The Cruising Woman's Advisor: How to Prepare for the Voyaging Life

Book excerpt: For a woman considering the cruising lifestyle, the questions are endless. What is cruising really like? Can I do it? Will I like it? will it be horrible, or wonderful? Longtime sailor and circumnavigator Diana Jessie provides advice to women contemplating short-term cruising or long-term voyaging. She gives unique insights into a plethora of women's concerns, including: Why We Go . . . Cruising Roles and Relationships . . . The Right Boat . . . What Do I Need to Learn? . . . If My Partner Falls Overboard, How Do I Rescue Him? . . . Learning for Independence . . . Fearing the Weather Ahead . . . Isn't It Dangerous Out There? . . . Medical Preparation and Planning . . . Children On Board . . . Family Issues and Events . . . Staying in Touch . . . Career Planning and Employment . . . Bathing, Hair Care, Skin Care, Clothing . . . Sex at Sea . . . Provisioning for Cruising To provide a broad perspective, Diana Jessie includes the opinions of noted women cruisers, including: Barbara Merritt, contributing editor of Cruising World magazine; Lin Pardey, longtime cruiser and author of several cruising books; Dawn Riley, noted America's Cup and Whitbread sailor; Patience Wales, two-time circumnavigator and editor of SAIL magazine; plus seventeen other women, from novices to world-renowned sailors.