This is the book for everyone who knows their starboard from their stinkpot, and their Raggie from their stern - or who wants to find out. Anyone who has ever set foot in a sailing vessel and come back for more will enjoy this humorous and original book. From the serious (how waggling wings can save lives) to the informative (how to pee at sea) to the indispensable (how to make the perfect seabreeze) to the enlightening (the truth about Captain Pugwash), 'The Sailing Companion' takes the reader through a mass of notes, quotes, facts and stats.

But 'The Sailing Companion' doesn't just contain fascinating snippets of information, it also offers extracts from the finest writing about sailing over the centuries. Jonah in the Bible snuggles up to Darwin, whilst Hemingway shares space with Dickens. And like the other books in the 'Companion' series, there's a magnificent piece of statistical trivia to match each page number.

The market for this book is huge; in this year's Olympics Britain finished the regatta as the most successful sailing nation for the second straight games. The South coast's summers attract the rich and famous at Cowes week, Fastnet and the Volvo Ocean race. Meanwhile, Ellen McArthur's single-handed ambition charmed the British public this year when she sailed around the world in record-thrashing time enhancing sailing's popularity in the media once more.