BOOKs From cargos of coffee and tobacco to the thrills of speedboat testing, from learning the ropes to total disaster - Carol Waterkeyn and Sam Price review four more titles to bring you closer to the sea Unless other ordering details are stated, all books reviewed in the Lifeboat are available from all good bookshops and online from Amazon via the RNLI website at rnli.org.uk/amazon. Amazon will donate a minimum of 5% of the value of all such orders to the RNLI. (For the RNLI to benefit in this way you must access Amazon via the RNLI website and not go direct to Amazon.) Cargo ships: a colour portfolio by David L Williams and Richard de Kerbrech Cargo ships embraces a bygone era of shipping before the imposing container vessels of today that now dominate our seas. The book is a mine of information on the coasters and freighters from the mid 1950s to the early 70s. These were the days of the Blue Star Line, Cunard and other shipping companies that ran vessels loaded with tea, rice and porcelain, fruit, tobacco, leather, coffee and sugar from the Orient, Caribbean, South America and Africa. Some also carried up to 100 passengers in relative comfort - it was certainly a different way to travel from their contemporaries RMS Queen Elizabeth and Queen Mary.

This is a work that would be of interest to mariners who served on the merchant vessels or those who remember seeing big traditional ships like the Scottish Prince, the Jamaica Planter and the Athenic at berth around our coasts. This charming book is widely illustrated with previously unpublished colour photos that were taken by the late Kenneth Whiteman. Published by Ian Allan ISBN 9780711031616 Price £14.99 hardback Learning to sail in dinghies or yachts by Basil Mosenthal Learning to sail is a guide for those who are complete beginners at sailing. Unlike many guides that annoyingly assume you already have a certain amount of knowledge, this one really does begin with the basics. It is aimed at both children and adults so the language is simple, and diagrams and pictures clear.

Although not designed to replace practical instruction on the water, it does prepare you for what's to come by clearly explaining the different parts of a dinghy or sailing boat; how the sails work; managing ropes; tides and much more. Even if you are not actually planning to set foot on the water it is interesting to read the mechanics of boathandling.

This is an excellent guide but we would like to add two reminders. The RNLI advises sailors to wear lifejackets at all times - and booms and winches can be extremely dangerous to be around, so please take care. Published byAdlard Coles Nautical ISBN 9780713682427 Price: £9.99 paperback, 3rd edition Challenges by Dag Pike ‘It is not what you’ve done that counts, it is what you are going to do’. This is what 74-year-old Dag Pike believes, and he is still setting challenges for himself, after enjoying huge success on the sea.

The book records his life story, from a young child falling in love with the sea aged just 8, to becoming one of the most respected seamen in the world.

An exciting story, Challenges states the ups and downs Pike encountered on his way to becoming a skilled navigator and the various tasks he has accomplished. The book is a thrilling read, and shows Pike’s prowess as an author as well as a seaman. His vivid descriptions will capture readers’ imaginations, helping them to envisage the challenges of life at sea.

An inspirational read.

Dag was an inspector of lifeboats for the RNLI in the early 1960s, and was involved in the introduction of the rigid inflatable boat for the RNLI. Published by Bosun ISBN 9780954693275 Price: £19.95 hardback When the wind blows by Maggi Ansell Maggi and Robin Ansell’s amazing journey around the world is put into writing, in the extraordinary When the wind blows. Descriptions of love and happiness turn to tragedy and despair in a sudden turn of events, leaving the family only just intact. Despite this, a happy theme is maintained throughout the book, as they manage to deal with even the loss of the boat. Their story takes us from Cuba to Australia, and climaxes with Maggi and Robin being caught in a cyclone and almost losing their lives. A stunning tale, bringing to attention both the thrill and risks of sailing, When the wind blows is an adventure that grips you from beginning to end.

Maggi has written for a number of international sailing publications. She has lived and worked in Libya, the Cayman Islands, the Philippines, Australia and latterly on Vancouver Island, Canada. Published by Trafford ISBN 1412099226 Price: £12 paperback Photo: Laura Wiltshire.