27 Perfect Books for Boaters.
This gift guide contains useful and adventurous reads for cruisers. Reading and boating pair like flippers and inserts.
Reading was everyone’s hobby aboard. We are biased for paper books and had a nice collection aboard – from homeschooling, via non-fiction, to classics.
Paper books do belong on boats and make a wonderful swap, when you meet fellow cruisers.
Wondering what gift to select for your loved ones – how about a book?
For tons more useful boating items, see all of our Boat Gear Posts.
Helpful, Non-fiction Books
The books below come in handy for any aspect of living on a boat. We prefer the paper versions of these for easy and quick reference.
More boating-life gear we use:
My Composting Toilet Aboard – Love-Hate Relationship (Pros and Cons).
My Washing Machine Aboard – Forget Bucket Laundry!
19 Best Boating Bags. Tips How to Use Them.
9 Sailing Outfits for any Season and Reason
Comfortable Sailing Shoes for Every Boating Need
1. Waterproof Guide to Corals and Fishes
Waterproof fish books are a great learning tool for anyone aboard.
For more boating tools: 27 Important Tools for Boaters. Our Captain’s Favorite Toys.
And because they truly are waterproof, the cruisers can figure out what that fish was they just saw, right after they come out of the water.
With enough time to jump back in and see it again!
I am linking to the one we had aboard.
2. Reef Fish Identification – Florida Caribbean Bahamas
The Fish of the Caribbean is an excellent quick guide to fish and coral.
For more useful Boating Guides: Boating Guides
After drying off, we’d refer to our paper fish book, which had more details on the amazing marine life around us.
This is the paper book we had aboard:
3. Voyaging With Kids – A Guide to Family Life Afloat
If you plan to cruise with kids – young and old, you must read this book. It has become the classic book amongst cruising families.
Even better, this will make an excellent gift for worried family and friends too.
Before we started sailing I had tons of questions and worries swimming through my mind. Many more than needed, or practical.
For essential and safety boating gear:
What is a PFD? Easy Guide and Common Questions.
12 Safety Gear Essentials for the High Seas.
10 Most Reliable Sailing Life Jackets (Adults and Kids)
First Aid Kit Aboard – Supplies and Organization
13 Gadgets for Boaters
27 Important Tools for Boaters
Books such as Voyaging with Kids are excellent resources. It is most useful to read before setting sail. Which is what I did.
4. The Useful Knots Book
Every cruiser must know at least a few basic knots. It is just a fact of boating life.
Poorly tied knots can cause serious damage to the crew, or the boat. A knot book makes an excellent book to give as a gift, any time.
It is a very relaxing and fun activity to sit in the shade and practice knot tying. A knots book can offer quality bonding time to parents and kids.
Our book came from Grandpa and is a bit hard to find, but here is a highly rated one.
5. Portable Waterproof Knot Book Ring-bound
These cards are a great reference tool to have aboard, and they are waterproof too.
When your hands are tied (yes, intended), having a quick and convenient card to reference is very helpful.
You can buy these together with the knot paper book.
6. The Gentleman’s Guide to Passages South
This guide has been read and referenced by many cruisers. It offers a safe route for boaters, following favorite destinations along the Bahamas and Caribbean.
A guide to safe passages will be read over and over again. I mostly read abstract from it online, everyone knows about it.
7. A Cruising Journal
Every captain must keep a logbook of everything – passages, conditions, miles, repairs.
All records can go in the same notebook, but a separate journal of the voyage would keep the cherished memories.
Plus, it won’t smell like diesel, because the one we used to log in engine and boat repairs kind of did.
Our journal devoted to the journey only, was in leather and the kids also wrote in it. Buy a nice pen too, to go with it (no liquid ink aboard).
If you spill, read this: My Washing Machine Aboard – Forget Bucket Laundry!
8. Personalized Kids Travel Journals
Keeping a journal aboard counts as school. We asked our kids to keep travel journal, while sailing and living on a boat.
For more ideas about world-schooling: World-Schooling Curriculum – How to Homeschool, Travel and Relax!
The journal typically stays on the boat, so you can buy a bit fancier and larger book.
Occasionally, our kids would read past entries to each other and laugh at their thoughts from the previous year, when they were so much younger and less mature…
9. Guest Book
Guest book can be signed by anyone, even fellow boaters coming over for a fun chat.
These guest books will collect funny stories, memories and good wishes.
One day, when the cruising adventure is over, such journals are keepsakes that carry on the salty life for a bit longer.
10. A Large World Atlas
They will all be reading the atlas. Atlases never gather dust on boats.
Kids and adults who are bored by geography textbooks are fascinated by the paper maps translating facts into tangible adventures.
Any classic atlas will do, we love the big ones!
With all these books, you’d better have a reliable boating bag to carry everything. Here are some ideas: 19 Best Boating Bags. Tips How to Use Them.
Adventurous fiction books for boaters
Let the boat creek and gently rock you into the world of pirates, adventures and exploration.
The fiction classics below are excellent to read for fun, or to use with a study guide, for homeschooling.
I am offering links to the unabridged versions. All are suitable for older children (tweens and up), but some might be a bid hard to read.
11. Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe
A timeless classic book, that is perfect to read while touring uninhabited islands.
We loved the journal entries. I ended up reading that one aloud to the kids, because those long sentences need some intonation.
12. Around the World in 80 Days by Jules Verne
Books that explore journey whether by sea, land or air make a perfect read for real-life explorers.
13. Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne
A monster, yet not a monster – who knows what lurks below.
One of our kids read the book and enjoyed it.
14. Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson
We always search for something amazing and unusual to find, everywhere we travel.
15. The Count of Monte Christo by Alexandre Dumas
It has been years since I read that book and I still remember the suspense – will he make it, will he escape?
16. Moby Dick by Herman Melville
I had to read this one for a college class and I did not like it very much.
Never finished it, to be honest. But it is a classic book, so I am including it.
17. The Lost World by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Another favorite book I read years ago, translated into Bulgarian.
In fact, I have never given that one to our kids – time to update our reading lists!
18. The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas
There are more adventurous books on the list, but then again, we are all about team work aboard.
So, it makes perfect sense to read on a boat.
19. The Swiss Family Robinson by Johann David Wyss
It is a beloved read, along with the famous Kon Tiki (mentioned below).
We had it on our school reading list, because I found it free at a marina – hey, why not!
20. Kon-Tiki: Across the Pacific in a Raft by Thor Heyerdahl
Another popular book amongst boaters, maybe a bit older ones.
Two out of three aboard our boat read it and liked it (I think), so it’s going on the list.
21. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
Ideally, buy the Ultimate Guide (link is below). It is hilarious enough to keep them reading.
22. Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes
Another mandatory read from my childhood, which is being passed down to our boatkids to enjoy.
Children will find it funny, adults might find it somewhat sad – a bit for everyone aboard. Adventurous for sure.
23. The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway
One of the easiest books to read on the list, but by no means simple, nor shallow.
The unique writing style of Hemingway will inspire young minds and please even picky readers (we have one).
24. Guliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift
A timeless classic, which much like Robinson Crusoe will be just a fun adventure for young readers and a bit more complicated tale of society for older ones.
25. Lord of the Flies by WIlliam Golding
Perhaps more suitable for teens and older. A great book.
26. The Call of the Wild by Jack London
I have to mention this one, even if not about adventures in tropical places and remote islands.
It is an easy book to read, so it can be a great one to read before some of the books above.
27. The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien
Of course, I am going to include this phantasy classic. It is a must read, even if they do not like The Lord of the Rings.
It is a lot lighter and easier to read, and plenty adventurous.
Conclusion about this guide of books for boaters
As you give the timeless gift of a book, keep in mind:
- The non-fiction books are better in a paper version, rather than Kindle.
- Many, if not all of the fiction books can also be found in used-books stores.
- Some of the classics are available for free on Kindle.
- If you prefer a Kindle – the paperwhite version is the best.
- All of the classic books are free on Project Gutenberg
- Once you finish a book, swap it with another boater.
- Check the libraries at marinas, there are cool finds there!
- Read the unabridged versions together with your kids – you be the audiobook.
- Watch the movies after you have read the books.
- Needless to say, reading these absolutely counts as school.
Would you like to be featured in this article?
Send me your suggestion of a great book for boaters and a brief reason why you enjoyed it, and I can include it in here, to make this list even more helpful!
Useful World-Schooling Posts
World-schooling Subjects Explained (Travel-Friendly, Parent-Friendly and Affordable)!
World-Schooling Curriculum – How to Homeschool, Travel and Relax!
World Schooling is Affordable and we’re Still Doing it.
13 Reasons We Love World-Schooling in Bulgaria
11 Valuable Boating Subscriptions and Courses
More Boating Gear for Everyday Life
My Composting Toilet Aboard – Love-Hate Relationship (Pros and Cons).
My Washing Machine Aboard – Forget Bucket Laundry!
19 Best Boating Bags. Tips How to Use Them.
9 Sailing Outfits for any Season and Reason
Comfortable Sailing Shoes for Every Boating Need
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