Anyone who has sailed alone or short-handed offshore knows the importance of getting the boat to steer herself. This book is the first to set down in one place all of the considerations that go into making self-steering work. The author has in mind all types of sailing craft, from the smallest to the largest, and all types of self-steering systems - sheet-to-tiller arrangements, vane gears, and electronic autopilots. But this is more than just a survey of what types of equipment are available with details on their mechanical operation. It is also a comprehensive guide to the technique and technology of self-steering.