This new printing of Peter Stuckey's classic book on the sailing pilot cutters of the Bristol Channel is a response to public demand. The author tells of the pilots, westernmen, men-in-the-boats' and apprentices from first hand accounts, with vivid descriptions of the rigors of their daily life afloat and their often incredible feats of seamanship. Generations of men and boats from Bristol, Newport, Barry, Cardiff and Swansea are all Commemorated.

There are chapters on the craft themselves, how and by whom they were built, along with descriptive appendices on the surprising number of cutters still in commission as prized yachts, museum preservation projects and the growing number of ship's modellers recreating classic craft like Cariad and Marguerite.

There is an additional profile of RB Boatbuilding Ltd of Bristol which has built replicas of sailing pilot cutters