BOOK REVIEW | Driving Lifeboats and Rescue Boats

By Dag Pike

This fine little book is the product of a very convenient and appropriate marriage. The publisher, the Nautical Institute, is undoubtedly the world’s leading maritime professional association. It focuses resolutely on safety and the author, Dag Pike, is renowned for his advisory output on marine safety, particularly as it relates to smaller vessels.

Pike knows of what he writes and he writes well. He has very extensive experience at sea, in all conditions, in a very wide range of craft. He is particularly interested in rescue craft. Basically his book does as it title suggests.

It gives good sound advice as to driving all kinds of modern life and rescue boats in all kinds of conditions, particularly the bad conditions in which they are most likely to be operated. It’s all good common-sense stuff to an experienced small boat handler but it is also a good primer for the less experienced.

It should be read by anyone who goes to sea in rescue boats and those responsible for life and rescue boat operations from larger vessels.

Available here from The Nautical Institute, London, UK.