A Woman's Guide to the World of Sailing: The Dreams and Realities of Cruising, Crossing, and Competitive Racing

Jane Golden has been a sailor for most of her life, beginning with some raucous experiences as a young adult volunteer crew member on other people's sailboats. Fast forward and she was cruising the Gulf Coast with family and friends on her own boat, . After an enjoyable description of her Gulf Coast experiences, Jane ventures to Europe where she first charter sailed with friends, and later crosses the Atlantic Ocean as a crewmember for the . She goes into great depth about the positives and negatives of such events; including how they are organized, the peculiarities and politics of such events, and what it was like to be a part of the crew on a transatlantic crossing. Finally, she writes about the very enjoyable experiences supporting and her family's participation in the annual Regata al Sol from Pensacola to Mexico, a regional yacht club race that began in the early '60s. The descriptions of the Regata al Sol event founder, and the post-race celebrations, are a treasure trove of details that would make anyone want to participate in the race and the festivities. Jane gives us a compelling look at her experiences as a woman in the world of sailing, and great descriptions of the various kinds of sailing, racing, and cruising in which she has participated. Her book informs, instructs, and entertains.