Alan Lucas
Australian yachtsman and writer (1936–2025)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Alan Gordon Lucas OAM (3 July 1936 – 10 July 2025)[1] was an Australian yachtsman[2] and writer of boat cruising guides and other books relating to life on the sea. His Cruising the Coral Coast was the second cruising guide to be published in Australia.[3]
Lucas' most popular boat cruising guides are Cruising the Coral Coast[4] and Cruising the New South Wales Coast.[3] He is also a regular contributor to number of boating magazines including The Coastal Passage, Afloat, Australian Sailing, Australian Yachting, Cruising Helmsman[5] and an occasional contributor to the Good Old Boat magazine.
Lucas died on 10 July 2025 at the age of 89.[6]
Awards
In November 2010, Lucas was awarded a NSW Maritime Medal for his support of the marine community, especially his coastal guides for the safe navigation of the east coast.[7][8] In 2015, Lucas was presented with the Medal of the Order of Australia.[2]
Bibliography
Cruising Guides/Atlas
- Cruising the Coral Coast (1968) – now up to 9th edition (2017)[9]
- Cruising the New South Wales Coast (1976) – now up to 6th edition[10][11]
- Cruising Papua New Guinea (1980)
- Cruising New Caledonia and Vanuatu (1981)
- Cruising the Solomons (1981)
- Red Sea and Indian Ocean Cruising Guide (1985)
- New South Wales Boat Launching Ramp Atlas (1989)
- Sydney to Central Coast Waterways Guide (1991)
- Australian Cruising Guide (1994)[12]
Boat Building
- How to Build Small Boats (1975)
- The Tools and Materials of Boat Building (1978)
- Fitting Out Below Decks (1979)
- Fitting Out Above Decks (1982)
- Fitting out Mechanically (1982)
Encyclopaedia
- The Complete Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Boating (1977)
General Interest
- Just Cruising (1969)
- How to Sail Small Boats (1975)
- Barrier Reef Rendezvous (1978)
- The Schooner (1979)
- The Cruising Boat (1979)
- Cruising Companion (1985)
- Cruising to Europe (1986)
- Cruising in Tropical Waters and Coral (1987)
- Cruising Australians (1989)
- Off Watch (2007)[13]
- Simple Solutions (2015)
- Reefed in the Coral Sea : 500 wrecks, thousands of human tragedies (2016)