Uphill all the Way by Alan Sears published by Adlard Coles Nautical at £14.99 ISBN 0-7136-4876-7 Completing a 30,000-mile race round the world and against the prevailing winds must bring a great feeling of personal satisfaction to those taking part - but for many aboard Toshiba Wave Warrior, which finished in second place in the recent BT Global Challenge, it also helped provide tangible help to others.

For among the crew who took part were six RNLI crew members filling spaces made available free by Toshiba, the company which was sponsoring the yacht, and who were in turn sponsored by individuals to raise money for the RNLI.

Some sailed a single leg, others two, and between them they raised more than £150,000 for the Institution.

This very readable account by one of the non-RNLI crew members aboard Toshiba Wave Warrior, Alan Sears, is a graphic account of the race. It takes in the preparations, the trials, tribulations and elations of being at sea for weeks on end in a small boat, the tensions and cameraderie and the shoreside parties.

Appropriately enough the book is launched at the London International Boat Show this January - where Toshiba Wave Warrior, the Atlantic 75 which was funded by the sponsored RNLI crew members, will not only be one of the main features on the RNLI stand but will also be officially named.

The Knot Book by Geoffrey Budworth published by Elliot Right Way Books at £3.99 ISBN 0-7160-2084-X A very straightforward title for a very straightforward, and very useful, little book.

In addition to the usual maritime knots this compact volume also looks at fisherman's knots and climber's knots together with other general-purpose knots usually only found in much more voluminous tomes.

The introductory chapters are also very useful -with a potted history of ropes and knots, pointing out the general techniques and also the often-forgotten reduction in strength in the line caused by different kinds of knot. Did you realise, for example, that the simple overhand knot reduces a line to 40% of its initial strength? Marine SSB Operation: GMDSS Edition by J. Michael Gale published by Femhurst Books ISBN 1 898660409 Marine VHF may have become almost universal for small boats working in coastal or Channel waters but there are definite virtues in SSB (Single Side Band) radio with its greater range for anyone making longer passages. Michael Gale runs his own radio school and is well qualified to write this guide to SSB working. The book assumes no previous knowledge of the subject and takes the reader through to obtaining the Licence.

Producing a documentary about any event which took place 50 years ago is an ambitious task for a small-scale film company-and to try to recreate the events of a maritime disaster which destroyed the two vessels involved is doubly so.

It is, therefore, to producer Anthony Hontoir's great credit that his 22-minute video about the Samtampa disaster - in which the crew of the Mumbles lifeboat Edward Prince of Wales lost their lives - succeeds to such a great extent.

Producer Anthony Hontoir's company Downwood Film Productions is based in Porthcawl, the scene of the disaster, and local model-maker Jim Warren has worked wonders in recreating the vessels involved. The model sequences and special effects are very well done and, although it would be unfair to expect Spielberg-like perfection on such a limited budget, the results are better by far than on many a film shown on the small screen.

The era has been created with loving attention to detail and the cars and lorries and clothing all seem very much in period.

Filmed in 35mm black-andwhite 'Dangerous Coast' is both a fitting tribute to those who lost their lives half-a-century ago and a very watchable and enjoyable film.

Dangerous Coast Running time: 22 minutes Available from: Downwood Film Productions, 13 Marlptl Lane, Newton Nottage, Forthcawl, Mid Glamorgan CF36 BEG.

Telephone: (01656) 771775 Price: £9.95 - plus £1.95 post and packing for any number of cassettes..