One Flew Over
The Crow’s Nest

Anyone who has cruised offshore knows the sea can play tricks on the mind. Imagine sailing across the Atlantic more than 600 years ago with only the stars to navigate by, or sailing alone around the world. It’s easy to envision going a bit wonky. Nic Compton’s Off The Deep End: A History Of Madness at Sea tells disturbing stories about people who lost their mind on board. 

The book’s 288 pages include stories of the mutiny aboard the whaleship Sharon, whose ruthless captain was murdered and left for the ship’s pigs, and the tale of Medusa, which saw survivors aboard rafts slaughter one another in a two-week melee. Additional tales of high-seas insanity include those of Christopher Columbus and Fletcher Christian, leader of the mutiny aboard the Bounty. (Adler Coles, $24)

Diesel Repairs

Whether you own a sailboat or powerboat, understanding how to maintain and protect your diesel can provide a great deal of satisfaction and peace of mind. In Marine Diesel Basics, author Dennison Berwick covers maintenance and upkeep, including layup, winterization, tropical storage and spring recommissioning. Maintenance regimens and troubleshooting techniques are explained with step-by-step instructions and illustrations. Topics such as filtration, cooling, exhaust, electrical, fuel, lubrication, transmission, shaft seals and propellers also are discussed. Each chapter covers a system and describes how to maintain, troubleshoot and repair it, and lists the tools you’ll need to get the job done. (Voyage Press, $16)

Lost And Found

In 1845, British explorer Sir John Franklin set out to discover a northern sea route linking the Atlantic and the Pacific. He mounted an expedition with the HMS Erebus and HMS Terror — and gathered 129 men. The trip was expected to take three years, but the ships never returned to Great Britain. They were last seen by the crews of two whaling ships in Baffin Bay off Greenland in July 1845. The wreck of the Erebus was found in 2014, the Terror in 2016, both off King William Island in the Canadian Arctic. Inside Sir John Franklin’s Erebus and Terror Expedition: Lost and Found are color photographs of artifacts and documents found on the ships and nearby islands, as well as a fascinating account of the voyages. (Adlard Coles, $28