The Author, bom in Westerham in Kent in 1912 went to sas just before his fifteenth birthday in 1927, since when he has served in a wide variety of ships. His introduction to sail was on a coaster running coal from Goole to Hayling leland and was caught by the Old Man both off course and off the wind. His caustic rebuke has never been forgotten-A bloody seagull on a soap box can sail down wind, it takes a seaman to sail a ship to windward! Since when he himself has made use of the phrase on many occasions. He has been involved with ships and shipping most of his life from apprentice to master on steamers, katches, schooners, one with 3800 square foot mainsail, topsail schooners, brigs, a barquentine and a ship as well as serving during the war as navigator and Commanding Officer in submarines For nine years he ran a shipyard in India and turned it from near bankruptcy to profitability in twelve months, was Chairman of the Indian Shipbuilding Association and with Dr Nagendra Singh founded the Ministry of Transport Advisory Committee on Shipping. He has written a number of papers on shipping subjects including sailing ship design. For some years he has been designing sailing ships and re-rigging museum ships and training ships, currently being involved in rigging a briga topsail schooner and the 1678 barque HMS GANNET Chatham and a project to build a 900 ton barque. His largest project was to design the Sail Aner for the Australian Wool Corporation. Captain Willoughby has always been concerned with good seamanship practice on any ship of which he was Master, particularly onboard sail training ships. This manual is the result of much experience both in the design and operation of sailing ships, and is published to assist all permanent crews and trainees of square rigged ships in service Captain Willoughby mading his sextant aboard Regina Maria Sail liner designed by the author for the Australian Wool Corporation