Looking for Sailing Adventure Books - Page 4

GordMay · 25-07-2008, 04:07

”Mighty Merry Too” available at:
bookstore.selfpublishing.com/viewdetails.php?bid=620
BOOKSTORE.SELFPUBLISHING.COM - Mighty Merry Too

"Mighty Merry Too" is the small boat that our very own Mary McCollum sailed solo across the Pacific Ocean after celebrating her 60th birthday. Much more than a sailing book she tells you how she followed her dream and hopes her adventures will inspire you to follow yours too.

Mary McCollum’s (our sailorm) http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...lorm-7738.html) website is located at:
merrypublishing.com/index.php
Welcome

And her blog is at:
antiquesailor.blogspot.com/2007/08/down-memory-lane.html
Antique Sailor: Down Memory Lane

bobnlesley · 25-07-2008, 05:16

Whilst I too have enjoyed (amongst others) the Tristan Jones books, be aware that they are not true. TJ was something of a stranger to the truth - apparently there's some animosity regarding his claimed war-time naval service from those and the decendents of those who really were there, but hey, the shall we call them exaggerations certainly spiced up the books which no doubt helped the sales figures.

Rascus · 10-08-2008, 21:13

I just finished up reading "A voyage for madman" I believe is the name

perchance · 22-12-2008, 15:13

The classic 'Two Years Before The Mast" and i enjoyed "The Secret Voyage of Sir Francis Drake"

Christian Van H · 22-12-2008, 16:01

My all time fav is definitely "Sailing Alone around the World" by Joshua Slocum, which was previously mentioned. It should be near the top of your list! I can whole heartedly recommend two more to start; "You cant blow home again", by Herb Payson, and "Northern Light", by Bjelke & Shapiro. These three are among the best there is...

Tempest245 · 22-12-2008, 16:44

Rascus, Yes, it's " A Voyage for Madmen" by Peter Nichol. I just purchased it yesterday..looking forward to reading it.

While I'm here I'll add...." Close to the Wind" by Pete Goss.

He's the guy who turned around in the Vendee Globe and sailed back into a Hurricane to rescue a fellow competitor! an incredible story.

Tempest

amarinesurveyor · 22-12-2008, 17:23

Has anyone read "first you have to row a little boat" by Richard Bode? It is one the the best books ever! Not really an adventure book but a great read.
I starts out " When I was a young man I made a solemn vow. I swore I would teach my children to sail. It was a promise never kept.
The exigencies of life-money, work, location, and health-kept me from passing on to my children this legacy which I deem to be the essence of myself. I feel as if I have left something unsaid which I ought to have said, something undone which I learned as a boy, and I failed to pass it on to my sons and daughters, who will now fail to pass it on to theirs."
Well anyway, I'm tempted to read it again, just after reading the first paragraphs. I highly recommend this well written book!
Brian

Christian Van H · 22-12-2008, 17:55

Thanks Amarine...ya just made me spend $3.00 on half.com! They have a TON of them for .75 cents plus shipping...:-)

orion1 · 23-12-2008, 08:01

BY THE WIND - Richard Baum. My favorite. Engineless cruise through the Caribbean tropics.

DESPERATE VOYAGE - John Caldwell.

Both true stories of real seamanship under sail alone.

clausont · 23-12-2008, 08:54

One that we found in my grandfathers estate that was written many years ago called, Giff ans Stiff in the South Seas" I will have to look up the author and I don't know if it is available any more.
Scratch this comment if it has already been mentioned.

nautical62 · 23-12-2008, 10:22

My favorites have been:

Maiden Voyage

In the Heart of the Sea: The story of the whale ship Essex which was sunk by a whale and inspired Moby Dick

Dove

The Perfect Storm (Maybe not a voyaging book, but nautical in nature)

Endurance: Shackelton's great adventure

One of the absolutely most fascinating accounts I've ever read was an article published on the web about about the second boat on the famous Shackelton expedition. While Shackelton's adventure is largely known, what is almost always left out is the second boat. The expedition consisted not only of the Endurance dropping off Shackelton's men, but a second boat, the Aurora which made it's way to the opposite side of Antartica to pick them up after their trans-continential journey. In addition to picking up Shackelton, these men were to lay supply caches for them on that side. Not knowing that Shackelton and his men were stuck in the ice, these men fought horrible conditions trying to lay these caches and in the process many died. I named my boat "Aurora" as a tribute to these brave and largely forgotten men. I'm afraid I don't have the link handy, but will come back and post it if I can find it.

nautical62 · 23-12-2008, 10:36

A few more recommendations - some of which are non-nautical, but interesting:

"Into Thin Air" by John Krakaur. Tragedy on Everest.

"Savage Arena" : Joe Tasker (also mountaineering)

"Sailing Promise": An account of circumnavigating in a catamaran written by a woman who was a bit paranoid about sailing. It give some interesting insights about looking at real and perceived fears. by Alayne Main

"Hudson's Bay Company" by Andra-Warner - Short interesting, easy to read tales of the Hudson's Bay Company. The fur trade is a huge part of north american history and exploration that is often overlooked.

"Tracks" by Robyn Davidson: She leaves the coast to learn about camels and trek across the australian desert to the sea.

CarlF · 23-12-2008, 11:26

"The Strange Last Voyage of Donald Crowhurst" was said to be the only book to be called "A Masterpiece" by the New Yorker when it was published. Not a light read. The Washington Post said ""One of the most moving and disturbing books I have ever read. I don't think I shall ever forget it." The book is about the same race as "A Voyage for Madman" but it focuses solely on Crowhurst and his terrifying descent into madness during the race.

Also "Ship of Gold in the Deep Blue Sea" Not quite a sailing book but the exhaustively researched tale of the sinking and later treasure recovery of the sailing steamer Central America that sank off the Carolinas in 1857. She went down with enough California gold to cause a recession in the US. The book's descriptions of the crew and passenger's 3 day struggle to save the ship during a hurricane makes the Titanic story seem mild. As the ship wallowed in tremendous waves, 500 men bailed through an entire night in long bucket lines as their wives and children brought them bread and drinking water.

Carl

perchance · 23-12-2008, 11:59

"Race for Madmen". These guys had cojones considering some of the vessels they were using at the time. I was particularly fascinated by the ascetic Mottesier. He appears to have had the same mindset that drives mountaineers and other extremophiles. I must try find some of his books to try and see inside his head.

bmartinsen · 23-12-2008, 12:00

"Survive the Savage Sea by Dougal Robertson" my farvorite and any of Nigel Calder's since fixing boat stuff is always an adventure

25-07-2008, 04:07	#46
GordMay Registered User Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Thunder Bay, Ontario - 48-29N x 89-20W Boat: C.L.O.D. (Cruiser Living On Dirt) Posts: 12,575	”Mighty Merry Too” available at: bookstore.selfpublishing.com/viewdetails.php?bid=620 BOOKSTORE.SELFPUBLISHING.COM - Mighty Merry Too "Mighty Merry Too" is the small boat that our very own Mary McCollum sailed solo across the Pacific Ocean after celebrating her 60th birthday. Much more than a sailing book she tells you how she followed her dream and hopes her adventures will inspire you to follow yours too. Mary McCollum’s (our sailorm) http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...lorm-7738.html) website is located at: merrypublishing.com/index.php Welcome And her blog is at: antiquesailor.blogspot.com/2007/08/down-memory-lane.html Antique Sailor: Down Memory Lane __________________ Gord May ~~_/)_~~ (Gord & Maggie - "Southbound") "If you didn't have time/$ to do it right in the first place, when will you get the time/$ to fix it?"

22-12-2008, 16:01	#50
Christian Van H Registered User Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Princeton, NJ Boat: Challenger Anacapa 42 Posts: 1,202	My all time fav is definitely "Sailing Alone around the World" by Joshua Slocum, which was previously mentioned. It should be near the top of your list! I can whole heartedly recommend two more to start; "You cant blow home again", by Herb Payson, and "Northern Light", by Bjelke & Shapiro. These three are among the best there is... __________________ Here's to swimmin' with bowlegged women! "There's nothing . . . absolutely nothing . . . half so much worth doing as simply throwing money at a boat."

22-12-2008, 17:55	#53
Christian Van H Registered User Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Princeton, NJ Boat: Challenger Anacapa 42 Posts: 1,202	Thanks Amarine...ya just made me spend $3.00 on half.com! They have a TON of them for .75 cents plus shipping...:-) __________________ Here's to swimmin' with bowlegged women! "There's nothing . . . absolutely nothing . . . half so much worth doing as simply throwing money at a boat."

23-12-2008, 08:01	#54
orion1 Registered User Join Date: May 2006 Location: Slidell, Louisiana, USA Boat: William Atkin Cutter, 35', "ROSA" Posts: 127	BY THE WIND - Richard Baum. My favorite. Engineless cruise through the Caribbean tropics. DESPERATE VOYAGE - John Caldwell. Both true stories of real seamanship under sail alone. __________________ "Sure You Can Trust Our Government, Just Ask Any Indian"

23-12-2008, 08:54	#55
clausont Registered User Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Pacific NorthWest Boat: Ingrid 38 Posts: 425	One that we found in my grandfathers estate that was written many years ago called, Giff ans Stiff in the South Seas" I will have to look up the author and I don't know if it is available any more. Scratch this comment if it has already been mentioned. __________________ A wife. Five kids. And a now an Ingrid 38! We are sailing

25-07-2008, 05:16	#47
bobnlesley Registered User Join Date: Jul 2008 Boat: Albin Vega - 27 feet Posts: 35	Whilst I too have enjoyed (amongst others) the Tristan Jones books, be aware that they are not true. TJ was something of a stranger to the truth - apparently there's some animosity regarding his claimed war-time naval service from those and the decendents of those who really were there, but hey, the shall we call them exaggerations certainly spiced up the books which no doubt helped the sales figures.

10-08-2008, 21:13	#48
Rascus Registered User Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Hawaii Boat: Sabre 426 in the future? Posts: 18	I just finished up reading "A voyage for madman" I believe is the name

22-12-2008, 15:13	#49
perchance Registered User Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: ontario canada Boat: grampian 26 Posts: 168	The classic 'Two Years Before The Mast" and i enjoyed "The Secret Voyage of Sir Francis Drake"

22-12-2008, 16:44	#51
Tempest245 Registered User Join Date: May 2008 Location: Piscataway, NJ Boat: 34 Sabre Tempest Posts: 478	Rascus, Yes, it's " A Voyage for Madmen" by Peter Nichol. I just purchased it yesterday..looking forward to reading it. While I'm here I'll add...." Close to the Wind" by Pete Goss. He's the guy who turned around in the Vendee Globe and sailed back into a Hurricane to rescue a fellow competitor! an incredible story. Tempest

22-12-2008, 17:23	#52
amarinesurveyor Registered User Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Jupiter, FL Boat: I sail other people's boats ;>) Posts: 81	Has anyone read "first you have to row a little boat" by Richard Bode? It is one the the best books ever! Not really an adventure book but a great read. I starts out " When I was a young man I made a solemn vow. I swore I would teach my children to sail. It was a promise never kept. The exigencies of life-money, work, location, and health-kept me from passing on to my children this legacy which I deem to be the essence of myself. I feel as if I have left something unsaid which I ought to have said, something undone which I learned as a boy, and I failed to pass it on to my sons and daughters, who will now fail to pass it on to theirs." Well anyway, I'm tempted to read it again, just after reading the first paragraphs. I highly recommend this well written book! Brian

23-12-2008, 10:22	#56
nautical62 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Iowa Boat: Beneteau 32 - Aurora Posts: 774	My favorites have been: Maiden Voyage In the Heart of the Sea: The story of the whale ship Essex which was sunk by a whale and inspired Moby Dick Dove The Perfect Storm (Maybe not a voyaging book, but nautical in nature) Endurance: Shackelton's great adventure One of the absolutely most fascinating accounts I've ever read was an article published on the web about about the second boat on the famous Shackelton expedition. While Shackelton's adventure is largely known, what is almost always left out is the second boat. The expedition consisted not only of the Endurance dropping off Shackelton's men, but a second boat, the Aurora which made it's way to the opposite side of Antartica to pick them up after their trans-continential journey. In addition to picking up Shackelton, these men were to lay supply caches for them on that side. Not knowing that Shackelton and his men were stuck in the ice, these men fought horrible conditions trying to lay these caches and in the process many died. I named my boat "Aurora" as a tribute to these brave and largely forgotten men. I'm afraid I don't have the link handy, but will come back and post it if I can find it.

23-12-2008, 10:36	#57
nautical62 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Iowa Boat: Beneteau 32 - Aurora Posts: 774	A few more recommendations - some of which are non-nautical, but interesting: "Into Thin Air" by John Krakaur. Tragedy on Everest. "Savage Arena" : Joe Tasker (also mountaineering) "Sailing Promise": An account of circumnavigating in a catamaran written by a woman who was a bit paranoid about sailing. It give some interesting insights about looking at real and perceived fears. by Alayne Main "Hudson's Bay Company" by Andra-Warner - Short interesting, easy to read tales of the Hudson's Bay Company. The fur trade is a huge part of north american history and exploration that is often overlooked. "Tracks" by Robyn Davidson: She leaves the coast to learn about camels and trek across the australian desert to the sea.

23-12-2008, 11:26	#58
CarlF Registered User Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 238	"The Strange Last Voyage of Donald Crowhurst" was said to be the only book to be called "A Masterpiece" by the New Yorker when it was published. Not a light read. The Washington Post said ""One of the most moving and disturbing books I have ever read. I don't think I shall ever forget it." The book is about the same race as "A Voyage for Madman" but it focuses solely on Crowhurst and his terrifying descent into madness during the race. Also "Ship of Gold in the Deep Blue Sea" Not quite a sailing book but the exhaustively researched tale of the sinking and later treasure recovery of the sailing steamer Central America that sank off the Carolinas in 1857. She went down with enough California gold to cause a recession in the US. The book's descriptions of the crew and passenger's 3 day struggle to save the ship during a hurricane makes the Titanic story seem mild. As the ship wallowed in tremendous waves, 500 men bailed through an entire night in long bucket lines as their wives and children brought them bread and drinking water. Carl

23-12-2008, 11:59	#59
perchance Registered User Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: ontario canada Boat: grampian 26 Posts: 168	"Race for Madmen". These guys had cojones considering some of the vessels they were using at the time. I was particularly fascinated by the ascetic Mottesier. He appears to have had the same mindset that drives mountaineers and other extremophiles. I must try find some of his books to try and see inside his head.

23-12-2008, 12:00	#60
bmartinsen Registered User Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Grand Cayman Boat: Lavranos 39 S/v Continental Drift Posts: 76	"Survive the Savage Sea by Dougal Robertson" my farvorite and any of Nigel Calder's since fixing boat stuff is always an adventure

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