First Mate's Handbook is an all round guide to the range of skills required to sail a yacht safely and well, and should enable the first mate to take charge competently in an emergency. With the growth of sailing as a leisure activity and more and more families or partners investing in sailing cruisers, it is important that all the essential skills are not invested in the skipper. In addition to a domestic role, the first mate must take an active part in running the boat - from the point of view of safety as well as enjoyment. Should an emergency arise which incapacitates the skipper, the first mate must be able to take charge, as co-pilot, for the safety of both the boat and the crew, which means taking an interest in all aspects of sailing from provisioning to navigation, crewing on deck to using the radio, cooking to anchoring, sail trimming to steering by compass, reading the chart to interpreting weather forecasts.