Last-minute Gift Ideas

Searching for last-minute gifts? Check out this roundup of giftable goodies.

For the Galley Captains

Making the transition from kitchen to galley cooking is not an easy one. “The Boat Galley Cookbook: 800 Everyday Recipes and Essential Tips for Cooking Aboard” was created to make that transition less daunting. Written by cruisers Carolyn Shearlock and Jan Irons, who’ve logged more than 21,000 sea miles combined, the comprehensive galley reference features practical tips on equipping a galley, provisioning, food storage, ingredient substitutions, and galley tricks like yeast-bread making, making pizza in a skillet, and using a thermal cooker (PS, September 2012). The well-organized 451 pages are short on glossy food photos, but they are packed with clearly written recipes and tips that galley newbies will prize.

Veterans of cooking afloat will appreciate the 800 recipes—all designed to be made without electrical appliances—that range from potluck-perfect dishes to hearty one-pot meals that can be prepared in a gale. The variety is impressive—choose from 19 ways to prepare fish, nine barbecue sauces, 15 cake recipes, etc.

The book is also available in electronic format. ($23, McGraw Hill, www.mcgraw-hill.com, 2012)

For the historians & design Enthusiasts

Written by Rudolph Arp, an American yacht designer and boat restorer, “Great American Schooner Yachts,” will appeal to any lover of boat design, classic boat restoration, or maritime history. The 230-page book offers an in-depth look at classic schooner yachts, the men behind their designs, and the work that has gone into restoring them. Complete with sail plans of the schooners, a look at their construction and histories, and restoration photos, Arp’s book also includes biographies of nearly two-dozen yacht designers, including Olin Stephens, John Alden, and Garland Rotch. “Great American Schooner Yachts” is a wonderful, comprehensive resource for schooner enthusiasts. ($50, Schiffer Publishing, www.schifferbooks.com, 2012)

For Aspiring Cruisers

Know someone who’s considering the cruising lifestyle? Or want to convince a spouse that it can be done on a shoestring budget? We recommend stuffing those stockings with Lin and Larry Pardey’s latest DVD, “Cost Control While You Cruise,” part four in their Offshore Sailing series.

The Pardeys (www.landlpardey.com) are well known as experts on budget-conscious cruising. They’ve done it for more than 45 years, and now, they are sharing their lessons learned with others. This 70-minute DVD expands on their best-selling book, “Cost Conscious Cruiser,” and answers the oft-asked question, “What does it really cost to cruise?” The simple tips—including ways to double the life of your sails and how to properly provision and plan—are practical, easily executed, and effective. Produced by The Sailing Channel, “Cost Control While You Cruise” is also available as an MP4 download on the company’s website. ($20, The Sailing Channel, www.thesailingchannel.com, 2012)

For the swabbies

Eager to pass along our love of sailing to younger generations, we keep a lookout for children’s books that will inspire and educate young swabbies.

“All About Boats, A to Z,” written by David and Zora Aiken, is a fun primer for toddlers and new readers. Colorful illustrations depict the story, which is told in a Dr. Seuss-meets-Mother Goose style that uses rhyming verse to teach kids boating terms—“anchor,” “bell,” and “compass”—and their meanings. ($15, Schiffer Publishing, 2012)

“Ocean Commotion: Caught in the Currents,” by Janeen Mason, is a colorful and very well-illustrated story about the journey of 29,000 bathtub toys that fell off a cargo freighter in a storm, and the boy who tracked their fates. Carried by ocean currents, the armada of rubber ducks turned up on far-flung beaches. The fun tale not only teaches about currents, gyres, and eddies, but also shows that plastics in the ocean never go away. ($17, Pelican Publishing, www.pelicanpub.com, 2012)

“The Discovery of Longitude,” by Joan Marie Galat, tells the story of clockmaker John Harrison and how his invention of the marine chronometer solved the problem of longitude and revolutionized long-distance sea travel. For kids who can read well on their own, Galat’s book offers a lesson in natural science and maritime history. ($17, Pelican Publishing, www.pelicanpub.com, 2012)

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