Ellen MacArthur Book

[stevebirch2002]

Just finished reading Ellens' book "Taking on the world" which I received for christmas. Wow what a woman! It makes me feel very inferior as the furthest I have sailed is Denmark and Holland, I thought they were at the end of the world. She really does have guts and I take my hat off to her (if I wore one). Well done Ellen and good luck for your upcoming challenge on the Round the World record. Go for it A Donf...

Albin Vega "Southern Comfort" V1703

 

[sailbadthesinner]

totally agree
i also admire her never give up attitude
not so much the sailing. Her nail biting finishes in getting to the START line with a boat seemed harder often than her finish line dramas.


This isn't an office, its hell with strip lighting

 

[stevebirch2002]

Yes, I know what you mean. I could not put the book down over christmas. Another book in a similar vein is "Out out the Blue" by Anne Miller about buying and sailing an Albin Vega (Rupert) across the Atlantic in 1986 having just taken up sailing. Guts, determination shine through. Sadly this book is now out opf print but the occasional one comes up for sale, I am trying to persuade Anne to have a re-print.

Albin Vega "Southern Comfort" V1703

 

[Guest]

Thoroughly enjoyed it...loved the letter at the front from her nan. Easier to understand where the determination and persistance come from when you learn something of her background.

Also would love to know what answer Alan Titmarsh gave her when she e-mailed him for gardening advice during the vendee

Happy new year to all

 

[kds]

I too, was much impressed with the book. I suppose I would have liked a bit more detail on rig and sail setting etc. but realise that this would not have appealed to the general public.
AND - we still get cricket on the News ! Why - when we have people of Ellens' calibre, competing in real sports, with her life on the line The mind boggles.

Check out some pictures of my boat at;
[link]www.canongrange.co.uk/boat/[link]

 

[jonjo]

I finished reading my Christmas copy today as well, it was so good I was reading in 4 hour stretches over the week-end e.g. stopping for lunch at 4pm.

One message I got from the book was how hard these super star sailors work to make that initial break into the Grand Prix yachting circuit.

From the reader's point of the view the last quarter gets a bit tedious because every sunset and peak wave is described as more beautiful and awesome that yesterdays. But maybe Ellen MacArthur succeeds because each day is tackled so positively.

 

[Grehan]

Ellen . . .

She was at the Boat Show yesterday, being interviewed on camera v. informally, overlooking the pool. No fuss or anouncement, etc. I walked past her and then did a double-take. Not many people noticed her, so it seemed.

Making uncalled-for impertinently personal remarks here, she is smaller and slighter than I had expected. Didn't look at all the Derbyshire misery guts some make her out to be. (are they confusing her with Brian Clough?)
I didn't know whether to play the 'fan' and pester her with congratulations, which she surely deserves in spades. But I didn't (embarrass myself, or her). Wandered off to ask a question of one of the stands (Whitlock wanted £230 for an empty plastic box to mount on the steering pedestal, for my autopilot!) (I think not . . ) and wandered back and she'd gone. Ah well.

The book's great. My other half's halfway through and as gripped as I was. What a hero(ine).

Although she's had some, her 'recognition' by this country is very disappointing. But celebrity is a sharp double edged sword, and I guess I'd rather she was ignored and free to sail than be over-exposed, hyped, seduced, made big-headed, betrayed, ridiculed and then dumped by our vicious "news" (sic) media.

Oh yes, the Show.
"Life size Turkish harbour scene"
Well I've never been to Turkey, but based on my current level of skill if that's a life-size Turkish harbour then I'm not competent to visit in anything larger than our rubber dinghy!

A Sunsail's set designer's idea of reality.
And cheesy? You betcha!

 

[qsiv]

Ditto - I received three copies in total (fortunately not all 3 givers were in the same place at the same time).

Great read - I swappped one copy for The Race (those guys spent sooo long at the ragged edge), and have one more still to swap!

 

[Guest]

Re: Ellen . . .

As Grehan says, Ellen has warm recognition, but it can be modest, possibly owing to the reserve of British people. As The Daily Telegraph stated this morning, if the London show had been Paris, there would have been crowds pressing in on her.
A few months ago when the English soccer team was waiting in a Southampton hotel the mob blocked all entrances and thought that other persons on business making their way in must have been celebrities which happened to be in the tabloids at that time, actually mistakenly and hysterically naming them.
Well, when a poll shows that the majority of the public believes that aliens have landed, then perhaps one should not be surprised!

 

[Guest]

Post deleted by danfoley

 

[Gordonmc]

Ellen's book was one of two sailory tomes I got for Chrissie and I have just started reading it. The first one was "A race for madmen", an account of the first Golden Globe when Robin Knox Johnston won the first solo non-stop round the world race.
What a contrast.
All admiration for the likes of R.K-J, Moitissier, Blyth, Ridgeway etc, most of whom went to sea in totally unsuitable boats for lack of sponsorship. Compare the Times £5k prize for the fastest circumnavigation with the rewards today.
And all admiration for McArthur (no relation) who achieved the same feat of endurance with the added pressure of media attention and fierce competition.
I do not understand the forum comments about Ellen's demeanour. I met her just once, after the Route de Rhum when she was busy preparing for the Vendee and she was keen to talk to anyone who expressed an interest in her sport. I came away feeling I had met a confident and supremely capable ambassador for sailing in all its forms.
Perhaps its those traits in a young woman that rankle with some contributors.

 

[Trevor_Smith]

Amazon are selling it at half price, I have just ordered a copy

1910060902kh

 

[Twister_Ken]

>I do not understand the forum comments about Ellen's demeanour. I met her just once, after the Route de Rhum when she was busy preparing for the Vendee and she was keen to talk to anyone who expressed an interest in her sport.<

Roger that. She presented 6th form prizes at my daughters school, and was apparently very good at it - not just going through the motions.

 

[Guest]

MacArthur.

 

[mikewilkes]

Cant really comment on the book yet as I am only on the first chapter, but whole heartedly agree about the lack of info coming out of so called sports reports. Its time we stopped these cricketers from going on holiday until they learnt to win for a change!!!!!
Mike