Hugh,
When reading the thread on bug-out boats, I was reminded anew of one of my favorite novels: The Riddle of the Sands. Here’s more about the author:
You can also get a copy of the book from Gutenberg. As it so happens the book is outside of copyright and so it was one of the first books to be published on the Internet, leading to a nasty lawsuit. The Riddle of The Sands is considered required reading for all serious sailors, particularly those favoring wooden-hulled boats. – R.C.