Jack de Crow, allan macintosh

[jpay]

BRILLIANT... sails a mirror dinghy from england too the black sea...

Definate reccomendation for anyone

 

[Searush]

Seconded, He sets out from a minor public school near Shrewsbury for a few weeks & just sort of keeps going. Considering the disasters of the first few days it's amazing he doesn't immediately give up or end up in the hospotal or morgue.

By the end he is an expert open boat camper.

 

[Slowtack]

Just finished this. Recommend it to anybody who thinks their own boat is too small!

 

[LittleSister]

Yes, a very entertaining book.

 

[steve yates]

It's such a great book, a proper adventure. One of my favourites.

 

[Boathook]

Just seen this. An enjoyable read even though some bits seem predictable in outcome.

 

[dgadee]

Odd. I found it unreadable! How we differ.

 

[Slowtack]

Best not to read too much into these matters ??

 

[The Q]

I found it a very good book,, though I wouldn't be tempted by channel crossing in a Mirror...

 

[duncanmack]

Probably better to read 'The unlikely voyage of Jack de Crow' by A J Mackinnon.......

 

[dgadee]

Probably better to read 'The unlikely voyage of Jack de Crow' by A J Mackinnon.......

Is it better than the one by Allan Macintosh?

 

[Slowtack]

Unlikely............

 

[MikeBz]

I've just started reading Jack de Crow by A J Mackinnon (who was the actual chap who undertook the adventure - I assume 'Allan Macintosh' in the thread title is a typo/error). I can understand why some people might find his writing style a bit heavy-going, but after 30 pages or so I've started to learn how to filter his deliberate exaggerations or embellishments from reality. My 89 year old Dad loved it!

 

[DownWest]

I've just started reading Jack de Crow by A J Mackinnon (who was the actual chap who undertook the adventure - I assume 'Allan Macintosh' in the thread title is a typo/error). I can understand why some people might find his writing style a bit heavy-going, but after 30 pages or so I've started to learn how to filter his deliberate exaggerations or embellishments from reality. My 89 year old Dad loved it!

Just finished it too
At first, I was a bit irritated with his style, then got used to it. Have to remember, it was in 1998. His lack of preparation did sound a bit silly, esp as he had sailed before?

 

[graham]

I am reading it now . I will definitely finish it but it is heavy going in places.

I laughed out loud at the part where thinking he had found a pub he gate crashed the pigeon fanciers AGM in a village hall somewhere along his route across Europe and as they plied him with food and drink he didnt realize his mistake until later!

 

[KeithMD]

It sounds like worth adding to the library, even it it's not all believable?

Review
...one of the most original and entertaining books on sailing and voyaging to come out in years. --Sailing
...the cavalier attitude, wit, and romanticism of this book are enough to capture the heart of any adventurer... --WaterCraft
...will have you alternately laughing and shaking your head in disbelief at the brilliant insanity of the ill-defined quest. --Cruising World
About the Author
A.J. Mackinnon was born in Australia in 1963. He got hDiploma in Education and a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature, Linguistics and Anglo-Saxon from the University of Adelaide. His teaching career started at Westminster school, Adelaide, where he taught English and Drama for four years. AFter this time he traveled overland England by yacht, hitch-hiking, river-canoe and even horseback-spending a brief time in a Chinese prison after accidentally swimming into China and being attacked by Komodo Dragons, amongst other experiences. In England he taught at Sherborne and Cheltenham before becoming Head of Drama at Ellesmere College, Shropshire, where he also taught English. From Ellesmere he launched his unlikely voyage aboard his dinghy Jack de Crow. He is currently teaching English and Drama at Geelong Grammar School in Australia where he also coaches sailing.

 

[jezjez]

Swallows and Amazons forever! Cracking adventure. The style isn’t perfect, but the sentiment is, and that’s what sells this almost mad-cap story.
I read it at least 15 years ago but I haven’t forgotten how much I enjoyed it.
Well done, AJM

 

[LittleSister]

I believe it was mentioned on another thread about this book that he is in the process of doing (or planning? or recently completed?) a similar voyage.

 

[steve yates]

He has completed another voyage, from the black sea to venice. Highly impressive.
Edited to add: I took the opportunity to reread this a few weeks ago, and thoroughly enjoyed it all over again. Cracking story, well written and genuinely funny in parts.
A genuine classic.