When Chapman Piloting lands on your doorstep--all 656 pages of it--it"s easy to feel daunted. Have faith, sailor. Now in its 63rd edition, Charles Frederic Chapman"s masterpiece is a boater"s bible. Indeed, one Amazon.com customer raves, "if you could take a class called Boating 101, this would be the textbook." It"s more than just a basic text, however; it"s a complete curriculum of nautical knowledge, from knots to navigation, docking to distress calls, plus etiquette, protocol, and terminology for powerboaters and sailors alike. Accessible to the beginner, Chapman Piloting is an essential reference for even the most experienced sailor. A necessary component of any nautical library. Highly recommended. --M. Stein