Modern Era Voyaging

A Fighting Chance – How We Rowed the Atlantic in 92 Days – John Ridgway and Chay Blyth

Published by Paul Hamlyn, London 1967 a second impression. Octavo, 255 pages, illustrated and with end paper maps. Very good condition.

Captain John Ridgway and a very young looking Sergeant Chay Blyth row across the Atlantic west to east from Cape Cod to the Aran Isles of the coast of Ireland.

At the very end they were threatened against rocky cliffs. Paratrooper training helped them through.

Interesting book structure with each taking a chapter in turn having completed detailed logs of the voyage. Nice technical content at the rear

Rowing across the Atlantic a breeze for Ridgway and Blyth

$25.00

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Alone Against the Atlantic – Garry Spiess

First UK edition published by Souvenir Press, London in 1982.

Octavo, 224 pages nicely illustrated especially images of the build. End paper maps, nice technical appendices make the book complete. Very good near fine copy, quite an attractive two tone blue cloth covered board binding with lovely gilt image of the little vessel .. all hidden by a perfect dust jacket.

Gerry Spiess was a schoolteacher in Minnesota … his dream was to sail across the Atlantic in the smallest boat practical. So he started making it in his garage out of recycled plywood and the likes. The Yankee girls was ten feet long ad half as wide. He built it , sailed it and made it from Chesapeake bay to Falmouth. Wow and what a voyage. Juts look at the images of the boat!

Spiess inspires – get some packing crates today!

$30.00

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Call of the Sea – France and Christian Guillain

Published by Victor Gollancz, London 1976 a first English edition having been published in France in 1974. Translated by Caroline Hillier who captures the emotion well. Octavo, 272 pages well illustrated. A very good near fine copy.

This is the first English translation of a French best seller. France and Christian Guillain set off for Tahiti from the Mediterranean with a baby of just a e weeks. This is a very joyful account despite the unusual calamities that befell them along the way. Stranded in the mouth of the Ebro, sea monsters of the Cocos the dreariness of the doldrums. Nice family photographs .. so French.

French couple take their young family on the voyage of anyone’s lifetime and more …

$25.00

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A Girl on a Square Rig – Jenni Atkinson

Published by Arlington Books, Mayfair, London a first edition 1977. Octavo, 203 pages with end paper diagrams of the vessel and nice photographic images and chart. Very good condition.

This is the 1976 Tall Ships race across the Atlantic to celebrate the American Bicentenary. Jenni Atkinson gave up her job to become a hand (one of two women in a crew of twenty seven) on the square-rigger Phoenix. Unsponsored and crewed by volunteers they were the only square-rigger to complete the course. Written with a great sense of humour.

Tall ship across the Atlantic – told with humour

$25.00

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Travellers on a Trade Wind – Marcia Pirie

Published by Frontier a first edition 1992. Octavo, 296 pages well illustrated with photographs and charts and the most endearing sketches by the author. A very good if not fine copy.

Marcia and David Pirie gave it all up to sail their home-built ketch “Moongazer” round the world. An not the usual way … the total voyage took in some 70,000 miles of sailing. Not happy with the usual route after the Panama they sail north from the Marquesas through Hawaii up to the icy waters of Queen Charlotte Sound. And then much more.

Take nine years off and follow the route of Marcia and David!

$30.00

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The Singlehanders – Peter Heaton

Published by Michael Joseph, London in 1976 a first edition. Large octavo, 208 pages nicely illustrated. A very good if not fine copy.

Peter Heaton’s well thought through book on the evolution of the singlehanders.

In the 19th century stockbroker Richard McMullen became a singlehander because he sacked his two hands for being idle and insolent. Those that more carefully planned their way into it are categorised as Pioneers (1876-1899); Romantics (1900-39); Escapists (1940’s and 50’s) and those from the Competitive Era. As well as the individual exploits the issues of loneliness etc are explored.

Great photography and technical diagrams.

Singlehanders covered well by Heaton

$25.00

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A Fighting Chance – How We Rowed the Atlantic in 92 Days – John Ridgway and Chay Blyth

Alone Against the Atlantic – Garry Spiess

Call of the Sea – France and Christian Guillain

A Girl on a Square Rig – Jenni Atkinson

Travellers on a Trade Wind – Marcia Pirie

The Singlehanders – Peter Heaton

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