The Seaman's Friend: Containing a Treatise on Practical Seamanship, with Plates; a Dictionary of Sea Terms; Customs and Usages of the Merchant Service; Laws Relating to the Practical Duties of Master and Mariners | 
pickI first read the 14th edition (1879) years ago, and own the Dover edition. I'm now reading the 1st UK edition (1841) on my Twitch because one of my friends is developing an age of sail themed game and wanted to research but felt overwhelmed. Dana's text is dense but concise and precise. His legal citations are thorough. The structure is a little odd - landlubbers may need to skip to the glossary in the middle before reading the initial chapters. ⚓
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