Customer Reviews
Fun? - By: K. Gray, 03 Jan 2009 
From the title & cover of this book, you might assume it to be a light-hearted, anecdotal account of adventures & misadventuresin a variety of sailing locations. Not so. This is a serious sailing book by a very serious sailor who spends his time amongst the shifting sands & drying rivers of the Thames Estuary. Lots of wisdom & sound advice if you sail there or somewhere akin to it, or indeed, if you're just starting outin a small boat of your own, & reckon Hiscock's "Cruising under sail" is a bit OTT for an eighteen-footer, but like Hiscock's book, you don't buy this one for laughs.
The several cruises Stock describes are richin technicalities such as state of tide, weather, time, etc.,etc., but if writers truly want to involve readersin their travels, they need to paint a picture with the prose or provide a decent map that details, at the very least, everything referred toin the text. Wellin this case, I reckon the author mislaid his brushes, & the map is worse than useless. It was only when I hit on the idea of using Google Earth along with the book, that the whole thing came alive.
A much more appropriate title for this publication would be "How to sail an awful lot of miles on the Thames Estuaryin a small boat with no engine".
Sailing - By: Mr. Fergus K. Sullivan, 10 Aug 2008 
The book is very much how the author did it, that his way is best & that there is no sea room for anybody else. As I do not have a small cruiser & have never sailed on the Thames estuary this can be very annoying (a better map would help explain where Shoal Waters has been & how it had got there). The author did grow on me as the book progressed but the start was slow.
However with years of experience he has imparted hundred of handy tips some of which I know I will try & routes that I suspect have not been sailedin years!
I would recommend this to a friend but only if they will be sailing these waters & with a small boat.
excellent - great inspiration and instruction - By: B. OSullivan, 23 Jun 2006 
The fact that my book is so worn speaks volumes.
Of the many sailing books I own, this is the book I refer to for both inspiration & advice on coastal sailing.
The smaller the boat the better the sport! - By: Paul Gray, 08 Aug 2003 Stock's book explains how he cruises more miles per yearin a boat half the size of most others.
Essentially he keeps it simple & has an intuitive use of tides to work his way aroundin a 16' boat with no engine.
His humour & seamanship come through every page & make great entertainment & an educationin practical seamanship.
Excellent!
Great fun & v informative - he really knows the Essex coast! - By: , 20 Sep 1999 The author sails his small boatin the same area as me, & it was fascinating to read his years of experience with sandbanks, seals & contrary tides. Sometimes I got irritated with his 'my way is the best' approach, but it is based on real knowledge. My friends are already sick of 'Mr Stock says...', but his advice has added to my sailing enjoyment.
