Books you couldn’t sail without?

[LittleSister]

The inspiration for my journey! The Breath of Angels by John Beattie.

Of course! Thanks very much for the reminder. I'd like to read it yet again.

 

[Major_Clanger]

Sell Up and Sail - Bill and Laurel Cooper
Wonderful book full of common sense, humour, far horizons and everything the liveaboard could hope for.

Jonathan Livingstone Seagull - Richard Bach
For those times of self-doubt and melancholy. Beautiful book that will lift spirits and give strength. I've found it truly inspirational at times.

The Master Mariner - Nicholas Monsarrat
In fact anything by Monsarrat. Brilliantly researched and an absolute masterpiece.

All three titles could easily become old friends.

 

[saab96]

Yes, I've read Sea Change (and probably still have it somewhere) and liked it a lot. I remember very strongly the feel of the book - his mood etc. - but have completely forgotten about any of the incidents. I think he wrote another book afterwards, but that I wasn't so taken by.[I may be getting confused - I think one of his books was 'Sailing Out of Silence', but can't remember which was which]

John Caldwell's Desperate Voyage, as someone has mentioned, is also a great read.

There's another I liked in that series, can't remember title [South Sea Vagabonds?] or author, but is about young New Zealander (maybe two) who builds a boat from logs found on the shore, and sails round the South Pacific having adventures, like making money by sailing a saloon full of oranges from one island group to another. Some of it seems pretty unbelievable, while other parts ring true.

Another sailing tale I liked a great deal - enough to re-read later - was about a lecturer taking a year off and sailing off from Whitby to go round the world. [Please remind me of the title, someone, it's bugging me!] Unlike the one above this is absolutely believable on both the human and boat issues fronts.

John Wray, New Zealander. I have it on my shelf. Life enhancing discovery of personal freedom and ripping sailing yarn.

 

[saab96]

Three great ones there. So I will try to get the fourth.

Do you know Peter Nichols, Sea Change A story of love and loss. Sailing his spartanly equipped 27 footer from England to the USA the boat springs a horrendous leak making the voyage a struggle to survive. Sheridan House, USA

Any east coast sailor should read Frank Mulville. Maybe start with Terschelling Sands. He is the Bill Tillman of the North Sea

 

[Poignard]

"Close Hauled" by Adlard Coles is an enjoyable read.

 

[LittleSister]

Any east coast sailor should read Frank Mulville. Maybe start with Terschelling Sands. He is the Bill Tillman of the North Sea

Which reminds me, how can we have not yet mentioned "The Riddle of the Sands' by Erskine Childers?

 

[Spuddy]

Arthur Ransome is familiar name but his best, for me, is Racundra's First Cruise

 

[Sandy]

Lord of the Rings. To be taken to my desert island in place of the Bible and Shakespeare. (I'm a devout atheist and Shakespeare is written in a foreign language)

Mountaineering in Scotland. The other book I'd take.

 

[Humblebee]

Sell Up and Sail - Bill and Laurel Cooper
Wonderful book full of common sense, humour, far horizons and everything the liveaboard could hope for.

Jonathan Livingstone Seagull - Richard Bach
For those times of self-doubt and melancholy. Beautiful book that will lift spirits and give strength. I've found it truly inspirational at times.

The Master Mariner - Nicholas Monsarrat
In fact anything by Monsarrat. Brilliantly researched and an absolute masterpiece.

All three titles could easily become old friends.

Sell up and Sail is probably the best guide to the liveaboard life.

 

[zoidberg]

I'd like to suggest 'Voyaging On A Small Income' by Annie Hill, for I think she'll 'speak to you'.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Voyaging-Small-Income-Ann-Hill/dp/1888671378


There are several others by her.

 

[DCMosley]

I don't think I can recommend it but I like The Yachtsman's Naturalist:

https://www.abebooks.co.uk/book-search/title/yachtsman's-naturalist/

It's scope is too wide, from bugs to birds, to do justice to anything in particular and it was not new, even a long time ago.
However it has aged nicely, it's authors were sailors and you get sage advice about the weight of anchors and how to dredge and preserve specimens on a small boat. A book from another age it feels nice in the hand and has what used to be called "full colour plates" sandwiched between the text.

For youngkath - have a look at my suggestions on the Ten Best Books thread, I think you would enjoy them

+1 for this book. It's fantastic!

 

[steve yates]

The inspiration for my journey! The Breath of Angels by John Beattie.

I read that, (and yours matt) I thouroughly enjoyed it, well written. But I do remember thinking it was a manual for how not to do it, and making a mental note to reread it before I did any similar trip to refresh myself with how not to make decisions and timings

 

[mattonthesea]

I read that, (and yours matt) I thouroughly enjoyed it, well written. But I do remember thinking it was a manual for how not to do it, and making a mental note to reread it before I did any similar trip to refresh myself with how not to make decisions and timings

Yes I'm never sure if he wrote it as a way of showing his poor judgement; or that he just didn't realise that he was making mistakes.