Looking for Sailing Adventure Books

[roverhi]

Blame Moistessier almost exclusively for us buying our Westsail 32 Hull and deck, finishing it, and setting off for SoPac. He really had a way of conveying the reality of the mesmerizing effect of man/boat/ocean and the idea that you just have to want to work for something to make it happen. Remember many nights on the bowsprit communing with the boat in much the way Moitessier describes. I would highly reccomend reading 'Sailing to the Reefs' first. It's the story of his early life and initial sailing adventures. It's a fascinating glimpse at self sufficient cruising in days that are sadly now lost. Tamata and the Alliance, his last book, is a bit preachy and filled with personal angst but still interesting for it's glimpses of Colonial Indochine. Met Moitessier when he was living on Ahe in the Tuamotus. He was fully into his 'save the world, one island at a time' mode. Still, a very interesting guy. Unfortunately, the Islanders weren't buying into his self-sufficient agriculture ideas which frustrated him no end.

If you want just historical sailing fiction, Dewey Lambdin's ' Alan Lewry' series are a great read. It chronicles the life and times of an illegitmate young aristocratic rake who is pressed into service in the Royal Navy during the Napoleanic wars. Many of the books take place in the Americas so a bit more interesting for us 'Murricans' than some of the other Royal Navy series. Dewey Lambdin is actually a sailor, unlike O'brien, so I found his technical sailing descriptions better. That's not to say that O'brien's isn't also a great series.

Richard Henry Dana's 'Two Years Before the Mast' is also fascinating reading. Just finished it for the second time.

Aloha
Peter O.
Pearson 35

[orion1]

Another one I could not put down.

The Ship And The Storm - Jim Carrier - The loss of the Sailing Ship Fantome in Hurricane Mitch in 1998 near Guanaja. Awesome read.

We have very good friends on the island who have seen parts of the ship. They also know many of the people from the island mentioned in the book.

The story goes into great detail of crew, captain, and ship history, as well as Hurricane Mitch and crews tactics to dodge the storm and save the ship, while cornered off the North Shore of Honduras.

[Brent Swain]

"The Secret Voyages of Sir Francis Drake "by Sam Bawlf was a good read.
"By the Wind" was one of the best books I've read.
Brent

[Tempest245]

Just this day finished A Voyage for Madmen. I couldn't put it down.

Crowhust was indeed mad!

Moitessiere was inspiring as was Robin Knox-Johnston....well, they all were...

Perchance, Funny that you should mention Mountaineers....Knox-Johnston, sailed to Greenland with Sir Chris Bonington one of Englands most famous climbers. I read Bonington's books 30 years ago...if you can still find them they are great reading.

And thanks to others for all the book suggestions, I now have a new reading list as a result.

If anyone out there likes audio books, I purchased a Portable Professor Series last year. Sailing To The Edge of The World University of London. Professor Glyndwr Williams. Barnes and Noble had it.
Great Series of lectures on CD. It covers many of the early explorers, the invention of the Chronometer etc.

Tempest

[diana]

I agree -- thanks for the new book list! I can't wait to read Mighty Merry Too -- sounds inspirational. I'm also putting in votes for Maiden Voyage, The Perfect Storm, and Into Thin Air which where mentioned earlier.

Another great book is Adrift by Steve Calahan. His boat sunk a couple days into a trans-Atlantic race (around 1972?), and he was adrift in his life boat for 77 days. Amazing ingenuity and lessons learned. It was a nail-biter -- I kept thinking there's no way he's going to survive the day or night...except that I was holding the book he wrote!

[Starbuck]

My favorites are Eric Hiscock's Wanderer series. They cover a period from the 1930s to the 1970s, as a bachelor, then married; from his first explorations of the English and Scottish and Irish coasts to world voyaging; and from wooden 24ft. cutters to 54ft. GRP ketches. It's written with classic British understatement and a refreshing humility about his own mistakes and shortcomings. I re-read them every few years, as soon as I think I've forgotten enough to enjoy it all over again.

Montessier is too philosophical for me: always waxing poetic about this or that. I wouldn't mind it a couple of times in a book (after all, everyone is allowed his own view of life) but it's in every chapter. He's a dreamer. Just not my style.

As long as Jack London has been mentioned, don't forget his other great sailing works. Here's a link to a collected works site: Jack London: Writings I especially like "The Fish Patrol."

[Tempest245]

Roverhi,

Robin Knox Johnson sailed the Teak built 32 Westsail design..Suhali...Moitessier was in the steel hulled ketch....Joshua....Anyway, there's a Westsail 32 in my boatyard now that I've been admiring...Ive been searching the web to compare and found a gorgeous one sitting in Maine....Since you've sailed one, I'd be curious to know if they are undeserving of their nickname...

I want to read Moitessier's Long Way Round...

On...my nightstand now is....Fatal Storm...the 1998 Hobart....Simply wild.!..The people that go out on these incredible rescue missions to pluck sailors off their boats in hurricanes are simply incredible! If not a little bit crazy themselves..They are the Firemen and Women...who run into burning buildings, when everyone else is running out.

[Brent Swain]

"No Fixed Address " by Clive Hamman is a good read ISBN0-6204-0787-8
It starts with his shipwreck in the Madives, then his moving to Canada to build his dream boat, a 47 ft junk. Then he sails west , most of the way around the world with various crews of backpackers and adventurers with many adventures allong the way, including dodging pirates in the Indian Ocean, then to Europe and the Canals. It is also a good source of info about current cruising conditions in many of the areas he cruises in. Not your average cruising story. He also has a DVD on part of the voyage
A hard book to put down.
Brent

[orion1]

My current read is "THE CALL OF THE ANCIENT MARINER" by Reese Palley.

Palley is in his 90's If you are an aging sailor with some feelings related to your age and ability and are in need of encouragement and re-assurance this book is a must. We are both 65 and this book has excited us both, like no other we have read. It is reall funny too.

[Pathfinder]

It seems silly to mention this (has someone already mentioned it?), but don't miss "Sailing Alone Around the World" by Joshua Slocum.

[Captain Jaz]

Originally Posted by Christian Van H

My all time fav is definitely "Sailing Alone around the World" by Joshua Slocum, which was previously mentioned.

I fully agree, no self respecting cruiser should leave port before reading this book!!!

[navigator]

I thought I'd read them all but there are some new names here (I think) and I thank you.

I say "I think" because I got Shipkiller and the other title mentioned here with 'Mangos' in it. That one would have been a better read while sailing those parts, only to check out the recipes she made up with the help of locals and all the mentions of the indigenous food. Then, Shipkiller, ugh, it turns out I'd read it already but still loved reading it again. My recollection was that book was called THE LEVIATHAN. Oh well.

As for Slocum, whose book I've read at least 3 times. Did you all know that after he came back he simply disappeared in New England waters. There's not even a story speculating as to what happened, no storms mentioned that happened in the time he was gone. I think that is so strange. Keep the titles coming I'm bookless at the moment!! Never a good situation.

There is an unbelievably great book and I can't remember the title (which I am famous for) but I'm sure someone else here would know it. It's a true story about a man running a dive business with a passion for discovering a new dive (a sunken boat) and found a german sub etc. IT IS A PAGE TURNER. Someone help me out with the title. I won't sleep tonight. Ah, I just googled it, it's called SHADOW DIVERS, run don't walk. It was rumored to become a movie too.

[Cacique]

I'm trying to get through Robin Knox-Johnston, Force of Nature. But it seems pretty dull, loved Ellen Mcarthurs taking on the world.

[amarinesurveyor]

Shadow divers was a very good read! Hearing about the U-boats really fascinating.
Brian

[quidam]

A couple of must reads that have'nt been mentioned; "Riddle of the Sands" by Erksine Childers and "Motoring with Muhammed" by Eric Hansen.

Sailorman mentioned "The Boat that would'nt float." This book by Farley Mowat is the funiest book I have ever read and Is a must read for anyone that needs a good laugh.