The Mary Stanford Disaster by Geoff Hutchinson published by the author at £2.25 plus 50p post and packing ISBN 095199361 5 First published in 1984 The Mary Stanford Disaster, recounting the events at Rye Harbour in 1928, has been completely revised by the author to include new information and illustrations.

The Mary Stanford was the fifth lifeboat to serve at Rye Harbour, and had been on station for 12 years before she went to sea in atrocious conditions on 28 November 1928.

Tragically her mission was not only unnecessary - the crew of the steamer she was going to help were taken off by another vessel - but the message to recall her came only some five minutes after she had launched.

Even then it was not while launching, making for the casualty or searching that trouble arose - it was only when minutes away from safety on her return passage that she was capsized by breaking seas.

Her entire crew, 17 men, perished and the tragedy cast a shadow over the whole community. The lifeboat station was closed and did not reopen until 1966 when an inshore lifeboat was established.

A most interesting and well produced booklet, which is available from the author at Mill Cottage, Cackle Street, Brede, Nr Rye, East Sussex.

Tell It To The Marines Edited by Michael McConville published by Cross Publishing, sponsored by The 1664 Club, The Friends of The Royal Marines Museum, at £9.95 ISBN 1 873295 25 1 An engaging collection of humorous short stories from more than 50 contributors, including famous names like Paddy Ashdown, Sir James Savile and Angela Rippon and less well-known ex-Royal Marines with equally funny stories to tell.

Illustrated with cartoons by the likes of Jak, Giles and their predecessors this volume provides amusing reading and, as each story stands alone, it is possible to dip into it for a few moments enjoyment at a time.

A good read, recommended to anyone who has RM connections - and to anyone else with a sense of humour! Profits from the sale of the book will be devoted to further development of the Royal Marines Museum at Portsmouth.

All at Sea A Collection of Marine Legal Stories by Clive Ward published by Adlard Coles Nautical at £8.99 ISBN 0-7136-3753-6 Based on the continuing series of articles appearing in Motor Boat and Yachting Clive Ward's look at the potentiallegal pitfalls when buying, maintaining, using or just owning a yacht are enough to give even the strongest willed yachtsman sleepless nights.

However, sensible precautions are enough to head off most problems and the reader of the case histories in this compact paperback will have the edge on those who have not.

A most interesting read for any boatowner - if just a little worrying at times! Boating on a Budget by Derek Harvey published by Adlard Coles Nautical at £9.99 ISBN 0-7136-3774-9 Contrary to most writers in the tabloid press the majority of 'yachtsmen' are not rich playboys, they are quite ordinary people who choose to take their pleasures afloat rather than on a golf course and who buy a 'yacht' (they would call her a 'boat') rather than a better car. Perhaps they should be forced to read this paperback to find out how most real 'yachtsmen' operate? The author looks at both the philosophies and the detail of buying, owning and maintaining boats which cost less than the price of the average family car.

Although perhaps a little too reliant on manufacturers' hand-out photographs in places the range of illustrations is good and the text well thought through.

A good primer for those contemplating a small and affordable cruiser, whether power or sail.Two very different approaches to introducing young people to the pleasures, and the perils, of sailing. Both are useful primers and meet their targets.

Young Crew by John Mellor published by Waterline at £10.95 ISBN 1-85310-373-X The more 'conventional' of the two books - a small-format paperback running to 165 pages and by an author with many adult publications to his name. Illustrated by photographs, diagrams and drawings inserted in the text in the usual way and altogether recognisable as an adult-style book but with the content aimed at the younger reader.

Comprehensive and altogether very 'seamanlike' with single-oar sculling and clinker-built dinghies vying with modern materials and vessels.

Good detail and content would provide the slightly older and more committed reader to go to sea with a very good grasp of the basics.

Young Sailor published by Adlard Coles Nautical at £7.99 ISBN 0-7136-3783-8 The more modern of the two books -hard-backed and larger format and with the designer and illustrator given equal credit with the author of the text.

Using specially-drawn colour illustrations throughout, around which the text revolves, and running to only 45 pages this book takes a very obviously different approach.

Perhaps easier for a younger reader to digest, Young Sailor is wide ranging and accurate, but not as detailed in some respects as Young Crew.

Nevertheless a useful introduction to a youngster who may be less committed to sailing and who is more interested in windsurfers and racing dinghies than reefing a cruiser..