This definitive work is both a tribute to and a minutely researched history of these remarkable vessels. The author, perhaps the most experienced sailor of the type, describes the ships themselves, their masters and crews, and the skills they needed for the competitive and dangerous work of pilotage.

Of this book, as one distinguished Master Mariner put it by way of review: ‘a magisterial history of pilots and pilot cutters’ to which this reviewer heartily concurs.

International Federation of Shipmasters’ Associations Newsletter - Number 78, July 2024

It’s a book written with expertise as well as love for its subject, and with its attractive presentation and interesting personal stories, Pilot Cutters Under Sail deserves to be read by more than just a niche audience.

The Nautilus Telegraph

Deserving of a place in any collector's library for the very high quality of the illustrations alone.
An outstanding book, brilliantly produced and illustrated, it should be in every ship lover's collection.

South West Maritime History Society

Woven into the fabric of his own experience, complemented with excellent photographs, and artwork and sketches from leading marine artist Martyn Mackrill, this is a book no one else could have written.

Dick Durham, Yachting Monthly

Woven into the fabric of his own experience, complemented with excellent photographs, and artwork and sketches from leading marine artist Martyn Mackrill, this is a book no one else could have written.

Yachting Monthly, Dick Durham

This book is a treat. It is well written and well illustrated, but above all the author has a great deal of experience of the subject and a great feeling for it. If the reader only intends to buy one book on Pilot Cutters, this is the book to buy.

The author has provided an excellent historical review of pilot cutters from their early use through into a new millennium and that spread of history has been illustrated, with some outstanding colour photographs from more recent times.

Broadly Boats

If you have any interest in working watercraft under sail, traditional boats, pilot cutters, maritime art, maritime history, commercial shipping, even how to sail a gaff rigger, this is the book to have. It is, quite simply, superb. In the interest of full disclosure the Cunliffes are friends, I have sailed with them on HIRTA (now CORNUBIA again) and WESTERNMAN, and I was given a copy. Irrespective of those perceived possible conflicts of interest, I rate this book as one of the finest maritime books I have seen in a long time. Only Martin Black's book on GL Watson (a much weightier tome) surpasses it. On the back PILOT CUTTERS is described by Captain Richard Woodman, Elder brother of Trinity House, as the "magisterial history of pilots and pilot cutters," and I can only concur. I am sorry that he used the word magisterial first because it conveys a level of excellence that is top of the line and I wanted to use it to describe this book which is, indeed, top of the line. The narrative is detailed, informative and interesting, the book has such a lovely cover that I intend to place it so the cover faces outwards, and the illustrations, photos, paintings, sketches, and bibliography and index are all carefully chosen, beautifully reproduced and fascinating to peruse. The sketches by Martyn Mackrill in the chapter Pilot Cutter Seamanship are perfect.

Every year I select a book as the Christmas gift for several dear sailing friends and family. This is the book for 2013!

Ginny Jones (Worked in the wooden boat industry for 40 years).