This text serves as a comprehensive technical reference for the practicalities of cruising and ocean voyaging under sail. Eric Hiscock, a seasoned mariner with decades of experience, synthesizes his lifetime of nautical expertise into a structured manual. He provides a framework for understanding the complexities of boat management, navigation, and long-distance sailing, drawing upon his extensive personal history at sea to validate his instructional methods.

Experts and long-distance sailors frequently cite this work as a foundational text for understanding the mechanics of traditional cruising. Readers often note the practical density of the prose, which prioritizes functional knowledge over theoretical abstraction.