Review By: Mark Tilden

The Salzer's book is part cruising tutorial, part travel log, part reference manual, and entirely worth your time.

I'm not sure where we first met Ade & Jo Salzer--it was probably at a Selene Rendezvous. However, in the fall of 2007, we spent 3 wonderful weeks cruising the west coast of Mexico with the first FUBAR rally. (See the story of that cruise here). Ade and Jo and their beautiful Selene 43 "Wandering Star" were part of the group of six Selenes (and about 43 other lesser boats) who made that voyage. The trip was just one small leg of the two-year adventure chronicled in their new book "Cruising the Big U".

Ade & Jo's book is a delightful mix of cruising tutorial, travel log, and reference manual. It's well worth your time and should probably be on the book shelf of every Selene.

In the first chapter, Ade makes the case for a cruising life style in general, and for the "Big U" in specific. He addresses the common concerns and objections that many of our friends and family voice when they first hear of our crazy plan to live aboard a boat and cruise. This would be a great chapter to give to your doubting friends or family. The next two chapters examine the characteristics of a "suitable" boat and provide a detailed outline a realistic cruising budget. Both are valuable for anyone considering longer-term cruising.

Jo takes over in chapter 4, which opens with "So Your Partner Wants to Go to Sea...". She addresses her own fears and joys in transitioning to living aboard with the wit and humor. This is a great chapter for the first mate who is still unsure about the whole idea.

Jo & Ade Salzer, Authors of "Cruising the Big U"

The bulk of the book is contained in Chapters 5 and 6. Chapter 5 is Ade's detailed daily captain's log. This 275-page chapter is broken into 15 legs with daily accounts of their travels. It's a valuable resource for anyone exploring the areas they describe. I was immediately drawn to Ade's account of what was undoubtedly the most harrowing part of their adventure, when Wandering Star's single main engine failed off the coast of Columbia in rough seas. Once you've read Ade's account, it's worth jumping ahead to Jo's colorful description of the same events in Chapter 6. Her section is aptly titled "Holy Moley: Our Engine Quit!". These two stories are worth the price of the book in themselves.

Chapter 7 is a gold mine of cruising resources Jo and Ade compiled, including cruising guides, weather resources, and cruising associations, while Chapter 8 is a collection of their own equipment lists, check lists, and other helpful documents.

Ade & Jo celebrate in the cockpit of their beautiful Selene 43 "Wandering Star"

Best of all, the entire book is thoroughly indexed, so it's equally valuable as a reference volume as well as a good old fashion sea story. As one reviewer wrote:"We are not even all the way through this book and are already figuring out how we too can take a trip like this in our lifetime. This is definitely a book for those who dream of heading out into the wild blue yonder at the helm of their own vessel."

"Cruising the Big U" is available through Ade and Jo's "Big U Cruising Association" web site and through Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other major booksellers. You can also read more about the Salzar's cruising adventures on their blog at: http://mvwanderingstar.com