Suddenly Overboard Read Online Free

8-meter boat. Yet to refer to it as a “26-foot (8-meter) boat” would be mathematically incorrect.
    For this reason, and to avoid the intrusiveness of giving two numbers in every instance, the units used in these stories are those mentioned in the source materials, whether from Coast Guard and Marine Accident Investigation Branch reports or journalists’ accounts.
    Following are standard (approximate) conversions between imperial and metric units appearing in this book:

    Nautical miles (n.m.) are used for all distances on the water. Boat speeds are given in nautical miles per hour (knots).
    1 n.m. = 1.15 miles = 1.85 kilometers (km)
    Example:
120 n.m. = 138 miles = 222 km
    Water and air temperatures in Fahrenheit (F) and Celsius (C) vary in part because 0°C (the freezing point) is 32°F. Each degree F is approximately 5/9 degree C, but the 32° must be added or subtracted when making the conversion.

    Wind speed is generally given in nautical miles per hour (knots) in the United States, and according to the Beaufort scale (Force) in the United Kingdom.
    Force 1 = 1–3 knots = “light air”
    Force 2 = 4–6 knots = “light breeze”
    Force 3 = 7–10 knots = “gentle breeze”
    Force 4 = 11–16 knots = “moderate breeze”
    Force 5 = 17–21 knots = “fresh breeze”
    Force 6 = 22–27 knots = “strong breeze”
    Force 7 = 28–33 knots = “near gale”
    Force 8 = 34–40 knots = “gale”
    Force 9 = 41–47 knots = “strong gale”
    Force 10 = 48–55 knots = “storm”
    Force 11 = 56–63 knots = “violent storm”
    Force 12 = 64–71 knots = “hurricane”

CHAPTER 1
The Storms We All Fear
    S torms: what sailors fear most, and what keep many from sailing offshore for fear of high winds and seas. With modern technology, forecasting, and better communication, however, few boats encounter hurricanes and typhoons, although even a passing thunderstorm or squall can still produce winds high enough to cause problems. Storms often pose a great threat for racers who may carry more sail, or attempt riskier maneuvers, or hesitate to heave-to or seek safe harbor, but even a cautious daysailor may encounter winds or waves high enough to threaten. A storm may threaten life by severely damaging the boat, although this is seldom the primary cause of storm fatalities. Most medium to large sailboats are built ruggedly enough to withstand a knockdown, and a prudent sailor has tactics such as heaving-to or using a sea anchor to prevent one. Even in the worst storms, it is most critical to stay on the boat and avoid injury from being battered by the storm’s violence. In the worst-case scenarios, safety gear, such as a radio, an EPIRB (emergency position-indicating radio beacon), a life raft, and so on, greatly increases your odds for staying alive
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    This is not to say there are no “acts of God,” only that storms themselves are a relatively rare cause of death of sailors and that, as these stories show, in most cases preventive efforts are, or would have been, lifesaving
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Chichester Bar
    From the moment they’d met, there was something about the guy that William didn’t like. Generally easygoing, William put up with all sorts of boatowner personalities—it was just part of the job—but he’d have happily said no to Hank if it weren’t so late in the season and delivery jobs weren’t so scarce.
    In his experience, there were two typical types of boatowners who hired delivery skippers: the ones who admitted they were too inexperienced to sail their boat on their own to some other location, and the rich ones who just wanted to pay someone to move their boats for them. The former often made good crew and were eager to learn, and William was happy enough to teach, while the latter stayed home or at the office as he, also happily enough, moved the boat with his own