Sailing a Serious Ocean: Sailboats, Storms, Stories and Lessons Learned from 30 Years at Sea"I know you'll want to read more after you finish Sailing a Serious Ocean. And be warned, you'll very likely want to sail with John, perhaps across an ocean." -- DALLAS MURPHY, AUTHOR OF ROUNDING THE HORN After sailing 300,000 miles and weathering dozens of storms in all the world's oceans, John Kretschmer has plenty of stories and advice to share. John's offshore training passages sell out a year in advance and his entertaining presentations are popular at boat shows and yacht clubs all over the English speaking world. John's talent for storytelling enchants his audience as it soaks up the lessons he learned during his oftenchallenging voyages. Now you can take a seat next to John--at a lesser cost--and get the knowledge you need to fulfill your own dream of blue-water adventure. In Sailing a Serious Ocean, John tells you what to expect when sailing the oceans and shows how to sail safely across them. His tales of storm encounters and other examples of extreme seamanship will help you prepare for your journey and give you confidence to handle any situation—even heavy weather. Through his personal stories, John will guide you through the whole process of choosing the right boat, outfitting with the right gear, planning your route, navigating the ocean, and understanding the nuances of life at sea. Our oceans are beautiful yet unpredictable—water that is at one moment a natural mirror for the glowing sun can turn into a foamy, raging wall of fury. John knows our oceans, and he is one of the best teachers of taming and enjoying them. Before you set off across the big blue, turn to John for his inspirational stories and hard-learned advice and discover the serious sailor in you. |
Contents
| 1 | |
| 18 | |
Quetzal and Other Sailboat Obsessions Oceangoing Sailboats Buying a Sailboat Owning a Sailboat Naming a Sailboat | 35 |
Launchings Launching Jitters BuyingFlying a Life Raft Designing a Sailboat Herreshoff Perry Kaufman and Other Designers Production Sailboats ... | 79 |
DeparturesBermuda Bound Assembling a Crew First Days Offshore Three Keys to Happiness Afloat Situational Awareness Crew Overboard Proce... | 102 |
Atlantic CrossingsThe Atlantic Circle Choosing a Route Pilot Charts West to East Crossings Mediterranean Summer Losing a Staysail East to West ... | 121 |
Storm Strategies HeavingTo Chafe in Heavy Weather Forereaching Lying Ahull Myths Debunked Sail Trim in Heavy Weather Preparing for Hea... | 143 |
Storm Stories HeavyWeather Sailing 20 Equipment Failure Force 13Atlantic Crossing Gale Cape Horn Snorter Hurricane Mitch North Sea Force 1... | 165 |
Odyssey Redux Mediterranean CruisingDangers of an Inland Sea Mistrals CockpitDeck Enclosures Leaving a Boat for Long Periods Tornado Dam... | 197 |
Survival of the Luckiest Crew Retrieval Steep Waves in the Gulf Stream Dismasted and Drifting in the Gulf Stream Solo Sailor Lost at Sea | 215 |
Atlantic CrossingsPart Two Back Where We Belong Gathering a Crew Preparing for PassagesThe Work List Including Rigging Dynex Dux Backstay... | 225 |
Acknowledgments | 236 |
Index | 237 |