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UK Holidays - The Biggest Boat I Could Afford: Sailing Up the U.S. Coast in a Dinghy
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List Price: $19.95
Our Price: $17.95
Your Save: $ 2.00 ( 10% )
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Manufacturer: Sheridan House
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Average Customer Rating:  
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Binding: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 797.109163
EAN: 9781574091922
ISBN: 1574091921
Label: Sheridan House
Manufacturer: Sheridan House
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 304
Publication Date: 2004-07-31
Publisher: Sheridan House
Studio: Sheridan House
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Editorial Reviews:
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What could make a man want to sail solo 2,500 miles up the east coast of the U.S. in a dinghy not much bigger than a king-size bed? Fate led him to a 16' open Wayfarer dinghy, literally the biggest boat he could afford. Equipped with a 3.3 HP engine and a pair of sails, but lacking a cabin, galley, bunk, head, or electricity, she treated her new skipper to all the joys of a normal camping trip (rain, bugs, cold, solitude, baked beans) but with a vastly improved chance of drowning. This book tells Lee Hughes' story as he makes his way up the Intracoastal Waterway, learning the ways of the sea by trial and error. By journey's end, not only has he become a sailor, but he has also discovered what's important to him and conquered more than one fear.
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Spotlight customer reviews:
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Customer Rating:
Summary: Light Reading Only
Comment: Lee Hughes has written an entertaining narrative about his own effort to overcome his fear of the water by sailing a 16-foot dinghy up the Intercoastal Waterway. One cannot quarrel with the author's ability to keep his narrative interesting, and I enjoyed the book.
But this is not great sea literature. The writing style is clear but not beautiful; Hughes is a complete novice when he starts, so most sailors will already have experienced and learned everything he experiences and learns along the way; and the personal growth evidenced in the voyage is likewise rudimentary, primarily centering around Hughes' adolescent (at age 40) fear of commitment.
This is a light book that you'll very likely enjoy. But you'll also give it away afterwards, rather than providing it a permanent place on your shelves.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Falls short, just like the author's quest
Comment: With all the inspirational accounts of people achieving their dreams why should we be compelled to read a book about someone who comes close and then gives up? Never more than a few miles offshore, a little uncomfortable, and homesick - the author throws in the towel. This book does not belong on the same shelf with Tinkerbelle or some of the other classic small boat adventures.
Customer Rating:
Summary: A bit of a disappointment
Comment: It's refreshing to see that books are now being published about dinghy cruising. Throughout his trip Lee was very good at regularly updating the Canadian Wayfarer website about to his exciting trip and I had anticipated a really good book to be the end result. This was not the case though as I found his book to be of little merit from a "sailor's point of view" and falters to nothing more than a glorified log-book by a rookie sailor who quite frankly is lucky his inexperience on such an ambitious trip didn't kill him.
This book is defintely NOT to be used as a reference guide for dinghy cruisers.
Customer Rating:
Summary: a read for armchair non sailors
Comment: wish i hadnt bought the book it will end up being donated somewhere. The valuable information is that for beginners they should start with a small boat, preferably a dinghy and learn the craft. The author bought his boat fully equipped for crusing from frank dye whose books are well worth buying.
Although the writing style is readable, I am convinced that the author really doesnt like sailing or the sea. There is a mechanical approach to getting from a to b and if it means breaking out the credit card or asking for a tow so be it. The final nail in the coffin is the authors cutting short the trip because?
Customer Rating:
Summary: Not the best.
Comment: An interesting yarn, but not much technical or even practical info on solo sailing of small boats. I enjoyed the scathing criticism of the uptight Florida Marina Communities, but would have liked to see more details about his experiences in the Northeast Final leg of the voyage. If you're contemplating a long small boat voyage, don't bother reading this. Given the inexperience and naivite' of the author, it's a miracle he didn't get in more trouble or drown.
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