Best Books for Boating in the Pacific Northwest and Inside Passage

If you boat in the Inside Passage (anywhere between Olympia to Glacier Bay), there a some excellent books you’ll want to have on board. In fact Capt. Dave and I think they’re so important, we have a copy of each at home as well as on board.  Here they are: ​

Waggoner Cruising Guide  
Updated and published annually, the Waggoner Cruising Guide is the cruising bible for the Pacific Northwest.  It includes Olympia to Ketchikan, as well as Vancouver’s west coast.  Besides giving you the latest information about marinas and anchorages, the guide provides lots of needed information regarding weather and radio channels, customs, and safe boating. This book is a must.  ​

Northwest Boat Travel 
Updated frequently, but not necessarily annually, Northwest Boat Travel includes information similar to but unique from Waggoner. If you’re planning on taking your boat to SE Alaska, you’ll want NBT, because its information includes Ketchikan and northward to Glacier Bay and Skagway.  â€‹

Nigel Calder’s Boatowners' Mechanical -Electrical Manual
​This is a boat owner’s bible for detecting and fixing boat problem, both mechanical and electric. On L’Esprit, out ritual is to have me go read out loud the trouble-shooting directions, while Capt. Dave does the dirty work. I can’t tell you how many times we have been able to fix problems that initially seemed super scary, but ultimately just required a wrench, or sealant, or a new impeller (which we keep plenty aboard).

The Dreamspeaker Series (includes Olympia to The Broughtons) 
​This six-book set covers: South Sound, the San Juans, the Gulf Islands, the Sunshine Coast, Desolation Sound and Discovery Islands, and the Broughtons.  They’re wonderfully illustrated, and they provide encouraging information about docking, anchoring, and exploring. ​

Fine Edge Planning Charts  
Fine Edge provides some really super planning charts. They’re not for navigating, but they’re great for seeing where to go and estimating how long it will take to get there. On the backs of some charts, they even have anchoring-depth information for each specific anchorage.
Fine Edge, by the way, publishes the Waggoner Guide and a host of other superior books for boaters cruising the Inside Passage. I urge you to browse their website. I can’t think of one publication I would deter you from purchasing and  making part of your permanent boat library. Visit fineedge.com.

Get your copy of The First Mate's Guide at Amazon.
$11.99 USD
Paperback or Kindle.

Printables designed to make you feel safe and organized on extended boat cruises.

Feel safe and organized on your next long cruise. Use the printable Boat Notebook Pages. A5, Half Page, Happy Planner Classic, and Letter

 

 

 

The First-Mate’s Guide to Cruising the Inside Passage  
I’m tooting my own horn here, but I think this book should be a part of every Inside-Passage boater’s library. It explains what you need to know in order to plan, prepare for, and enjoy your cruise, short or long, close-by or a far-distance. It provides resources so you can find what you need when you need it.  Need help talking on your marine radio? It has scripts. Need to know how to provision a galley? It explains how in ten steps. Need to know about safety equipment, customs, or giving your boat its annual check-up? All that is included, plus much more ​