David Seidman got into boats when he was nine and has been hooked ever since. He has designed and built his own boats and sailed the world in others. The first person to reach Bermuda from the U.S. in an outboard-powered boat, Seidman has also crossed the Bering Strait on a personal watercraft, holds the world record for distance traveled in a boat on a gallon of gas (103 miles), has followed the route of Lewis and Clark, crossed the country twice by boat, and has traveled by boat up the Amazon and down the Yangtze and Mississippi rivers. Equally fascinated by power, sail, and paddle, he is an accomplished sea kayaker and has sailed across the Atlantic. He is the former executive editor of Boating, the world's largest powerboat magazine, and is the author of The Complete Sailor, a bestselling sailing instructional guide. Most relevant of all, however, David is the proud father of a 6-year-old boy who he hopes will share his love of boats and the sea. The Anti-Pirate Potato Cannon and 101 Other Things for Young Mariners to Build, Try, and Do on the Water is David's attempt to ensure that happens. Jeff Hemmel is a lifelong boater, and contributing editor to Boating Magazine, PersonalWatercraft.com, and BoaterMouth.com. Always interested in watersports, he raced sailboats in his teen years, competed as a professional personal watercraft freestyle rider in his 20s, and remains an avid wakeboarding enthusiast. Hemmel was recently inducted into the International Jet Sports Boating Association Hall of Fame, as well as given that association's "Lifetime Achievement" award. Jeff loves a fresh story angle, and in that pursuit has battled Class IV rapids in a Hells Canyon jet boat, surfed the waves of South Africa on a stand-up Jet Ski, rode a wakeboard through the Grand Canyon, even pulled the 12-person water-ski pyramid at Florida's Cypress Gardens. Like David, Jeff is passing on his love of the water to his two young daughters, both of whom are already proud skiers.

LEARN TO BODY SURF; ESCAPE A RIP CURRENT; MAKE A SODA-BOTTLE WEATHERGLASS; WE SAY, THEY SAY; FIND FISH FAST; MAKE A SHIP IN A BOTTLE; STOCK YOUR DITTY BAG; THE SEA AND YOUR SENSES; BIG VOYAGES IN SMALL BOATS; WHAT'S ON THE BOTTOM? MAKE A COLLECTING DREDGE; CLEAN AND FILLET A FISH; CATCH A WORLD-RECORD FISH; HEAVE-HO: HOW NOT TO GET SEASICK; CREW (OR YOU) OVERBOARD; KNOTS: THE BIG FOUR; PLAY A BOSUN'S PIPE; DOGS ABOARD; BUILD AN ANTI-PIRATE POTATO CANNON; A HANGING AT SEA; LET'S GO CLAMMING; SUPERIOR STONE SKIPPING; HOW BOATS ARE DESIGNED; BUILD A HALF-HULL MODEL; WHY BOATS FLOAT; READ THE CLOUDS; MAKE A DIVER'S TUBE RAFT; NAME THAT WIND; LEARN TO WATER-SKI; DRIVE A 100 MPH BOAT; MAKE A VIEWING BUCKET; HOW BIG ARE THOSE WAVES?; RUN A SMALL BOAT THROUGH THE SURF; HOW TO HANDLE WAVES; WRESTLE AN ALLIGATOR; FELINE FORECASTING; WHERE'S THE WIND, SAILOR?; CATCH AND RELEASE A FISH; PLAY IN TRAFFIC; YOU'RE NEVER TOO YOUNG; BUILD A BOAT; WEAVE A SAILORS' BRACELET; NAVIGATE BY SATELLITE; HAVE A BEACH CLAMBAKE; GET UP ON A WAKEBOARD; REPAIR A SAIL; CAPSIZED!; WHEN DOES THE SUN SET?; GO SHARK WATCHING--SAFELY; SIGNAL WITH A CD; WHAT'S OVER THE HORIZON?; PADDLE A SEA KAYAK; HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE ...; BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR POLLUTION; RIDE A STAND-UP WATERCRAFT; SUBMARINE A JET SKI; PASS YOUR BOATING EXAM; SEND A MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE; KNOW YOUR BINOCULARS; MAKE A PLANKTON NET; A PROPER SAILOR'S KNIFE; ALL YOU NEED IS THE NORTH STAR; A BOATERS' OLYMPICS; PADDLE A CANOE; IS IT GOING TO RAIN?; THE BEST WAY TO COIL A LINE; FIVE SEA BATTLES YOU SHOULD KNOW; ROLL LIKE AN ESKIMO; HOW FIBERGLASS BOATS ARE BUILT; SAILBOATS RACE ON THE ROOF; HOW DEEP IS IT?; SEND SEMAPHORE SIGNALS; A WALK TO THE ABYSS; ROW A BOAT; HOW FAST ARE YOU GOING?; BOATERS' PAINTBALL; IDENTIFY LARGE SEA LIFE; NAVIGATE LIKE ANCIENT MARINERS; WIN A SAILBOAT RACE; NAVIGATE WITH A KAMAL; MAKE YOUR OWN CHART;ARE YOU NEARING LAND?; DINGHY CRUISING; CAREERS AT SEA; MAKE A PADDLE; THE YOUNG MARINER'S FILM LIBRARY; DEEPWATER SLALOM SKI START; KEEP WATCH; FEND OFF A SHARK; COOK LUNCH ON YOUR ENGINE;A HOME FOR YOUR BOAT: MAKE A MOORING; FIND THAT "LOST" BUOY; THE YOUNG MARINER'S READING LIST; SURVIVE AN AIR-SEA RESCUE; PUT YOUR SAILBOAT TO BED; CARVE A COOL SLALOM TURN; MATCH YOUR SAILS TO THE WIND; ON-WATER PHOTOGRAPHY; MAKE HUCK FINN'S PVC PIPE RAFT; AVOID BAD LUCK; THAT FARAWAY LOOK: ESTIMATE DISTANCE OFF; THROW A CAST NET; BUILD A DUGOUT CANOE; GO CRABBING; BUILD A WATERFRONT SWING; WHO NEEDS A RUDDER?; BEGINNER-FRIENDLY WATER SKIS; GPS GAMES; BAREFOOT WATERSKIING; CAST A FLY; KNOT TRICKS; A WATERSKIING PYRAMID; BUILD A PAPER BOAT; MAKE VIEWING GOGGLES FROM A SODA BOTTLE; BREW YOUR OWN BIOFUEL; KEEP YOUR BOAT GREEN AND CLEAN; LEARN TO SCULL; USEFUL WEATHER RHYMES; SURVIVE A HURRICANE AT SEA; MAKE A ROPE LADDER; HEAVE A LINE AND MAKE A MONKEY'S FIST; A COMPASS IN YOUR HAND; RIDE A DISK; FIND YOUR WAY WITH HELP FROM THE SUN; SEAGOING TOILETS; EYE-SPLICE A LINE; TIE UP TO A DOCK; WIND FROM THE LAND AND SEA; WIN A COOL BET; A SEA OF WORDS; Credits; Index