Book excerpt: The essential guide to cruising, geared to the charms of inland waterways Have you been dreaming about buying a boat and cruising the waterways? Not sure how to start living your dream? Experienced sailor and devoted inland voyager Danny Davis brings you an inside look at what life on the seas is really like. In The Inland Voyager’s Handbook, he reveals everything you need to know to safely and smoothly cruise in hundreds of miles of canals, rivers, and locks dotting the earth. You’ll find expert advice on choosing the right boat in your price range, preparing for a thunderstorm, dropping anchor, transiting locks, and much more. Inland voyaging means there are no big ocean swells or storms to contend with and boats within modest price tags—making this an attractive and attainable lifestyle no matter what your age or pocketbook. The Inland Voyager’s Handbook features: • Descriptions of how and where to travel, including all North American loops from Alaska to Florida, as well as European waterways • Soup-to-nuts explanations of the type of boats used, the lifestyle, and the many places for inland cruising • How-to information pertinent to the inland areas covered, including locks and canal transits • Down to earth instructions on how to choose and prepare a boat for voyaging, and much more