Alan Lucas

Alan Gordon Lucas OAM (3 July 1936 – 10 July 2025) was an Australian yachtsman 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.

Lucas' most popular boat cruising guides are Cruising the Coral Coast and Cruising the New South Wales Coast. He is also a regular contributor to number of boating magazines including The Coastal Passage, Afloat, Australian Sailing, Australian Yachting, Cruising Helmsman and an occasional contributor to the Good Old Boat magazine.

Lucas died on 10 July 2025 at the age of 89.

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. In 2015, Lucas was presented with the Medal of the Order of Australia.

Bibliography

Cruising Guides/Atlas

  • Cruising the Coral Coast (1968) – now up to 9th edition (2017)
  • Cruising the New South Wales Coast (1976) – now up to 6th edition
  • 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)

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)
  • Simple Solutions (2015)
  • Reefed in the Coral Sea : 500 wrecks, thousands of human tragedies (2016)

References

  1. ↑ Trove: National Library of Australia, Profile: Alan Lucas (1936-), March 16, 2013
  2. 1 2 "Sailing and navigating is in Alan Lucas’s blood - he receives OAM in Australia Day honours list". Pauline Priest, Central Coast Gosford Express Advocate, 27 January 2015
  3. 1 2 Bow2Stern, Beyond the Coral Coast: Alan Lucas shares highlights from a cruising life less ordinary by Jo Djubal, March 16, 2013
  4. ↑ "Review: Cruising the Coral Coast". Marinas Guide
  5. ↑ Mysailing.com.au, Storms feature in March Cruising Helmsman, March 18, 2013
  6. ↑ "Author and artist Alan Lucas OAM has passed away". www.sail-world.com. Retrieved 27 March 2026.
  7. ↑ "NSW MARITIME MEDALS". Red Book.
  8. ↑ NSW Government: Transport – Maritime, Media Release – 25 November 2010: NSW Maritime Medal winner: Alan Lucas, March 16, 2013
  9. ↑ "Updates for Cruising the New South Wales Coast and Cruising the Coral Coast". Alan Lucas Cruising Guides. Retrieved 26 February 2018.
  10. ↑ Sail-World.com : Boat Books' Guide to Cruising Guides
  11. ↑ "Australian Marinas Guide, Cruising the New South Wales Coast, July 17, 2013". Archived from the original on 15 May 2013. Retrieved 16 July 2013.
  12. ↑ Book Reviews. Ocean Cruising Club.
  13. ↑ Book Review – Off Watch by Alan Lucas :Skipr.net