Non-Fiction Sailing Books

[beowulfborealis]

Anything by Tristan Jones. Also, Charles Darwin's book Voyage of the Beagle is great reading on multiple levels. Personally, I love Moby Dick.

[SurferShane]

Originally Posted by Darwin's book [I

Voyage of the Beagle [/I]is great reading on multiple levels. Personally, I love Moby Dick.

Got the former and should include it in my boating inventory. While Melville was mostly fictional – based on real sea time -I really do enjoy his writing style, which reminds me “Typee” needs to go onboard.

[Healer52]

Originally Posted by RayW

Good book.

Started a little slow, but an interesting read. My local library has a book on the Beagle's Captain on hold for me, when it shows up it should be good.

[Tynesider]

Fancy climbing a 100' mast in 60mph winds on a 75' Trimaran in the South Atlantic at 23 knots in a race on your own , Sorry if it has been mentioned before but I have just finished reading 'Full Circle' by Ellen MacArthur, who also wrote the excellant 'Taking on the World'.

I can well recommend reading both books and that Lass is welcome on my wee boat anytime!
Mike

[cringle]

anything by David Lewis ... but "Ice Bird" and "We the Navigators" spring to mind . oops - not round the world: that may have to be something by Moitessier (the long way, sailing to the reefs) or perhaps Phillip Jeantot (in French). Pete Goss did a rather fine effort with "close to the wind"

[S/V Alchemy]

Well, if anyone's interested, I run a "literary sailing" blog here off my main "fitting out a steel cruiser" blog. I do about half and half technical/historical sailing books and half narratives. Comments are welcomed. If I've reviewed it, I must have liked it on some level.

One of the better cruising stories I've read lately was "Two in a Boat", reviewed here: Gwyneth Lewis - Books - Two in a boat

Very, very perceptive on how cruising can wreck or solidify marriages...and sometimes both.

[Johnathon123]

A book called "black wave" by Jean & John Silverwood.

Just read it. Inspiring, terrifying, thrilling and exceptionally well written.

Do yourself a favor and grab it.

[beau]

I found a book called "Around the world cruising" by Allan Phillips the best ever.
He talks about the life at sea and coined the phrase "there is No rough weather if you don't have a schedule" .
He is also on kindle version .

[S/V Alchemy]

Originally Posted by Johnathon123

A book called "black wave" by Jean & John Silverwood.

Just read it. Inspiring, terrifying, thrilling and exceptionally well written.

Do yourself a favor and grab it.

As I commented in this thread:

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...jane-4796.html

this book made me quite annoyed. Like howling in exasperation and chucking it across the room annoyed. I only recommend it to people who enjoy the sight of head-on crashes with drunken driving as the cause. It inspired me to always keep a deck watch...so I can avoid auto-piloted boats in the loosely charted South Pacific who pick sunset as a good time for everyone to go below and watch a movie.

These people lived IN SPITE of what happened to them. I finished this book two weeks ago, and my feelings have hardened even more, and I found the whole "drama" aspect to be written with an eye to securing a movie deal. Also, as an aside, prayer is no substitute for seamanship.

[Johnathon123]

I can see your point alchemy so perhaps I should explain.

This is but one incarnation of my wifes fear of a long trip with the kids. Me hurt, her and the kids left to sort out the mess and save my sorry behind.

These people survived. She read the book and decided "if they can, then I definitely can." For the first time in years the subject is being spoken of as if it might happen.

To me that is a good book.

Yes, it does read like a screenplay etc but if it has the ability to get my fabulous wife thinking OK then that to me is a great sailing book!

[GorillaToast]

My Old Man and the Sea by Daniel & David Hayes.

frather and son set out to round the Horn in a 25' boat. Writing is split between father and son, going back and forth. Very entertaining writing style, and loads of great info about outfitting and provisioning for a Horn rounding. Plus, much in the way of adventure, and a fine story about father and son admiration, respect and love.

Also, if you're interested in the norther latitudes, Down Denmark Strait by E. Newbold Smith. Can drag on at times, but good info about the coasts of Norway, Iceland, Greenland, Nova Scotia. A little anticlimactic when they finally reach the Denmark Strait, but lots of interesting tidbit about the indigenous communitiest of Iceland and Greenland.

[S/V Alchemy]

Originally Posted by Johnathon123

I can see your point alchemy so perhaps I should explain.

This is but one incarnation of my wifes fear of a long trip with the kids. Me hurt, her and the kids left to sort out the mess and save my sorry behind.

These people survived. She read the book and decided "if they can, then I definitely can." For the first time in years the subject is being spoken of as if it might happen.

To me that is a good book.

Yes, it does read like a screenplay etc but if it has the ability to get my fabulous wife thinking OK then that to me is a great sailing book!

I understand this quite well because I have seen marriages founder when one (usually the husband) wants to cruise and the other (usually the wife) doesn't like it, have the skill set or prefers not to live in a damp, hull-shaped box no matter how much rum is offered.

I am also lucky in that my wife is 100% involved in our refit and pushing-off plans and is a good sailor in her own right.

Your wife's concerns are entirely valid, but I would say they are coming from the wrong place if her views are "well, they did it, so I can, too!".

They very nearly didn't survive, and Captain Watchless is now somewhat more a dollar and a leg short. The solution to concerns about boating is for your wife to gain her own, and perhaps complimentary, skills. If she joins a race team (club level to start) or does short deliveries (without you), she'll be in a position to learn, screw up, and learn again, but without having to impress you or to meet some kind of schedule. You don't have to be Captain Bligh to even unconsciously create that kind of pressure on a spouse who might also be trying to overcome a fear of drowning or, yes, running up on a reef.

So rather than the lowest common denominator (we survived our own negligence and inattention...yay!), she might find an opportunity to mess about in boats very liberating, and she might contemplate standing watching and plotting courses as stuff she'd be happy to do as part of her cruising life.

Just some thoughts from my experience.

[Johnathon123]

Yes Alchemy I agree. The problem is she has over 20000 miles experience but since the kids zero interest.

She would do it but "for me" and that's no answer IMO

[Vega1860]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

Well, if you want 'adventure' then you can't ask for 'non-fiction'.

Its all hard work, mate. The adventure is a fiction ;-)

b.

From Cruising Lealea on YouTube

"Adventure:
1. an exciting or very unusual experience.
2. participation in exciting undertakings or enterprises: the spirit of adventure.
3. a bold, usually risky undertaking; hazardous action of uncertain outcome.

In other words, adventure is what you get when you don't get what you planned for."

It's all real mate

[DeepFrz]

I see that Web Chiles has released several more of his books in Kindle format on Amazon. He has also updated several of his free PDF files that can be downloaded from his website.