Non-fiction

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

Updating cart…

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

Updating cart…

Fair Winds and Far Places – Zane Mann

Published by Dillon Press, Minneapolis a first edition 1978. Octavo, 272 pages well illustrated and well written. Very good near fine condition.

If you are exhausted from reading about the drama of round the world sailing then this will give you some respite. Zane Mann came across the beautiful fifty foot sloop “Serenity” and it changed his life. The next three years were spent in the Caribbean and this is the account of his sailings and exploits

Zane Mann gave it all up for the Caribbean … and the lobsters!

$25.00

Updating cart…

The Jason Voyage – the Quest for the Golden Fleece – Tim Severin

Published by Guild Publishing, London 1985. Octavo, 263 pages well illustrated and with charts etc. A very good near fine copy.

13th century BC and Jason sets sail in his galley to find the Golden Fleece. Legend or fact? From Greece across the Aegean through the Dardanelles and Sea of Marmara and the Bosphorus and up along the Black Sea all the way to Colchis were Jason found the “fleece”’ and his bride Medea.

Tim Severin had already tested the legend of St Brendan who sailed a leather boat from Ireland to America. And repeated the voyages of Sinbad. For Jason he built a twenty-oar galley and repeated the 1,500 mile voyage … a few volunteer oarsmen were required! Superb mytho-archaeology [our word]

Tim Severin put it all into Jason and proved the possibility

$25.00

Updating cart…

Round the World Non-Stop – John Ridgway and Andy Briggs

Published by Patrick Stephens, Wellingborough, England in 1985 a first edition. Octavo, 236 pages well illustrated from coloured photographs and with charts, diagrams and good technical content.

John Ridgway and Andy Briggs sailed their 57 foot ketch “English Rose VI” around the world non-stop in 1983/4. The departed from Ardmore in the far north-west of Scotland and made it all the way back in 203 days, then the fastest on record.

Ridgeway, another Voyager hero, formerly in the Parachute Regiment … rowed the Atlantic with Chay Blyth and sailed it single handed. He led expeditions to the upper Amazon, the Southern Andes of Patagonia, the Sahara and the Himalayas .. he also went round the world in the Whitbread race. Our sort of bloke.

Top class account of a record breaking voyage

$25.00

Updating cart…

Small Boat Against the Sea – Derek King and Peter Bird

Published by Paul Elek, London a first edition 1976. Octavo, 244 pages nicely illustrated. A very good copy.

The subtitle … “The story of the first trans-world rowing attempt” has to be taken with a pinch of sea salt as this unlikely pair “only” made it across the Atlantic. Regardless a pretty good achievement and a remarkable story. At the start there were three with the pretty Carol Maystone who jumped ship so to speak in Morocco … don’t blame her!

Derek and Peter had originally intended to have a bespoke rower built for the global trip. Lack of money canned that idea … but lady luck arrived and John Fairfax offered them the Britannia II in which he and Sylvia Cook had rowed across the Pacific.

Very readable honest account … exciting

$30.00

Updating cart…

Travellers on a Trade Wind – Marcia Pirie

The Singlehanders – Peter Heaton

Fair Winds and Far Places – Zane Mann

The Jason Voyage – the Quest for the Golden Fleece – Tim Severin

Round the World Non-Stop – John Ridgway and Andy Briggs

Small Boat Against the Sea – Derek King and Peter Bird

Product Categories