The Mercy

D

Denek

Well-Known Member
Joined
12 Jan 2013
Messages
321
Location
Thurleigh bedfordshire
Visit site
Anyone seen this film about Donald Crowhurst?. If not worth a watch I watched it last night. Sad story. It’s on prime. I have just finished reading a voyage for madmen which was worth reading too.
Can anyone recommend any other sailing books or films to occupy some time since we cannot get out on the water?
I can also recommend Shrimpy by Shane Acton and Joshua Slocums sailing alone around the world.
 
Styx is good and filmed on a real 40 ft yacht on location in the Med. Film crew had to cope with filming in a real Force 8, seasickness and all, so is more realistic than most sailing-related flix.
There's always All is Lost so you can join the chorus of disapproval from the armchair admirals about how unrealistic it is ( spoiler alert: it wasn't a documentary.)
 
Denek said:
Can anyone recommend any other sailing books or films to occupy some time since we cannot get out on the water?
Click to expand...

If you're taken by the Golden Globe race, then Robin Knox Jonston's "A world of my own" is a must-read. Also , Bill King's "Capsize" is worth checking out.
 
Denek said:
Anyone seen this film about Donald Crowhurst?. If not worth a watch I watched it last night. Sad story. It’s on prime. I have just finished reading a voyage for madmen which was worth reading too.
Can anyone recommend any other sailing books or films to occupy some time since we cannot get out on the water?
I can also recommend Shrimpy by Shane Acton and Joshua Slocums sailing alone around the world.
Click to expand...
Yes very sad film and great book!

So Riddle of the Sands (written and set before first world war) is an amazing book.. and amazing as Audible audio book as well.. If you want a good version see the Audible Book Club thread in Book club.

I read Mortissers The Long Way and Knox-Johston A Wolrd of my Own together - one chapter of one - then a chapter of the other.
A highly recommend strategy as they were both sailing in the same race but were at opposite ends the spectrum. Mortissier floated around in his head and RNJ hauled his way around with muscle and sinew... but they both had one thing in common! They protected their sextants like new born babes wrapped in swaddling.

Yes Joshua Slocum book Sailing alone around the world is amazing and even funnier than Knox Johnstones book.

As for movies...If you do Pirate Bay you should be able to get a copy of WIND with Mathew Modine, Jennifer Gary and Stellan Skarsgard trying to win America's cup - consistently voted as best sailing film.
 
I also recommend Eroll Flynn's Beam Ends, an account of a voyage a young Flynn and 3 friends made up the coast of Australia in a leaky old boat he had won in a card game. Also George Millar, who wrote a couple of brilliant books about his experiences in the war, Maquis, and Horned Pigeon, also wrote some charming sailing books; Isabel and the sea, A white boat from England and Oyster River.
 
Last edited:
+1 for The Mercy - and I generally don't like film as a medium (too slow - I can read and take in a lot more information faster that way). But read the book it is based on as well (The Strange Last Voyage of Donald Crowhurst ).
 
I found Born to Win by John Bertrand fascinating. It is the story of how Australia won the Amrica's Cup. The famous wing keel was not the real advantage it was that they recut their sails every night to suit the following day's weather. Bit old now and probably only available second hand.
 
If you have Amazon prime I have just watched "Following Seas" it is an amazing biography of a sailing family from the 1960 and 1970's who did three circumnavigations. It is quite an extraordinary story in an age without GPS and water makers. The round the horn the wrong way, do a complete circuit of Antarctica. Complete self reliance, funded by making films. hey are even shipwrecked on an atom and build their own ferro cement boat.
 
Seven Spades said:
If you have Amazon prime I have just watched "Following Seas" it is an amazing biography of a sailing family from the 1960 and 1970's who did three circumnavigations. It is quite an extraordinary story in an age without GPS and water makers. The round the horn the wrong way, do a complete circuit of Antarctica. Complete self reliance, funded by making films. hey are even shipwrecked on an atom and build their own ferro cement boat.
Click to expand...

I agree. It's a really amazing film about extraordinary people.
 
Seven Spades said:
If you have Amazon prime I have just watched "Following Seas" it is an amazing biography of a sailing family from the 1960 and 1970's who did three circumnavigations. It is quite an extraordinary story in an age without GPS and water makers. The round the horn the wrong way, do a complete circuit of Antarctica. Complete self reliance, funded by making films. hey are even shipwrecked on an atom and build their own ferro cement boat.
Click to expand...
Thanks, I'll enjoy watching that. Have you any more Amazon prime recommendations?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top