Best adventure sailing book

[michael_99]

What is your favourite sailing adventure book and why, which one have you read a 100 times.
Mine has to be "SHRIMPY" I can read it over and over again. Had to glue all the pages back together, fallen apart again. ( hard cover copy)
I also have danish book about some young kids sailing from Denmark to Australia in a converted 32 ft life boat, for sheer adventure this one takes a lot to beat, but unfortunately is is in danish only.
John Caldwell's "DESPERATE VOYAGE" is another one, this book is about how NOT to do it.

What is yours??

 

[CaptainCava]

Has to be 'Maiden' for me. The story of Tanya Aby (probably spelt wrong) who was sent off round the world single handed in a little Contessa by her wonderfully mad bohemian father. Don't think it's in print anymore. I found a paperback version in that really good bookshop called (can't remember its name) by that marina (can't remember its name either) in Plymouth. Isn't old age a terrible thing!

 

[michael_99]

Yes I like that one too, a bit emotional at times. It did drew tears in my eyes.
Read that one a few times too.

 

[colvic987]

john ridgeways 'then we sailed away'
and
'breath of angels' by john beattie, a uni lecturer who took a couple of years off to sail around the world, ended up saving an island fisherman who was drifting out in the ocean and close to death....

 

[ChrisE]

I'd agree with all of the above and add:

Francis Chichester's book about his RTW, Gypsy Moth circles the world
Alec Rose book about his RTW, Lively Lady
Pete Goss book about his RTW and saving the frog, name of book escapes me
and, of course, Riddle of the Sands.

 

[Santana379]

Sea Change by Peter Nicholls - wonderfully written

and of course:

We didn't mean to go to Sea by Arthur Ransome

 

[Benbow]

Racundra's 1st cruise by Arthur Ransome. A wonderful and totally unpretentious tale of a cruise around the baltic. The heroine has got to be the cook. She is never named and hardly ever mentioned, but was making jam and baking bread as they went.

Favourite moment is when she pops her head up during a major storm up and asks Ransome if he thinks they will drown. Ransome says, no we should be ok why? Cook says well I have just made some fresh coffee, if we are going to drown we might as well drink it now, otherwise I will put it in a flask for later.

 

[crazyuncle]

The Incredible Voyage by Tristan Jones. God, they don't make them like him anymore.

 

[Anwen]

Sea Chest in Queen Anne Battery marina?

 

[Rustyknight]

Pete Goss... "Close to the wind"

Naomi James... "At one with the sea"

And if you're planning a long voyage, Steve Callahan.... "Adrift" ..... 76 days alone in a liferaft, with food and water for only 18 /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

 

[alex_rogers]

How about :

1) Anything by Tillman.
2) Vertue XXXV - Falmouth to New York the hard way (in a Vertue ofcourse).
3) My Old Man and the Sea - sailing a Vertue round Cape Horn.
4) Sailing to the Reefs - Moitessier before he got too spiritual.

 

[Eccles]

Any of Trista Jones' books - or any of Authur Ransoms Swallows & Amozons series as I am now reading these to my kids (a good excuse if one was needed!)

 

[Mirelle]

Fiction:

"We Didn't Mean To Go To Sea"

Runner up:

"The Riddle of The Sands"

Non-Fiction:

"The Cruise of the Teddy"

"Mischief in Patagonia"

 

[allanc]

I really didn't want my contribution to this post to be controversial or in any way arguing. What I want to say is read Tilman, Moitessier, Hiscock, Ernle Bradford, Adrian Seligman, Bill King, Alan Villiers.
What I don't want you to be is impressed by is Tristan Jones later books.
It would be difficult for a fair-minded man to believe one quarter of Jones' stories. Some are true. Most are not, but, worst literary crime of all, purport to be. If you must read Jones, do so after you have read the all others and when you have read Conrad. Then judge for yourself. It's not fiction that offends, it's the pretending to be fact.
Read Tilman and reflect. Read Moitessier and escape. Read Hiscocock and be practical. Read Ransome for childhood.
Read on.
Regards
Allan

 

[PeterStone]

In addition to the books listed above, I have enjoyed these stories enough for a repeat reading:

1. John Guzzwell's account of circling the globe in Trekka and his doomed attempt at rounding Cape Horn with the Smeetons in Tsu Hang.

2. Hurricane's Wake by Ray Kauffman.

3. South Sea Vagabond by John Wray.

There are more but you have to stop somewhere! One book I have yet to read is Cruise of The Teddy - I've got two copies of virtually everything else, because my wife can't remember what I've read so if she sees anything remotely boaty she buys it! Erling Tambs has somehow slipped through the net though.

 

[ridgy]

The Ship Would Not Travel Due West by David Lewis.

 

[Peppermint]

Willing Griffon by David Blagdon
If an out of work actor can do the OSTAR in a 19ft boat, what are we all waiting?for.

Icebird by David Lewis.
Clearly the masochist's masochist.

Maiden.
Cos I sail her from time to time and she's a handful. Them girls were amazing.

 

[capt_courageous]

Captains Courageous of course!!!!

 

[Captain Haddock]

My faves are:

1) Moby Dick - The unabridged version from Penguin classics.
2) Racundras first/third cruise
3) We didn't mean to go to sea

 

[FergusM]

In addition to many of the above:

The Journeying Moon & The Wind off the Island, both by Ernle Bradford [two of the best-written books I have ever read]

Down Channel: RT McMullen

We Who Adventure: LB Winter

Twelve Ships a Sailing: Jim Andrews

The Falcon on the Baltic: EF Knight

Anything by Maurice Griffiths