Looking for Sailing Adventure Books

[Hud3]

Originally Posted by 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.

According to Peter Nichols, in A Voyage for Madmen, Robin Knox-Johnston was proclaimed to be "depressingly normal" by a psychologist who analyzed the participants in the first nonstop, single-handed round the world race in 1968. Maybe you need to be a little bit "nuts" to write an engaging book.

Ditto Quidam's recommendation of "The Riddle of the Sands". Very interesting on many levels.

Here's one that I bet nobody has seen -- Voyage toward Vengeance. It was written by Jule Miller, a friend of mine here on Nevis. It's an adventure story of a man seeking the pair of killers who dumped his daughter and son-in-law overboard and stole their boat.

[CaptainHeidi]

I loved "Once is Enough" by Miles Smeeton. Also Alone throught the Roaring Forties, Vito Dumas. Any manner of survival at sea books....117 days adrift, Adrift, and there is another one in my extensive library that I can't remember just now.

[rtbates]

here's adventure with a capital 'A'. "Beserk in the Antartic" by David Mercy. two guys in a 27 footer Amazon.com: Berserk: My Voyage to the Antarctic in a Twenty-Seven-Foot Sailboat: David Mercy: Books

[perchance]

"The cruise of the Janet Nichol" if you can find it. It is the diary of Mrs. Robert Lois Stevenson recalling her adventures in the south seas. It gives an insight into what the south Pacific islands were like before the turn of the last century. The islands are a far cry from what they are today. You might have to hold your nose at the overt racism and paternalistic attitudes expressed in the writing, but offers insight into the prevailing attitudes in a time before political correctness.

[Sam Plan B]

I am reading William McFee just now. He knew Joseph Conrad though he was about 20 years younger. McFee was a marine engineer. When off watch he would go to his cabin and write novels. These tend to be water front noir stories and do not deal with sailing directly. Much of McFee's life was spent in tramp steamers. But for anyone who has seen their shore side skill set become redundant his writing on the passing away of sail will seem sound very familiar. Look for...
North of Suez
Casuals of the Sea
In the Third Watch
Command
Race
An Ocean Tramp

Sam

[BambooSailor]

Not sure whether somebody mentioned it, but I found the following book very well written and interesting: Longest Voyage: Circumnavigators In Age Of Discovery by Robert Silverberg.

[NDH]

Just started reading Moitessier -The Long Way, cant put it down will certainly have to read his other books.

[roverhi]

For Tempest245, The Westsails are surprizingly fast as long as you don't try and go in the wrong direction and winds cooperate. We averaged 118nm through the water measured on our Walker Log. Did 900 miles in six days and a best days run of 178nm. San Diego to Hiva Oa, Marquesas in 22 days. We did not use the engine except to charge batteries and get in and out of Harbors. Becalmed for two days in the doldrums on the way down to the Marquesas.

Having said that, the W32 is not a light air flyer. They will move in light air but practically any fin keel will be faster in winds under 5knots. They will not go hard on the wind in light air and a chop. The bluff bow of the W32 virtually stops the boat with each wave in those conditions. If you just crack off 10 degrees they will foot well but will not point with an IOR racer in any conditions. We did do 4 days hard on the wind to lay Hiva Oa. Averaged 125nm day and were relatively comfortable with no pounding and almost no spray coming off the bow. Like all full keel boats, the slack bilges mean they heel initially then stiffen up. The motion is easy so the heel is easy to deal with but not a boat for those who demand multihull type upright sailing. BTW, we never touched the helm while sailing. The Aries steered the boat if it would sail. We sailed with hank on sails. Loved the true cutter rig. We only made one sail change from ghosting to 40 knots. We had a Reacher/Drifter for light air and reaching conditions. It came down at about 10knots on the wind and 15 or so off the wind. Sailed with a slightly oversized Yankee Jib and a max sized loose footed Staysail in the trades. If I still had the boat, I thought seriously about buying it back btw, I'd go with an Asymetric Spinnaker and Genoa as well as the working suit of sails with a largish jib on roller furling that I could roll in as necessary. Dropping the jib cost us a knot in boat speed. The slot between the Jib and Staysail provided tons of drive from the relatively small area of the headsails.

One thing that I really miss about the W32 is the Bulwarks. Never felt at risk or concerned about going forward with the tall lifelines and bulwarks. A secure feeling I miss on the Pearson.

The W32 is not a fun boat to sail. They are extremely heavy and gain momentum rather than accelerate. Being directionally stable, they also don't react to helm inputs quickly. They don't run out of rudder, however. Never had the boat round-up uncontrollably no matter how insane the angle of heel and/or how much overcanvassed. A W32 is not a daysailor for those looking for excitement. They are stately matrons who always are under control and just eat up the miles.

Aloha
Peter O.
Pearson 35

[annk]

I am surprised that nobody mentioned Hal Roth, a superb set of books.
If you want to build on the Northern magic type book I recommend Rosie Darling by Rosie Swales, Ice blink by David and JaJa Martin.

Passage to Juneau by Johathan Raban is enthralling. Miles Smeeton will scare you rigid with his gungho attitude to sailing. The Pardeys can be a little boring but its hard to beat the amount of real and valuable advice that they contain.

I also enjoyed Miles Hordern's book on the pacific(can't remember the title), Moitessier has a permenant place on board my boat as does Annie Hill's 'sailing on a small income'.

I envy you discovering all these great books for the first time!

[Free Lancer]

The Voyage of the Frog by Gary Paulsen. Easy and fun read

[Talbot]

Bernard Cornwell has written a few good maritime based adventure yarns

Storm Child, Wild Track, Sea Lord come to mind, but there are others

[Talbot]

Originally Posted by Dacre Trey

What are some good true sailing travel books, travelogs, real life adventure while cruising on a sailboat?

Why the bold text?

lots of suggestions on books on this thread, both real and fiction.

Best place for travelogs is to read sailing blogs.

[FrankZ]

Originally Posted by Talbot

Why the bold text?

lots of suggestions on books on this thread, both real and fiction.

Best place for travelogs is to read sailing blogs.

The bold text was designed to get you to notice the post (which has been removed) so you would then follow the link. In other words the spammer got caught and was dispatched.

[SweetSurrender]

Sailing Alone Around the World by Slocum is a classic and a must read

[Jay Knight]

Gordon and Nina Stuermer wrote Starbound, about their voyage on Starbound. I think it was a 51 foot ketch but anyway a thoroughly enjoyable book, sorry to come to the last page!