Book Review: Reeds Crew Handbook by Bill Johnson

Why Crew Still Matters

In an age of powerful autopilots, bow thrusters, and chartplotters that can almost dock a boat for you, it is easy to forget the timeless truth: sailing is a team sport. A yacht — whether a 30-foot cruiser or a 50-foot race boat — depends on its crew not just for sail handling but for the safety, comfort, and morale of everyone on board.

That is why Reeds Crew Handbook (2nd Edition), updated and republished in 2025, matters so much. Authored by Bill Johnson, a professional skipper and instructor with decades of experience, this slim volume manages to distill the essence of being a good crew member into an accessible, practical, and modern guide. As someone who came late to sailing — I only began in my fifties and have worked my way up through Competent Crew and, most recently, Day Skipper courses while sailing mostly in the Solent — this book struck a deep chord with me. It felt less like a textbook and more like an encouraging mentor, explaining not only the what but the why of good crewing.

In this review, I will explore the handbook’s structure, highlight its strengths, compare it with other training resources, and reflect on how it has shaped my own understanding of crewing aboard yachts up to 50 ft.

The Book at a Glance

At just over 150 pages, the Reeds Crew Handbook is compact enough to slip into a kit bag but packed with diagrams, photographs, and step-by-step explanations.

It is structured logically around the lifecycle of a sailing trip:

Preparation and Personal Kit – what to bring, what to wear, how to stow it.
Basic Seamanship – knots, ropework, and deck skills.
Sail Handling – trimming, tacking, gybing, and reefing.
Mooring and Anchoring – line handling, fender placement, and teamwork at critical moments.
Navigation Awareness – lookout duties, buoy recognition, and situational awareness.
Emergencies – man-overboard, fire, flooding, and abandoning ship.
Racing Crew Roles – an added section that makes this edition particularly useful for those joining club regattas or offshore rallies.

The tone is straightforward, with a focus on clear instructions supported by modern diagrams. Unlike some RYA publications, which can be quite dense or instructor-oriented, this book speaks directly to the ordinary crew member.

Preparing Like a Pro: The Opening Chapters

The first section of the handbook might seem simple — what to pack and how to prepare — but in my experience, this is where many new crew go wrong. Johnson emphasises:

Layering clothing for variable conditions (essential in the Solent, where a sunny departure from Hamble can turn into a cold, damp arrival in Yarmouth).
Non-slip footwear — an area too many newcomers underestimate until they skid across a wet deck.
Head torches with red light modes, which he rightly describes as “the mark of a thoughtful crew member” when moving about at night.

I appreciated his stress on stowing personal kit out of the way. A yacht saloon is not a student dormitory, and tripping over someone’s duffel bag in a swell is not just irritating but dangerous. These early chapters set the tone: the handbook is not about advanced yachtmaster tricks, but about the everyday behaviours that make life afloat safer and more enjoyable.

Ropework and Knots: The Crew’s Toolkit

Johnson covers rope handling in a way that is both traditional and modern. Yes, he includes the bowline, clove hitch, and round turn with two half-hitches — the holy trinity of sailing knots — but he also explains when each is most useful. What I found especially helpful were the illustrations showing how to:

Throw a coil of line effectively to someone on the pontoon.
Take turns on a winch safely without risking a riding turn.
Lead lines through fairleads and protect against chafe.

As crew, this is where you can truly shine: the skipper may be focused on wind, tide, or harbour traffic, but if you can handle ropes confidently and efficiently, you become invaluable.

Sail Handling: More Than Just Pulling Ropes

Perhaps the strongest section of the book is the chapter on sail handling. Here Johnson demonstrates his teaching pedigree:

Trimming the jib — he explains the tell-tales in a way that finally clicked for me: “The windward one is honesty, the leeward one is enthusiasm; keep them both flying.”
Tacking and gybing — step-by-step diagrams show not just the path of the sail but the safe position for the crew. This is vital for newcomers who often end up in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Reefing early — he repeats the mantra “If you think about it, do it,” which I have since heard echoed by countless experienced sailors.

What impressed me most is that the book treats the crew as active participants in sail handling, not just passive rope-pullers waiting for commands. By explaining the why as well as the how, Johnson empowers crew to anticipate manoeuvres.

Berthing, Anchoring, and the “Pontoon Ballet”

Any sailor knows that the most stressful moments often happen in sight of land. Johnson devotes an entire section to mooring and anchoring — rightly so.

Fender positioning is explained with simple diagrams showing typical marina situations.
Spring lines are illustrated clearly, with the reasoning behind forward and aft springs laid out.
Anchoring drills cover not only lowering and raising the anchor but also the silent teamwork required between bow crew and helm.

Reading this section reminded me of my own first nerve-wracking berthing at Yarmouth on a breezy Saturday afternoon, with an audience on the quay. Having clear crew roles and signals would have reduced the stress tenfold.

Emergencies: Clear, Calm, and Realistic

No crew handbook is complete without a section on emergencies, and here Johnson’s practical voice shines.

Man-Overboard (MOB): He presents both the “quick-stop” and “figure-of-eight” methods, stressing that the crew’s role is to keep eyes on the casualty at all times.
Fire and Flooding: Simple, direct instructions with an emphasis on early detection and calm response.
Abandon Ship: A scenario no one wants to face, but his advice on preparing the life raft, grab bags, and distress signals is essential reading.

What I liked here is that Johnson does not over-complicate. He acknowledges the fear and adrenaline of such moments, and gives crew clear, memorable instructions.

Racing Roles: A Valuable Addition

One of the most welcome updates in the second edition is a new chapter on racing. Many Solent sailors, myself included, dip into club races or join as delivery crew.

Johnson introduces the key roles — bowman, mastman, pit, trimmers, and helm — with succinct descriptions of their responsibilities. For a newcomer stepping aboard a race boat, this is gold dust. Knowing roughly where to stand and what to expect helps reduce nerves and mistakes. I found this section particularly motivating: it reminded me that even as a late starter, there is no reason not to join in the excitement of a regatta, provided you bring humility and a willingness to learn.

Style and Accessibility

Unlike some sailing manuals that read like technical references, the Reeds Crew Handbook is approachable and encouraging. The language is plain, the tone supportive, and the layout uncluttered. Each topic is illustrated with clear diagrams — updated in this edition with modern graphics that far surpass the line drawings of older sailing texts. Photographs are used sparingly but effectively, often to show correct and incorrect techniques side by side. The size of the book is also a strength: it feels designed to be carried on board, thumbed through over a cup of tea, or used for a quick pre-sail refresher.

Comparison with Other Resources

How does it stack up against the RYA’s own Competent Crew Handbook or almanacs like Reeds Almanac?

RYA Handbooks are authoritative but often pitched at instructors or exam candidates. They sometimes assume prior knowledge. Johnson’s book feels more “from the cockpit,” aimed at real crew in real situations.
Reeds Almanac is invaluable for tide tables and port data, but it is not a teaching tool. The Crew Handbook complements it perfectly by focusing on human skills.
Forum Advice (e.g. Practical Boat Owner, Reddit r/sailing) is colourful and often insightful, but inconsistent. Johnson’s book filters the wisdom into a coherent, tested guide.

In short, this book fills the gap between technical manuals and real-world chatter — it is authoritative and accessible.

Reflections as a Late Starter

As someone who began sailing later in life, I found this book especially empowering. Too often, newcomers feel like dead weight aboard, unsure of what to do or when. Johnson’s approach dismantles that fear:

He emphasises anticipation over reaction — encouraging crew to watch, think, and be ready.
He acknowledges mistakes as part of learning, but stresses the importance of safety and calm.
He treats crew as equal partners in the voyage, not just extra hands.

For me, reading this book alongside real sailing experiences has turned theory into practice. The next time I was asked to set fenders, trim the jib, or stand anchor watch, I felt not only competent but confident.

Strengths and Limitations

Strengths:

Clear, modern diagrams.
Logical structure matching the flow of a voyage.
Practical, memorable advice for real situations.
Racing section adds valuable breadth.
Compact, portable size.

Limitations:

Inevitably concise — some topics (e.g. navigation lights, electronic instruments) are only touched upon.
Assumes a yacht size of 30–50 ft; dinghy sailors or superyacht crew may find less relevance.
Not a substitute for hands-on practice — but then, no book can be.

Final Verdict

Reeds Crew Handbook (2nd Edition) is, in my view, an essential addition to any sailor’s library — particularly those in the early stages of their journey. It bridges the gap between the structured world of RYA courses and the messy reality of weekend sailing with friends, club races, or delivery trips.

For Day Skippers, it is a reminder of how to brief and support crew. For Competent Crew, it is a manual of empowerment. For late starters like me, it is reassurance that we can learn, adapt, and contribute meaningfully aboard yachts up to 50 ft.

At just the right size to slip into a kit bag, it is the book I now recommend to any friend joining me for a Solent coastal hop. It tells them, better than I ever could, how to shine as crew.