduced, with a short introduction by Brian Lavery, which explains the importance of a book like this to a navy that had to take on vast numbers of civilians or Hostilities. Only men to meet the manning needs of the war, this volume provides a real mixture of wartime nostalgia and historical authenticity. It makes a world now lost to us accessible again, explaining as it does the terms, skills and conventions of ship board life, a life that required a common language, and where failure to respond to orders instantly could mean the difference between life and death.

ISBN: 9781844860371

Whether you're a Master, Commander or Pirate of the Caribbean, this is the vessel for you. From the earliest canoes to today's sophisticated ocean-going giants, Christopher Columbus to Ellen MacArthur, witness the drama, the splendour and excitement of Ship's story above and below the waves, through centuries of exploration, endeavour and conflict. Produced in association with the National Maritime Museum.

ISBN: 9781405311540

An old sea chest, a letter, a list of shipwrecks and a riddle...crack the code and find the sunken treasure with this underwater adventure. "Dear Duncan - A small fortune in gold could be yours - if you are smart enough to find it. I'm leaving a list of shipwrecks and a riddle - the rest is up to you..." Uncle Joe. Dive in and take the challenge with Duncan Cameron to search for sunken treasure. There are real shipwrecks to explore, secrets to unravel, and a mystery to solve, plus flaps to unfold, charts to read, a compass, pieces of eight, maps, and much more to help your quest. Can YOU spot the clues along the way - and crack Uncle Joe's riddle?

ISBN: 9781405313285

With the flash and thunder of eighteen pounders firing repeatedly, the Royal Navy came to rule the waves in the opening years of the nineteenth century. Yet just as Britain left its European neighbours too frightened to leave their shores, across the Atlantic a fledgling naval force was putting to sea. Ian Toll recounts how the nascent United States came to challenge British supremacy in the short-lived but often vicious war of 1812-15. Though they were inexperienced, outnumbered and outgunned, just six American frigates took on the might of His Majesty's navy - and Toll brilliantly describes, in hair-raising detail, some of the most thrilling actions ever fought.

ISBN: 9780141014562

In January 2007, within the space of only six days, three large fishing boats - the Pere Charles, the Honey Dew II and the Renegade - capsized and sank off the south east coast of Ireland. There were eleven crewmen on board the three vessels. In a tragic week, seven fishermen lost their lives in storm-force winds and waves.In Souls of the Sea, Damien Tiernan gets to the heart of the tragedy that stunned Ireland and made headlines around the world. He talks to the families of those who drowned, as well as to the survivors from the sunken boats; to the rescue crews and weather forecasters, and to the ordinary people who turned out in their hundreds to search the shoreline for clues as to what happened.A vivid picture emerges of brave and resourceful men and women who continue to forge unique communities in the face of adversity.Souls of the Sea is a memorial to the seven men who were lost.

ISBN: 9780340952528

TARS is a gripping firsthand account of life in the Royal Navy at its bloodiest and most temptestuous phase, beginning in 1758. Through the lives of the main protagonists - a small band of sailors from across the ranks - TRAFALGAR author Tim Clayton paints a vivid picture of the navy and the era, from close-quarter battles and roistering on the streets of London to the political decisions that built up and knocked down empires. In this death-or-glory era the navy became the main weapon of an aggressive and power-hungry government, and fighting at sea was carried out at ever-closer quarters and with ever-increasing amounts of firepower. Using never-before published first-person sources, TARS takes us through these men's daily struggles as Britain navigated her course on the political map.

ISBN: 9780340898031

Two hundred years ago, Napoleon Bonaparte dominated Europe and threatened Britain with invasion. Against him stood the Royal Navy and the already legendary Admiral Horatio Nelson.On 21 October 1805, a massive naval battle off the coast of Spain decided mastery of the seas. Then, over the following days and nights, the battleships and their exhausted crews endured a gale of awesome fury. As Captain Charles Tyler wrote to his wife Margaret, 'the wind blew a perfect storm'.The authors of the bestselling FINEST HOUR tell this story not only through the diaries, letters and memoirs of the men who wrestled with the enemy and the elements, but also through the eyes of their wives and children. Whether you are already familiar with this period of history or are coming to it for the first time, TRAFALGAR is a book that will enthral as it illuminates an event whose repercussions still echo today.

ISBN: 9780340830284

Record-setting races, voyages of exploration, epic battles with the weather and shipwreck survivals are just some of the tales told in "Voices from the Sea". Historical feats such as Robin Knox-Johnston's record for the fastest non-stop circumnavigation of the globe and the legendary Ernest Shackleton's Antarctic mission range alongside modern achievements such as those of French adventurer Raphaela le Gouvello, who traversed the Indian Ocean solo in 2006 and stories from some of the world's most gruelling challenges - the Fastnet, Sydney-Hobart and Vendee races. This beautiful tribute to some of the world's most stunning and savage seas, sailors and explorers provides accounts of some of the greatest feats of human endurance, fascinating tales and intriguing facts about some of Earth's most interesting and unpredictable waters, enabling you to experience the majesty and grandeur of the seas and the terrifying challenges they faced.

ISBN: 9781844035557

This work is a unique insight into the most conclusive naval battle in history through the accounts of those who were actually there. Here, you will find original accounts from the great military leaders of the time - including Nelson - as well as the experiences of the ordinary seamen and civilian witnesses. It is drawn from a variety of contemporary sources including letters, diaries, newspapers and ships' logs.

ISBN: 9780715325568

Part of the Cassell's History Of Warfare series WAS £25.00
By "Lambert, Andrew"
ISBN 304352462

By Various
ISBN 5.03E+12

By "Adkins, Roy"
ISBN 316728373

A square-rigger voyage in the last days of sail.
By "Lundy, Derek"
ISBN 224061399

By "Jackson, Robert"
ISBN 862887836

By "Busquets, C."
ISBN 8497940008