Looking for a nonfiction book about sailing. I know nothing about sailing but I’m fascinated about what it takes to cross large bodies of water in small boats.

[-]

FBones@reddit

Lots of great recommendations already given in this thread!

I’ll toss in anything by Tristan Jones. Phenomenal books!

[-]

jackspinnaker@reddit

Anything by John Krestmer (I am spelling his name wrong I have not had my coffee yet)

[-]

djjolicoeur@reddit

Joshua Slocum, Bernard Moitessier, and for a more modern take John Kretchmer (unsure of spelling). I particularly liked Sailing at the Edge of Time and Sailing a Serious Ocean by JK.

Also, A Gentleman Never Sails to Weather is a fantastic read that I could not put down

[-]

NightSail@reddit

John Kretschmer's Sailing a Serious Ocean is the one I recommend.

[-]

Sambal_Oelek@reddit

People keep saying Swell by Liz Clark.... I hate this book. It's a book about sailing from port to port and flirting with guys so they'll do boat work for you.

[-]

DUIRduje@reddit

The title is as long as the book itself, but here you are: https://digital.library.cornell.edu/catalog/sea061/

[-]

Oh__Archie@reddit

The Strange Last Voyage of Donald Crowhurst is a must read.

And The Long Way by Bernard Moitissier.

[-]

Small-Gur-9527@reddit

The Kon-Tiki Expedition by Thor Heyerdahl

[-]

Doc-Hauliday11@reddit

Sailing Alone Around the World by Joshua Slocum

[-]

RickGVI@reddit

We lived aboard and cruised the Caribbean for six years. I thought about his trick with tacks on deck while anchored at Dominica and having occasional late night visitors.

[-]

jepper65@reddit

Scary stuff, though many people wear shoes these days. Or at least sandals.

[-]

Western-Stock-1023@reddit

Sailing alone around the world by Joshua Slocum

Gypsy moth circles the globe by Sir Frances Cheschester

[-]

madairman@reddit (OP)

This looks very interesting, kind of what I was looking for.

[-]

Fire5hark@reddit

Sent a chill down my back reading this comment. The book is fantastic.

[-]

Key_Foundation_3279@reddit

Came here for this. Can’t recommend this enough if you’re into survival stories.

[-]

foundart@reddit

Following Seas by Beth Leonard is a modern take, from 2014. She and her husband, Evans Starzinger, have circumnavigated more than once, and they started out not knowing that much.

[-]

One easily relatable for modern people are Gary Goodlander's books. Chasing The Horizon is a good one.
Sailing illustrated is a good informative book, but probably best read after you get some experience. Sailing for dummies is very very good and I still read it sometimes. These are all instructionals though.

Though I don't really look up to him (not a fan of people who dip out of their family obligations for selfish reasons), Bernard Moitessier's Long Way is great.

[-]

dilligaf0220@reddit

Bernard Moitessier is the classic OG.

Cape Horn, The Logical Route; and The Long way.

[-]

FuzzyTaakoHugs@reddit

Came here to say this. The Long Way was an incredible and inspiring read!

[-]

buckbuckmow@reddit

A Voyage for Madmen by Peter Nichols. Fab book could not put it down while on a liveaboard in Indonesia.

[-]

ydbd1969@reddit

"Breath of Angels" John Beattie

"Sheila in the Wind" Adrian Hayter

[-]

FairSeafarer@reddit

At the Mercy of the Sea by John Kretschmer I love how John just dives into what happened to 3 different sailboats in the heart of a hurricane. How they ended up in that situation… his analysis is most pertinent.

[-]

ez_as_31416@reddit

In addition to the other posters, Trekka by Guzzwell -- Anything by Lin & Larry Pardey -- After 50,000 milkes by the Hiskocks. Ot any of theirs actually) Any of the books by Christian Williams. From a Bare Hull by Ferenc Mate. Two Years Before the Mast by Dana. And of course John Kretchmer's books.

[-]

Moondance_sailor@reddit

Read sea of glory and in the heart of the sea. Wild stories and history of sail. Endurance as well

[-]

8thSt@reddit

A voyage of madmen is what you are looking for

[-]

ncbluetj@reddit

Yes. Read this. There are many great books in sailing literature, but this one is a genuinely compelling story that anyone would find exciting. Sailing Alone Around the World is excellent, but it is over 100 years old, was written by a salty old sea captain, and contains a lot of esoteric terminology that a non sailor might find difficult. The non-sailing readers who I have recommended it to over the years have struggled to enjoy it. A Voyage For Madman, on the other hand, is great for sailors and non-sailors alike. I enjoyed it so much, I ended up reading at least three other books about the events described in the book (A World of My Own -Knox-Johnston, The Long Way - Moitessier, The Strange Last Voyage of Donald Crowhurst). It is truly one of the most interesting books I have ever read.

[-]

Lumpy-Sea-388@reddit

Crowhurst was a tragic story to say the least.

[-]

madairman@reddit (OP)

I gonna read this and Two Years Before the Mast, first.

[-]

8thSt@reddit

Well said, and spot on.

[-]

Lumpy-Sea-388@reddit

Sopranino

[-]

Lumpy-Sea-388@reddit

Anything by Patrick O’Brien. Master and commander series.

Kretschmer sailing to the edge of time Cape Horn to starboard Flirting with Mermaids

[-]

indigoinblue@reddit

Tinkerbelle: The Story of the Smallest Boat Ever to Cross the Atlantic Nonstop

[-]

shibboleth_the_3rd@reddit

Fair Wind and Plenty of It: A Modern-Day Tall-Ship Adventure by Rigel Crockett is a good read about sailing a tall ship in the modern era.

[-]

Capri2256@reddit

Alone Against the Atlantic by Gerry Spiess is a story about a guy crossing the Atlantic in a 10' homemade sailboat.

[-]

Wado@reddit

Look up John Kretchmer, Christian Williams, and Hal Roth as well.

[-]

FoggyWine@reddit

A number have recommended Two Years before the Mast by Herman Melville. Great book. I would recommend White Jacket by Melville for a truly visceral reading experience of being tired, cold, and wet while working as able bodied sailor. Not a small boat, but it really, really gives you the sense of what it takes to endure when there are no other options or alternatives.

[-]

Tricky-War1128@reddit

A Little Breeze to the West

[-]

amigammon@reddit

Charmaine London’s Diary

[-]

ONLYallcaps@reddit

A Serious Ocean and Adrift will make you rethink your choices.

[-]

CapnJuicebox@reddit

Adrift on a sea of blue light

[-]

moogaloog@reddit

Sailing the farm is about homesteading on a sailboat

[-]

Burlanguero@reddit

Sea Change by Peter Nichols. The Roaring Forties by Vito Dumas.

[-]

macadamia808@reddit

Read Eric and Susan Hiscocks books about sailing Wanderer.

[-]

MathematicianSlow648@reddit

They are what set me on the path to 27 years of living aboard and cruising both offshore and coastal from 55N & 17S on the Pacific Ocean.

[-]

Affectionate-Toe3583@reddit

Red Sky in Mourning by Tami Oldham Ashcroft Modern true story of be de masted in a storm and survival

[-]

vanatteveldt@reddit

Riddle of the Sands

[-]

satchmogro@reddit

Alone Across the Atlantic by Francis Chichester

[-]

Scelte@reddit

Dove - Graham, Maiden Vogage - Aebi, Gipsy Moth Circles the World - Chichester, The Long Way - Moitessier, My Old Man & the Sea - Hays. The Strange Last Voyage of Donald Crowhurst - Tomalin. Many more, but that should introduce you to the genre.

[-]

otterfish@reddit

My old man and the sea was very good.

[-]

Best-Research4022@reddit

There’s a very good episode of the cautionary tales podcast about Donald crowhurst

[-]

madairman@reddit (OP)

Thanks!

[-]

505ismagic@reddit

Kodoku, alone across the pacific.

[-]

more-kindness-please@reddit

Kon Tiki

[-]

SoundByte@reddit

Song of the Sirens, by Ernest K. Gann

[-]

curious-chineur@reddit

Around the world by Joshua Slocum. Any book by Bernard Moitessier.

[-]

Theloneus-punk@reddit

There are a lot of books that match what you are looking for. I like James Baldwin’s books. Across islands and oceans I think is the first documenting his first circumnavigation. Dove by Robin Graham is good also. Josh slocum is the OG on the topic sailing around the world by himself before anyone and writing about it.

[-]

ohthetrees@reddit

Adrift: Seventy-six Days Lost at Sea By Steven Callahan

[-]

-Maim-@reddit

Not one Hal Roth recommendation yet? The absolute disrespect.

Any of them are good but Chasing the Long Rainbow is my favorite.

[-]

pizquat@reddit

My Old Man and the Sea

[-]

nanomeister@reddit

A World of My Own by Sir Robin Knox-Johnston

[-]

Bifta_Twista@reddit

Fastnet Force 10. Will scare you silly.

[-]

nanomeister@reddit

Also ‘Left for Dead’

[-]

Better-Box1622@reddit

I know you asked for non fiction, but Riddle of the Sands by Erskine Childers is a fantastic read. Mystery set around a small sailboat investigating military operations in the Frisian Islands prior to WW1.

[-]

ButterscotchNo7232@reddit

"Philosophy of Sailing" and "Alone Together" by Christian Williams. They're about his solo sails from California to Hawaii. His YouTube videos are great, too.

[-]

Chumpy2003@reddit

“One Watch At A Time” by Skip Novak. The story of Drum in the Whitbread round the world race.

[-]

RobinsonCruiseOh@reddit

Two Years Before the Mast by Richard Henry Dana Jr
Sailing Alone Around the world by Slocum

[-]

Head_Breadfruit4039@reddit

be the captain james evenson

[-]

taboni@reddit

Two Years Before the Mast -Richard Henry Dana.

[-]

Mackey_Corp@reddit

Sea of Glory forgot who wrote it but he’s a fairly well known non fiction author. It takes place in the 1830’s and it’s about an expedition that circumnavigated the globe, discovered Antarctica, charted Fiji, and basically opened the Smithsonian museum with all the things they brought back. Great book, lots of sailing talk but it’s old school sailing stuff. Still a great read for anyone thinking about sailing on the ocean.

[-]

MadGepetto@reddit

Heaven, Hell and Salt Water by Bill & Phyllis Crowe. They hand built a 52' Block Island schooner on Waikiki beach 1936-1938 and then sailed her around the world only to find themselves entering Pearl Harbor as the Japanese attacked. The book is "of it's time" in that many of the people and places visited are described in ways that could offend some people these days.

Bill Crowe was my wife's great Uncle, she sailed from San Pedro to Hawaii on the boat with her Father in 1978 alongside a hurricane and just that story would easily fill a good book.

[-]

https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f129/free-download-linda-and-steve-dashews-books-173070.html

[-]

Most_Nebula9655@reddit

Swell by Liz Clark

[-]

madairman@reddit (OP)

Thanks!😊