Extremely complete, well written with many options for your sailplains. Great illustrations and confidence building instructions.

This is by far the most invaluable book that I think should be a part of every sailors book inventory. Very concise, easy to understand and packed full of information.

Just buy it, no mater if you're into making sails or not. I plan to be (for my self), and it's really been a gold mine so far.
Goes good with "Rigger's apprentice".

Excellent book! Very Descriptive and detailed information. This book will fill in so much for those who want to repair and maintain or modify their own sails.It describes sails in detail,and provides quick or permanent solutions to most issues. Lots of good illustrations. An excellent resource book.Easy to understand. I would also recommend Sail Care and Repair, by Dan Neri. If you have the two, you don't need anything else!!Both are well worth their cost and are good value!!!

Good book for reading pleasure and to learn the finer things about sails.

A great book. Not an encyclopedia.

You learn a bit of why, but not all of it.

You learn a bit of how, but not all of it.

Then you go off and DO it yourself.

Great writing style, good illustrations, very readable. Well worth the price if you're interested in sailing.

A great book. Not an encyclopedia.

You learn a bit of why, but not all of it.

You learn a bit of how, but not all of it.

Then you go off and DO it yourself.

Great writing style, good illustrations, very readable. Well worth the price if you're interested in sailing.

I purchased this book with the sole purpose of understanding sail theory, with an very distant goal of one day making my own sail. The book is written in a very understanding manner, and explains more complex procedures in a precise and encouraging manner. The book introdues you to the tools and procedures through making a small bag to carry your tools. This is a great book for the money, and I highly encourage anyone wanting to learn about the different procedures for making various sail configurations. However wonderful this book is, I would not recommend it if you are wanting to build your own high-performance sails, as it is geared towards sailing in a more relaxed and functional manner.

I found the book particularly good at explaining different sail functions, options, and layouts. It also greatly clarified the principal of CE.

An exhaustive work on making sails. The author is maticulous and does not cut corners. Makes good reading not only as a handbook, but also as a history of sail making.

This wonderful book isn't intended to teach you about modern, complex, computer designed sails, or how to make them. Marino wants you to be able to repair and maintain your sails yourself. He wants you to understand how to sew a flat tabling, how to stick a cringle, how to sew on a boltrope. If you are adventurous, he will tell you how to completely make a sail for your boat, one that will last many, many years, but frankly very few people will ever make their own sails. But starting with a great beginner's project, the ditty bag, he shows you that traditional sailmaking is just a collection of readily understandable tasks, and then the repetition of those tasks, done with care and patience. Highly welcome and recommended in this age of multiple laminate fabrics and computer designed sails cut out by lasers. If that's what sailing is to you, look elsewhere.

The book seemed quite comprehensive on the subject of sailmaking. A good thing, but it took multiple readings to pick out what I did need vs. what I did not need when I started making my own sail. Having compared the techniques in the book to what I have seen in use among most so-called "production" sails, it was obvious to me this book was written for an audience who appreciates attention to details. It's a book for those serious about their sails, not for those who want to put together a quick and dirty sail that will last them only a couple of seasons, nor is it for those expecting nicely laid out patterns to follow.

The book seemed quite comprehensive on the subject of sailmaking. A good thing, but it took multiple readings to pick out what I did need vs. what I did not need when I started making my own sail. Having compared the techniques in the book to what I have seen in use among most so-called "production" sails, it was obvious to me this book was written for an audience who appreciates attention to details. It's a book for those serious about their sails, not for those who want to put together a quick and dirty sail that will last them only a couple of seasons, nor is it for those expecting nicely laid out patterns to follow.