In my first reading, the story of this tragedy captured me, The second time I focused on One of the best authored books on sailing out there! It's defiantly one of my topreads, arguably in my top.
I have read this book multiple times and I have loaned it out to every one I know.
It is my favorite adventure book, The writing is superb and John's analysis is spot on, The storm is reviewed from its beginnings over Minnesota, its brush with the J/world championship Good story From reading Perfect Storm two years ago I have started reading adventure stories at sea.
This is a fascinating race in extreme conditions which the author describes very well based on his first hand knowledge.
But he also analyzes what went wrong and where the blame In August,yachts began themile Fastnet Race from the Isle of Wight off the southwest coast of England to Fastnet Rock off the Irish coast and back.
It began in fine weather, then suddenly became a terrifying ordeal, A Force, sixty knot storm swept across the North Atlantic with a speed that confounded forecasters, slamming into the fleet with epic fury.
For twenty hours,,men and women were smashed by forty foot breaking waves, while rescue helicopters and lifeboats struggled to save them.
By the time the race was over, fifteen people had died, twenty four crews had abandoned ship, five yachts had sunk,sailors had been rescued, and onlyboats had finished the race.
John Rousmaniere was there, and he tells the tragic story of the greatest disaster in the history of yachting as only one who has sailed through the teeth of a killer storm can.
With a new introduction by the author, Well written true story about a sailboat race from southern England around Fastnet Rock near the southern coast of Ireland.
The race resulted in the loss of many lives when an Atlantic storm blew in and decimated the smaller boats.
Sailors would find this book compelling, If you want a blow by blow account of heavy weather sailing, this is it, It is a thorough account of this tragic race, One of my favorite sailing books, John Rousmaniere knows sailing and he most definitely knows all about this particular Fastnet Race, What a story he has to tell, Almost as good as Left for Dead, a personal account of the same event,
In this new revised edition, John Rousmaniere has updated THE ANNAPOLIS BOOK OF SEAMANSHIP with the most recent information about safety, sails, boathandling, electronics, and health issues all passed on from his sailing experience and teaching safety and reviewing accidents.
Every chapter has been revised and several have been completely rewritten, For details about new material, see New in this Edition on page xi, copied in one of the photos and in a forum on the author page.
Johns ubiquitous ANNAPOLIS BOOK OF SEAMANSHIP has helped train and educate generations of sailors.
His many other titles have earned him a reputation as the dean of sailing authors, Citation, SAIL magazinesSailors Who Made a Difference,
Inthe U, S. Sailing Association honored John Rousmanieres work in boating education, including THE ANNAPOLIS BOOK OF SEAMANSHIP now in its thoroughly updated and revisedth edition, by presenting John with its Timothea Larr Award.
This coveted award recognizes a person whose vision and guidance have made an outstanding contribution to the advancement of sailor education in the United States.
A devoted sailor since youth, John has some,miles of blue water behind him, including ocean passages, nine Newport Bermuda Races, and other major races in small and big boats.
He has written or editedbooks about sailing
and the sea, including THE ANNAPOLIS BOOK OF SEAMANSHIP, DESIRABLE AND UNDESIRABLE CHARACTERISTICS OF OFFSHORE BOATS, and other technical books as well as histories of the sport and two widely hailed books about storms.
His FASTNET, FORCEwas hailed as A narrative worthy of the best sea literature, and Stuart Woods said about AFTER THE STORM, No one writes about the violence of the sea better than John Rousmaniere.
He has spoken at thansafety seminars and clinics across North America and served on the Safety at Sea Committees of U.
S. Sailing and the Cruising Club of America, and the Bermuda Race Organizing Committee, He has conducted reviews of boating accidents whose stories and lessons are an important thread in the new edition of THE ANNAPOLIS BOOK.
He coordinated the U. S. Sailing Associations Arthur B. Hanson Rescue Medal program, which recognizes mariners who make rescues, Johns videos include THE ANNAPOLIS BOOK OF SEAMANSHIP DVD SERIES,
When the Cruising Club of America awarded John its Richard S, Nye Award, the citation said, His books have been a source of information and inspiration to sailors around the world.
Mystic Seaport has presented him its W, P. Stephens award for contributions to yachting history in his many books about the histories of boats, races, the Americas Cup, maritime photography, yacht clubs, and storms.
John is a member of the Cruising Club of America, the New York Yacht Club, and U.
S. Sailing, and has served on the selection committees of the National Sailing Hall of Fame and the Americas Cup Hall of Fame.
Descended from a French soldier who fought in the American Revolution, John lives in New York City with his wife, Leah Ruth Robinson.
He takes special pleasure racing in classic wooden boats, cruising across the Gulf Stream in modern ones, and exploring marshes with his grandchildren in a small catboat.