A boatload of seafaring books

If you’ve recently bought a boat or are getting one in shipshape

condition for the upcoming boating season, you may be ready to brush

up on your nautical knowledge or satisfy your seafaring spirit with a

good book, video or DVD.

Newport Beach Public Library’s nautical collection at the Balboa

Branch, 100 E. Balboa Blvd., is set and stocked to help you with the

how-to books of boating: maintenance, racing, navigation and more.

Stop by for a visit and “check it out.”

What’s new in the Balboa Branch Library’s nautical collection?

DVDs! The collection currently comprises 22 titles, many of which are

also available on VHS, covering subjects such as the basics of

boating, sailing, navigation, engines and local race history.

“Boating’s Top 60 Tips -- Boat Handling, Handling and Anchoring

Your Boat, and Boating Basics” will provide introductory information

for the new boater as well as a review for seasoned veterans. Trouble

with your engines? Check out “Handling Your Twin Engine

Inboard/Outboard” or “Handling Your Single Engine Inboard/Outboard.”

Navigation instruction can be found in “Celestial Navigation for

Beginners: Sextant Use and Noon Shots,” “Guide to Using Nautical

Charts,” “Sailboat Navigation” and “Powerboat Navigation.” Sailing

information is abundant in the Annapolis Book of Seamanship series:

“Cruising Under Sail,” “Heavy Weather Sail,” “Safety at Sea” and

“Daysailers, Sailing & Racing.”

The U.S. Coast Guard license boating course is now available on

DVD and teaches the advanced piloting and complete rules of the road

needed for the license examination. It also covers additional parts

of the test from firefighting to basic seamanship and is for licenses

from six-passenger to ocean operator. Local races are highlighted in

“Pacific High: The Ensenada Yacht Race” and “Transpac: The 100 Year

Drama of the Transpacific Yacht Race.”

Book browsers are encouraged to stop in and check out new

additions to the nautical book collection. Currently available are

“Get Your Captain’s License: The Complete Study Guide” (2004), “Sail

Performance: Techniques to Maximize Sail Power” (2003) by C.A.

Marchaj, “The Marine Electrical and Electronics Bible: A Practical

Handbook for Cruising Sailors” (2001), “International Sailor’s

Multihull Guide to the Best Cruising Catamarans & Trimarans” (2002).

Patrick O’Brian fans, or those who just saw “the movie,” “Master

and Commander: The Far Side of the World,” may want to explore some

unique information about the series and the time period. Beautifully

illustrated, O’Brian’s “Navy: The Illustrated Companion to Jack

Aubrey’s World” offers a visual experience to the life and times of

the characters, as does “Jack Aubrey Commands: An Historical

Companion to the Naval World of Patrick O’Brian.”

Enjoy a recipe from Lobscouse and Spotted Dog (a gastronomic

companion to the Aubrey/Maturin novels) or share author Dean King’s

side notes with “Harbors and High Seas: An Atlas and Geographical

Guide to the Aubrey-Maturin Novels,” “A Sea of Words: A Lexicon and

Companion for Patrick O’Brian’s Seafaring Tales,” “Patrick O’Brian: A

Life Revealed.” Get ready to embark on a seafaring adventure; head

for the library.

* CHECK IT OUT is written by the staff of the Newport Beach Public

Library. This week’s column is by Phyllis Scheffler, branch manager

of the Balboa Branch Library. All titles may be reserved from home or

office computers by accessing the catalog at https://www.newportbeach

library.org. For more information, call the Newport Beach Public

Library at (949) 717-3800, option 2.