An indication of the depth of detail can be found in the classification of towpath conditions into three grades - something cyclists and walkers find invaluable.

The Canal Companions areguaranteed to add enjoyment to any canal itinerary; afoot or afloat.

This edition covers the Kennet & Avon Canal in its entirety between Bristol and Reading and also features the River Thames between Reading and Oxford.

Central Waterways Supplies Tel/Fax: 01788 546692 The Adlard Coles Book of Navigation Exercises Alison Noice and James Stevens, 88pp, 297 x 210, soft cover £16.99 - includes training chart Written by the RYA staff who wrote the examination papers, the Adlard Coles Book of Navigation Exercises provides practice questions and answers at both Day Skipper and Coastal Skipper/ Yachtmaster levels.

The book provides plotting, tidal, pilotage and passage planning exercises based on the RYA training chart that's included with the book. There are also extracts from the relevant tide table almanacs and pilotage notes to enable students to complete the exercises.

A&C Black (Publishers) Ltd.

Tel: 020 7758 0200 Fax: 020 7758 0222/0333 Email: acn@acblack.com The Complete Yachtmaster Tom Cunliffe, 248pp, 253 x 180mm, hardback, £21.99 This is the 4th edition of Tom Cunliffe's book on sailing, seamanship and navigation and it is now in full colour throughout.

Cunliffe writes with a clear, jargon-free style that will guide the student through the RYA syllabus in a practical and systematic way.

This edition includes a section on electronic navigation techniques.

Adlard Coles Nautical Tel: 020 7758 0200 Fax: 020 7758 0222/0333 Email: acn@acblack.com Racundra's First Cruise Arthur Ransome, 256pp, 235 x 150mm, hardback, £20.00 This new edition of Racundra's First Cruise includes the original maps, text and photos from the 1923 first edition, of which only 1500 copies were printed.

The book also contains a detailed introduction detailing Ransome's Baltic sailing in Slug and Kittiwake and includes unpublished articles and essays together with many original Ransome pictures and present day photographs of the area.

The book contains some 43 Ransome photos, plus 16 modern photos, eight maps, four sketches plus colour end papers with a map and Ransome's watercolours.

The manuscript is researched, edited and introduced by Brian Hammett, who received critical acclaim for his work on Racundra 's Third Cruise . Details of Racundra's life after Ransome are also included and the title has the full support of Ransome's literary executors, who say they are delighted to see it republished.

Fernhurst expects the title to get reviews in national newspaper, which should help the sales drive. Other selling points include the Ransome name, the fact that Racundra's First Cruise was a best seller when published originally in 1923.

And all those Swallows and Amazons fans out there will need this volume.

Fernhurst Books Tel: 01903 882277 Fax: 01903 882715 Email: chloe.davison@fernhurstbooks.co.uk Web: www.fernhurstbooks.co.uk The Inland Waterways Manual Emrhys Barrell, 200pp, 204 x 156mm, soft cover, £14.99 This is the second edition of Emrys Barrell's Inland Waterways Manual and it includes information on all the newly restored waterways, the Boat Safety Scheme (BSS), the Recreational Craft Directive (RCD) and details of all the navigable waterways in the UK.

The book is liberally sprinkled with black and white diagrams and pictures and the text takes the reader through choosing a boat, whether to hire or buy, how much it will cost, and where they can go.

Boat handling and manoeuvring are covered in detail, along with maintenance and repair. There is also a section on trailer boating for those who want to keep their boat at home.

Emrys Barrell is editor of Canal Boat & Inland Waterways magazine and knows his subject.

Adlard Coles Nautical Tel: 020 7758 0200 Fax: 020 7758 0222/0333 Email: publicity@acblack.com GP14: 50 Years on the Water GP Fourteen Class International Association, 128pp, 240 x 169 mm, soft cover, £12.95 Jack Holt's GP14 was an instant success when it was launched in 1949. This book will be a must for everyone who has been involved with the class in the intervening 50 years.

With 73 colour photos, 32 black and white photos and two diagrams, the book looks at the class from 1950 to the present day, detailing the events and the people who have shaped the class.

"In producing this hook we have tried to do two things. To entertain you by recalling memories for those of you who knew the earlier days of the class, perhaps sailing GP14s in the 50's, or if you are a more recent member, give you an idea of the background which has led this class to such great strengths, " says Peter Sandbach 1984 - 1992 association secretary.

Fernhurst Books Tel: 01903 882277. Fax: 01903 882715.

Email: chloe.davison@fernhurstbooks.co.uk Web: www.fernhurstbooks.co.uk Reed's Sextant Simplified Dag Pike, 104pp, 210 x 140mm, soft cover, £12.99 Originally written by Captain O M Watts, Dag Pike has completely re-written this 7th edition of the title.

Every navigator should be able to use a sextant, says the publisher, Adlard Coles Nautical, even though the instrument has now been relegated to the role of back-up system.

The sextant is still the only truly independent means of calculating a position at sea and could prove a lifesaver if the boat's electrical system fails.

Pike - one of the UK's most respected navigators - describes how a sextant works, provides practical tips and advice on using it, explains how to read as well as lake sights, how to make adjustments and correct errors, as well as advice and care, and maintenance of the instrument.

Adlard Coles Nautical Tel: 020 7758 0200 Fax: 020 7758 0222/0333 Email: acn@acblack.com