My first copy was pretty worn, so I decided to buy this edition. Really interesting new stories, not only from the Pardeys expereinces in storms, but also from others. I liked the deductions made by folks from both ends of the experience spectrum, one a real novice, others all along the expereince wave, they all add to the information Lin and Larry share in a very understandable manner. I still think this book is really important. And this edition is definitely easier to navigate. I have the Storm tactics DVD and like it. The two work well together.

The authors give their opinion. It can be discussed but they support it by many examples. I was convinced by the interest of heaving to in bad weather or just to wait and rest at sea. Now, I am buying a parachute anchor...

In my humble opinion this is the Pardey's best book to date. The techniques they present are life savers have no doubt.
M. Bertsche

My wife and I spent four years living on our sailboat (55ft) voyaging from Calif. to the east coast and read every book I could find on heavy weather sailing. About half-way through I came across Pardey's book. I think it's far and away the best volume out there on the subject. Even if you pass on the parachute angle and just plan on heaving-to in a tough situation. Should be in every crusing boat's library, and read and implemented by the skipper.

After reading this book you will know a lot of theory about when and how to heave to. Diagrams and well-written explanations describe methods and techniques of survival during a storm at sea. Also consider "Heavy Weather Sailing" (revised edition) as an excellent source of information on storm tactics and heavy weather sailing. It describes the yacht's stability in more detail.

After reading this book you will know a lot of theory about when and how to heave to. Diagrams and well-written explanations describe methods and techniques of survival during a storm at sea. Also consider "Heavy Weather Sailing" (revised edition) as an excellent source of information on storm tactics and heavy weather sailing. It describes the yacht's stability in more detail.

this book goes a long way towards removing myth from the idea of what to do in a storm. running before the wind as a solution is revealed as a jackass stunt that only too late does the jackass discover he hadn't thought this out. not reducing sail early seems to be the gateway drug to this catastrophe waiting to happen. lots of boats weather gale conditions without crew. sailors get through a storm by luck and put it down to their skill as sailors. when i was in the demolition business we would sit around after work and get drunk and tell stories of getting hurt. complete with the proud display of scars received and fingers missing. I would partner with the guy, like myself, with no parts missing. always embedded in the story was, the mistake made, the warning ignored, the common practices disregarded or misguided. i think sailors are victims of this also. the recent tragedies off the Calif. coast point out the need to be prudent. give your self permission to think differently. "running before a storm" should be called what it is "running with a storm". the sailing community owes a great deal to the Pardies already but this book if not dismissed as the "global warming" of sailing will save lives and boats. read it, test it, spread the word. ed

this book goes a long way towards removing myth from the idea of what to do in a storm. running before the wind as a solution is revealed as a jackass stunt that only too late does the jackass discover he hadn't thought this out. not reducing sail early seems to be the gateway drug to this catastrophe waiting to happen. lots of boats weather gale conditions without crew. sailors get through a storm by luck and put it down to their skill as sailors. when i was in the demolition business we would sit around after work and get drunk and tell stories of getting hurt. complete with the proud display of scars received and fingers missing. I would partner with the guy, like myself, with no parts missing. always embedded in the story was, the mistake made, the warning ignored, the common practices disregarded or misguided. i think sailors are victims of this also. the recent tragedies off the Calif. coast point out the need to be prudent. give your self permission to think differently. "running before a storm" should be called what it is "running with a storm". the sailing community owes a great deal to the Pardies already but this book if not dismissed as the "global warming" of sailing will save lives and boats. read it, test it, spread the word. ed

I just could not warm up to the story. It seemed to drag out much longer than it should. The parts that were good were very good, but there was a lot of dead space between those. It is a good read, but not a top shelf book.

In this small book, the Pardeys describe methods of enduring difficult sea states. While it may not be completely relevant to this review, I have noticed on Internet chat sites that some people seem to think that this book (and, I suppose, the companion video), are rather slender in content. I think perhaps such people miss the point. What this book does in some detail is describe ways to heave-to -- with and (mostly) without a para sea anchor. I suspect that the people who dismiss this book are the sorts of novice sailors who think that safety is something that can be bought, a piece of gear, rather than being a product of learned and practiced seamanship. This book is about learning and practicing a particular set of storm seamanship skills which are peculiarly suited to the sort of Mom and Pop crewed boats so prevalent in todays' cruising fleets. Really a nicely done little book.

As a sailor, I value worthwhile, real-time advice provided in a spirit of simplicity and practicality. The Pardeys consistently elucidate their advice with tested experiential anecdotes. Storm Tactics is full of a variety of examples and situations; enhanced by illustrations, anecdotal episodes, pictures, and complementary information from other sources. This is a valuable resource for those aiming to set off for the wild blue yonder.

As usual Lin and Larry are trying to share the things they learned so people with less experience can feel more confident at sea. Now they have demonstrated what their book describes in video format (I actually got the DVD so I could have it on board to use on my laptop) cleared up any questions I had left and was lots of fun besides. I got it from their website, wonder if they will let...carry it. Should be a package deal. Got my wife dreaming and feeling less worried about storms.

A reef will cause waves to break before a shore. The creation of a slick of disturbed water, by use of a parachute type anchor, held just below the surface, two wavelengths directly upwind of you, can do the same thing and create a pocket of relatively undisturbed water, in which a boat can ride out a violent storm safely.

This being the case, the crew have only two concerns.

1) Keeping the boat positioned so that the sea takes one side of the bow more than another prevents oscillations and keeps the ride smooth. Keep the bow strait to the seas is actually rougher and not desirable. This offset can be made with a bridle. And,

2) Preventing chafe, which will part your rode and lose your para-anchor, and put you at the mercy of the full fury of a storm.

The Pardey's successfully used these techniques to heave-to in storms and avoid loosing ground when the winds became unfavorable, and then continued on when conditions moderated. They did this with confidence.

My only concern, is the Pardey's experience was strictly small boat. Small boats have an advantage in a way, in that they can be easier to handle.

The question remains. How well will these techniques work with larger boats.

I would like to read about the results of people using this technique in a larger boat in more severe conditions. For example: a 42-48 foot catamaran and/or a 45-50' monohull in 100+ mph winds with large breaking seas.

This book is essentially about one thing: how to create the "Von Karmon Vortex Street". What the authors have done is taken a scientific approach to storm-survival and have gathered evidence both ancient and modern to support their thesis.

It turns out that a sailboat's anatomy - high wind exposure even running bare poles and a deep keel - can be used to defeat the underwater component of a breaking sea, rendering it harmless foam. The key, of course, is knowing how to stabilize the yacht in relationship to wind and water.

Using various sail configurations and/or anchor chutes and by simple tests like dropping bits of paper into the water, the boat may be kept within the confines of its own self-created safe haven.

This is not a "best-kept secret", but rather something that has been discovered and rediscovered in a fairly random and haphazard manner over time. Most sailors can't confidently say why certain storm strategies worked in some cases and others didn't. The authors have not taken lightly the presentation of this material to the boating public. We are all indebted to their work and insight.

AFTER I READ THIS, I BEGAN LOOKING AT OTHER STORIES ABOUT PEOPLE WHO GOT IN TROUBLE AT SEA. FOUND THE PARDEY'S ARE RIGHT, THOSE WHO HOVE TO, CAME THROUGH, THOSE WHO DIDN'T OFTEN GOT IN TROUBLE. IF PEOPLE READ THIS BOOK AND UNDERSTAND WHAT HEAVING TO IS REALLY ABOUT, MAYBE WE CAN READ LESS ABOUT PEOPLE CALLING FOR HELP.

The sheer logic of this book explains why the Pardeys have become the most respected sailors out cruising today. In this book they make it clear they are not inventing anything new, just reminding us that the sea does not change nor does basic seamanship and understanding the principles of heaving to are one of the most basic premises of helping your boat make it through a storm. Wish I could attend one of their storm tactics seminars one day.