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A Voyage for Madmen
In 1968, nine sailors set off on the most daring race ever to single-handedly circumnavigate the globe nonstop. It was a feat that had never been accomplished and one that would forever change the face of sailing. Ten months later, only one of the nine men would cross the finish line and earn fame, wealth, and glory. For the others, the reward was madness, failure, and death.In this extraordinary book, Peter Nichols chronicles a contest of the individual against the sea, waged at a time before cell phones, satellite dishes, and electronic positioning systems. A Voyage for Madmen is a tale of sailors driven by their own dreams and demons, of horrific storms in the Southern Ocean, and of those riveting moments when a split-second decision means the difference between life and death.
298 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 1997
About the author
Peter Nichols
10 books75 followers
Peter Nichols is the author of the bestselling novel The Rocks, the nonfiction bestsellers A Voyage for Madmen, Evolution's Captain, and three other books of fiction, memoir, and non-fiction. His novel Voyage to the North Star was nominated for the Dublin IMPAC literary award. His journalism has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize. He has an MFA degree from Antioch University Los Angeles, and has taught creative writing at Georgetown University, Bowdoin College, and New York University in Paris. Before turning to writing full time, he held a 100 ton USCG Ocean Operator’s licence and was a professional yacht delivery skipper for 10 years. He has also worked in advertising in London, as a screenwriter in Los Angeles, a shepherd in Wales. He has sailed alone in a small boat across the Atlantic and is a member of the Explorers Club of New York.
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This was the first 10-star book of 2017. What would make anyone want to sail around the world single-handed and without stopping? In 1968 The Sunday Times put up a prize of £5,000 and the Golden Globe trophy to the first person to make it back.
Nine men took up the challenge. One of them, Chay Blythe, couldn't even sail, but had rowed across the Atlantic. Only one of them, as it turned out, was up to the challenge, and he didn't want the prize.
So what happened to the nine men? Four dropped out before leaving the Atlantic. Chay Blythe got to the Cape of Good Hope before retiring. One, Crowhurst committed suicide having faked his log of pretending to sail and was obviously mentally ill. Another, Nigel Tetley, in sight of the prize almost, sank. That left two men. The man in the lead, Bernard Moitessier decided it was all too commercial and not good for his spiritual self and so turned around and headed to Tahiti, another 10,000 miles. That left Robin Knox-Johnson, the only finisher who won both the Golden Globe and the money which he donated to Crowhurst's family.
Despite the awful results of the race, it morphed into the Vendée Globe which takes place every four years. This last one, 2016/17 saw 29 entrants of which 18 finished.
The most interesting characters in the book were Donald Crowhurst and his madness. He was frightened of both the sailing and financial ruin and so faked his log which showed his gradual descent into madness and thence to suicide. The other was Bernard Moitessier who was a successful author and sailor but felt he had sold out and that taking the cash prize would be bad for his soul. Quite what his wife (also a sailor) and his children thought of him not coming home but heading of to Tahiti isn't recorded.
Naturally, the next book I read was The Long Way by Moitessier. I had to know his views on all of this.
Nine men took up the challenge. One of them, Chay Blythe, couldn't even sail, but had rowed across the Atlantic. Only one of them, as it turned out, was up to the challenge, and he didn't want the prize.
So what happened to the nine men? Four dropped out before leaving the Atlantic. Chay Blythe got to the Cape of Good Hope before retiring. One, Crowhurst committed suicide having faked his log of pretending to sail and was obviously mentally ill. Another, Nigel Tetley, in sight of the prize almost, sank. That left two men. The man in the lead, Bernard Moitessier decided it was all too commercial and not good for his spiritual self and so turned around and headed to Tahiti, another 10,000 miles. That left Robin Knox-Johnson, the only finisher who won both the Golden Globe and the money which he donated to Crowhurst's family.
Despite the awful results of the race, it morphed into the Vendée Globe which takes place every four years. This last one, 2016/17 saw 29 entrants of which 18 finished.
The most interesting characters in the book were Donald Crowhurst and his madness. He was frightened of both the sailing and financial ruin and so faked his log which showed his gradual descent into madness and thence to suicide. The other was Bernard Moitessier who was a successful author and sailor but felt he had sold out and that taking the cash prize would be bad for his soul. Quite what his wife (also a sailor) and his children thought of him not coming home but heading of to Tahiti isn't recorded.
Naturally, the next book I read was The Long Way by Moitessier. I had to know his views on all of this.
Absolutely fantastic book! Nine men ... six English, two French, and one Italian ... endeavour to single-handedly sail nonstop 'round the world. Only one man returns. If you want to know what happened, you'll have to read the book! I highly recommend it.
"They were neither sportsmen nor yachtsmen. Only one of the nine crossed the finishing line after ten months at sea. The rest encountered despair, sublimity, madness and death".
4 Stars = It gave me much to think about. If definitely held my interest.
"They were neither sportsmen nor yachtsmen. Only one of the nine crossed the finishing line after ten months at sea. The rest encountered despair, sublimity, madness and death".
4 Stars = It gave me much to think about. If definitely held my interest.
"They were neither sportsmen nor yachtsmen. Only one of the nine crossed the finishing line after ten months at sea. The rest encountered despair, sublimity, madness and death".
The 1968 round the world yacht race was born from a number of individual plans to conduct a non-stop single-handed circumnavigation of the world. The Sunday Times wanted to be involved but was unsure who to sponsor as they did not want to be involved with a sailor who did not win and two of the most likely to succeed already had deals...answer sponsor a race: two prizes one for the first passed the post circumnavigation and the other the fastest. Few rules and certainly no minimum qualifications or standards led to a mix of men putting their names forward. The Sunday Times Golden Globe Race non-stop, single-handed, round-the-world yacht race was born.
What followed was a fascinating and rather "old-fashioned" European approach to doing something because it is there to be done. The men who stepped forward were a real mix of personalities, experiences, and backgrounds: six Englishmen, two Frenchmen and one Italian.
Old-fashioned because this is the age prior to corporate sponsorship, media managers, dietary expertise and of course modern communications such as GPS, mobile/satellite phones and carbon fibre boats. The men all adopted differing approaches and plans with boats being adapted, some build from new and trying (even trialling) new designs and techniques.
The race was not a large gathering of boats crossing a start line but the rules allowed departure from any UK port between 1st June and 31st October 1968, and as such the men and their preparations saw leave through that period.
From there they all sailed, tacked, drifted, languished, swirled and speeded towards the prizes - some for money, some for the fame and some, well because there's not much "left to do".
The stories of the men and their preparations and of course their journeys are riveting and frankly astonishing: both in the challenge mentally and physically and the land-loving reader like me who would have neither courage nor will-power to confront months and months of loneliness in some of the most fierce and dangerous seas on the planet (named the Roaring Forties and Furious Fifties after the latitudes between 40 and 50 and 60 degrees south of the equator - https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/r... ); waves of 40 feet and more and gale force winds.
The dangerous seas and extreme weather along with exhaustion and mental strain takes their toll with just one man finishing. There is also much introspection by competitors and even some cheating that causes pain for some long-after the race is over.
Overall this was a real insight for me as I've read nothing about yacht sailing or the high seas in this context. I am now interested in these men, their craft (for that is what it is - especially in the late 1960s as the techniques are more recognisable to Captain Cook than modern yacht racers) and also the famed Tea Clippers who rode these seas in the mid-19th century.
Oh, and why did I choose this book as it's not one I'd normal pick up? Well, that's down to the UK's wonderful national chain of bookshops: Waterstones. It was one of their books of the month in a store in Sussex. The staff in Waterstones write their own brief reviews and pin them on the shelf to help readers choose.
The 1968 round the world yacht race was born from a number of individual plans to conduct a non-stop single-handed circumnavigation of the world. The Sunday Times wanted to be involved but was unsure who to sponsor as they did not want to be involved with a sailor who did not win and two of the most likely to succeed already had deals...answer sponsor a race: two prizes one for the first passed the post circumnavigation and the other the fastest. Few rules and certainly no minimum qualifications or standards led to a mix of men putting their names forward. The Sunday Times Golden Globe Race non-stop, single-handed, round-the-world yacht race was born.
What followed was a fascinating and rather "old-fashioned" European approach to doing something because it is there to be done. The men who stepped forward were a real mix of personalities, experiences, and backgrounds: six Englishmen, two Frenchmen and one Italian.
Old-fashioned because this is the age prior to corporate sponsorship, media managers, dietary expertise and of course modern communications such as GPS, mobile/satellite phones and carbon fibre boats. The men all adopted differing approaches and plans with boats being adapted, some build from new and trying (even trialling) new designs and techniques.
The race was not a large gathering of boats crossing a start line but the rules allowed departure from any UK port between 1st June and 31st October 1968, and as such the men and their preparations saw leave through that period.
From there they all sailed, tacked, drifted, languished, swirled and speeded towards the prizes - some for money, some for the fame and some, well because there's not much "left to do".
The stories of the men and their preparations and of course their journeys are riveting and frankly astonishing: both in the challenge mentally and physically and the land-loving reader like me who would have neither courage nor will-power to confront months and months of loneliness in some of the most fierce and dangerous seas on the planet (named the Roaring Forties and Furious Fifties after the latitudes between 40 and 50 and 60 degrees south of the equator - https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/r... ); waves of 40 feet and more and gale force winds.
The dangerous seas and extreme weather along with exhaustion and mental strain takes their toll with just one man finishing. There is also much introspection by competitors and even some cheating that causes pain for some long-after the race is over.
Overall this was a real insight for me as I've read nothing about yacht sailing or the high seas in this context. I am now interested in these men, their craft (for that is what it is - especially in the late 1960s as the techniques are more recognisable to Captain Cook than modern yacht racers) and also the famed Tea Clippers who rode these seas in the mid-19th century.
Oh, and why did I choose this book as it's not one I'd normal pick up? Well, that's down to the UK's wonderful national chain of bookshops: Waterstones. It was one of their books of the month in a store in Sussex. The staff in Waterstones write their own brief reviews and pin them on the shelf to help readers choose.
Disclaimer: I am a sailor who has sailed in heavy weather, and thus I have more than average interest in this book; others may not find it as fascinating as I did.
"Round the World! There is much in that sound to inspire proud feelings; but whereto does all that circumnavigation conduct? Only through numberless perils to the very point whence we started."
So said Ishmael in Moby-Dick.
Since I had already read Bernard Moitessier's book, The Long Way (La Longue Route), I knew about the Golden Globe Race of 1968. Nichols' depiction of the contestants only makes Bernard Moitessier more appealing as a sailor and a man. Moitessier was a character, but also a man of high integrity, and with a few exceptions, those who got to know him well, loved the man. He probably suffered from depression and / or bipolar syndrome, but he was fearless and without peer as a sailor, as he was in his determination to be first around the world single-handed, unassisted. And he was first, in a sense. He crossed his outbound track in the South Atlantic (i.e., he had circumnavigated), and then he gave up the race, choosing to sail from the Atlantic back to Tahiti via the Cape of Good Hope rather than to England where the race ended. So Moitessier sailed 1 and 1/2 times around the world, instead of just once, and he did so without touching land, without getting assistance in any form: not by taking on fresh water or food, not by getting a tow into a port, nor in any other way. His reasons for dropping out of the race are understandable to those sailors who love the sea, and who have sailed in conditions bad enough to make them question why they were out there in the first place.
As the writer points out, the sailors in that 1968 race had more in common with Captain James Cook than they did with the sailors of the 21st Century. There was no GPS, there were no satellite phones, no electric furling of sails, no solar panels to charge batteries. The man who won the race, Knox-Johnston, sailed in a massively over-built wooden boat made of teak, and Moitessier's very simple boat, Joshua, was made of boilerplate steel (all his previous boats were of wood). Though I have sailed five times in the Gulf Stream, once in horrendous conditions, with Force 7-9 winds, I feel like an imposter of a sailor when I read what these guys went through.
Moitessier sent a message (via slingshot) to a merchant marine ship when he was had decided to give up the race. It said that he was headed to Tahiti via the Cape of Good Hope, and he said he was doing it, "parce que je suis hereux en mer, et peut-etre pour sauver mon ame". "Because I am happy at sea, and perhaps to save my soul." Moitessier felt the prize money of the Golden Globe sullied what was otherwise a noble venture, and he refused to be a part of the "circus" that he foresaw would ensue if he won the race, which seemed likely after he rounded Cape Horn. He respected, even loved, his competitors, and they returned his affection, but he had no use for accolades from those who had no real understanding what he and his competitors had been through.
Despite my admiration of Moitessier, I probably understand Knox-Johnston (the winner) more clearly. He just kept on, obstinately, working hard to cheer himself up every day, but like Moitessier, and unlike many of the others, he loved the sea. Tetley, the other competitor who came close to finishing, understood completely when Moitessier dropped out; he said, "How like Bernard to do that". Tetley's boat disintegrated under him 1,000 miles from England, and he was rescued at sea. Donald Crowhurst, who mortgaged everything in a desperate bid to win the big prize, went mad and apparently stepped over the side in calm waters in mid-Atlantic, holding his chronometer.
I loved this book and read it compulsively for three days until I had finished. I think that even for non-sailors, this is a compelling read.
"Round the World! There is much in that sound to inspire proud feelings; but whereto does all that circumnavigation conduct? Only through numberless perils to the very point whence we started."
So said Ishmael in Moby-Dick.
Since I had already read Bernard Moitessier's book, The Long Way (La Longue Route), I knew about the Golden Globe Race of 1968. Nichols' depiction of the contestants only makes Bernard Moitessier more appealing as a sailor and a man. Moitessier was a character, but also a man of high integrity, and with a few exceptions, those who got to know him well, loved the man. He probably suffered from depression and / or bipolar syndrome, but he was fearless and without peer as a sailor, as he was in his determination to be first around the world single-handed, unassisted. And he was first, in a sense. He crossed his outbound track in the South Atlantic (i.e., he had circumnavigated), and then he gave up the race, choosing to sail from the Atlantic back to Tahiti via the Cape of Good Hope rather than to England where the race ended. So Moitessier sailed 1 and 1/2 times around the world, instead of just once, and he did so without touching land, without getting assistance in any form: not by taking on fresh water or food, not by getting a tow into a port, nor in any other way. His reasons for dropping out of the race are understandable to those sailors who love the sea, and who have sailed in conditions bad enough to make them question why they were out there in the first place.
As the writer points out, the sailors in that 1968 race had more in common with Captain James Cook than they did with the sailors of the 21st Century. There was no GPS, there were no satellite phones, no electric furling of sails, no solar panels to charge batteries. The man who won the race, Knox-Johnston, sailed in a massively over-built wooden boat made of teak, and Moitessier's very simple boat, Joshua, was made of boilerplate steel (all his previous boats were of wood). Though I have sailed five times in the Gulf Stream, once in horrendous conditions, with Force 7-9 winds, I feel like an imposter of a sailor when I read what these guys went through.
Moitessier sent a message (via slingshot) to a merchant marine ship when he was had decided to give up the race. It said that he was headed to Tahiti via the Cape of Good Hope, and he said he was doing it, "parce que je suis hereux en mer, et peut-etre pour sauver mon ame". "Because I am happy at sea, and perhaps to save my soul." Moitessier felt the prize money of the Golden Globe sullied what was otherwise a noble venture, and he refused to be a part of the "circus" that he foresaw would ensue if he won the race, which seemed likely after he rounded Cape Horn. He respected, even loved, his competitors, and they returned his affection, but he had no use for accolades from those who had no real understanding what he and his competitors had been through.
Despite my admiration of Moitessier, I probably understand Knox-Johnston (the winner) more clearly. He just kept on, obstinately, working hard to cheer himself up every day, but like Moitessier, and unlike many of the others, he loved the sea. Tetley, the other competitor who came close to finishing, understood completely when Moitessier dropped out; he said, "How like Bernard to do that". Tetley's boat disintegrated under him 1,000 miles from England, and he was rescued at sea. Donald Crowhurst, who mortgaged everything in a desperate bid to win the big prize, went mad and apparently stepped over the side in calm waters in mid-Atlantic, holding his chronometer.
I loved this book and read it compulsively for three days until I had finished. I think that even for non-sailors, this is a compelling read.
Back in 1968, the British Sunday Times sponsored the Golden Globe sailing competition. The goal was to honor the first non-stop, single-handed around-the-world journey by sailing vessel. The race drew nine entrants, all taking off from different places at different times of their choice (between June 1 and October 31). Prestige, glamor, and a trophy would accrue to first finisher and a cash prize for fastest finisher. I had not been aware of this race previously, and was interested to read about it, especially considering the many hazards of completing such an onerous race without the availability of today’s technology.
The author has studied and assembled accounts of each participant, relying primarily on their ship’s logs and journals. He includes a description of their ship, equipment, route, methods, and the challenges they encountered. The author is skilled at portraying each participant’s reasons behind getting involved in such a dangerous journey. One of the biggest components was dealing with isolation and loneliness, which affected their mental states. They were required to round three capes (Good Hope, Horn, and Leeuwin). Nichols provides background information on the individual’s worldview and motivations. At that time, there were few, if any, requirements for safety. Rules were slim so it was pretty much a free-for-all. I will not spoil it for those who have not heard of this “amazing race.” It is a book for fans of maritime adventures, perilous journeys, and survival stories.
The author has studied and assembled accounts of each participant, relying primarily on their ship’s logs and journals. He includes a description of their ship, equipment, route, methods, and the challenges they encountered. The author is skilled at portraying each participant’s reasons behind getting involved in such a dangerous journey. One of the biggest components was dealing with isolation and loneliness, which affected their mental states. They were required to round three capes (Good Hope, Horn, and Leeuwin). Nichols provides background information on the individual’s worldview and motivations. At that time, there were few, if any, requirements for safety. Rules were slim so it was pretty much a free-for-all. I will not spoil it for those who have not heard of this “amazing race.” It is a book for fans of maritime adventures, perilous journeys, and survival stories.
Mankind, In Extremis
I had never known such a thing as single-handed sailing existed until, some years back, I visited a small museum in Newport, RI, devoted to the pursuit. I don't recall anything in the museum about this event, which took place in 1968-69, though no doubt there was at least a mention of it if not quite a substantial display. Long a fan of true-adventure and survival tales, I picked up this book some time back, began it... and then set it aside. Some interior compass steered me in another direction. But when I recently picked up the book again, I found that it was precisely what I wanted to read and that it exceeded my expectations. Right book for the right time has long been a personal reading mantra.
I will forgo the details -- and avoid possible spoilers -- in this review. Others do it quite admirably elsewhere, including on this site. From the beginning of the book I decided, and suggest that future readers do likewise, not to look up the results of the race in advance, though it becomes fairly clear in the latter sections of the book who the winner will be, and, just as interestingly, who the villain was. The tale holds more surprises in it than expected, including a few stunners that the reader would not have reason to suspect, not to mention that aforementioned villain. So, in terms of material -- what actually happened -- the book delivers in spades.
But this is only one of the reasons I rated this book so highly. What interested me most, and what led to the most profitable introspection, in fact, was the author's ability to plumb the depths of the nine mens' characters . What motivated them? Kept some of them going on beyond what seemed endurance? Caused others to give up? How did they face challenges, the not least of which was boredom and loneliness?
Nichols has ample material here to plunder, making good use of his sources: the publicity surrounding the race, interviews with other single-handed sailors and their kin, books written by several of its participants, and his own experience at sea, all of which provide clues as to what the men were like and how they felt at various stages of the race. Their motivations and personalities were strikingly different. Nichols eschews moralizing but at the same time lays bare the men's characters, allowing the reader to form her own opinions.
One passage near the beginning I would like to quote to give a sense of the author's style as well an insight from one of the race's originators:
A race was in fact the last thing any of them wanted. These were not yachtsmen or sportsmen. They were hardcase egomaniacs drive by complex desires and vainglory to attempt an extreme, life-threatening endeavor. Each had powerfully visualized what must be done, and was consumed with the need to do it first. They were loners."
One need not know much about sailing, the sea, or boats to read this tale, and while my "seafaring tales" bookshelf now numbers 52, I confess to having never sailed or done much in the way of boating myself, and I still get hopelessly confused about various types of rigging, for example. Nichols doesn't overburden the reader with detail -- only what's needed to understand the difficulties the men faced and important facts concerning boat design, which I found rather fascinating. He has a gift for clear, concise, explanation, aided by a number of useful illustrations concerning the racers' routes and a number of photographs of the ships and racers which nicely flesh out the account.
I don't think I would be giving too much away to end by saying that two men emerge from this unusual contest as heroes; two men who found peace at sea and within themselves. They were dramatically different, and yet in a way the same. One of them goes on to win the race, and the other....
well, read the book and find out. You'll be well rewarded if you do.
I had never known such a thing as single-handed sailing existed until, some years back, I visited a small museum in Newport, RI, devoted to the pursuit. I don't recall anything in the museum about this event, which took place in 1968-69, though no doubt there was at least a mention of it if not quite a substantial display. Long a fan of true-adventure and survival tales, I picked up this book some time back, began it... and then set it aside. Some interior compass steered me in another direction. But when I recently picked up the book again, I found that it was precisely what I wanted to read and that it exceeded my expectations. Right book for the right time has long been a personal reading mantra.
I will forgo the details -- and avoid possible spoilers -- in this review. Others do it quite admirably elsewhere, including on this site. From the beginning of the book I decided, and suggest that future readers do likewise, not to look up the results of the race in advance, though it becomes fairly clear in the latter sections of the book who the winner will be, and, just as interestingly, who the villain was. The tale holds more surprises in it than expected, including a few stunners that the reader would not have reason to suspect, not to mention that aforementioned villain. So, in terms of material -- what actually happened -- the book delivers in spades.
But this is only one of the reasons I rated this book so highly. What interested me most, and what led to the most profitable introspection, in fact, was the author's ability to plumb the depths of the nine mens' characters . What motivated them? Kept some of them going on beyond what seemed endurance? Caused others to give up? How did they face challenges, the not least of which was boredom and loneliness?
Nichols has ample material here to plunder, making good use of his sources: the publicity surrounding the race, interviews with other single-handed sailors and their kin, books written by several of its participants, and his own experience at sea, all of which provide clues as to what the men were like and how they felt at various stages of the race. Their motivations and personalities were strikingly different. Nichols eschews moralizing but at the same time lays bare the men's characters, allowing the reader to form her own opinions.
One passage near the beginning I would like to quote to give a sense of the author's style as well an insight from one of the race's originators:
A race was in fact the last thing any of them wanted. These were not yachtsmen or sportsmen. They were hardcase egomaniacs drive by complex desires and vainglory to attempt an extreme, life-threatening endeavor. Each had powerfully visualized what must be done, and was consumed with the need to do it first. They were loners."
One need not know much about sailing, the sea, or boats to read this tale, and while my "seafaring tales" bookshelf now numbers 52, I confess to having never sailed or done much in the way of boating myself, and I still get hopelessly confused about various types of rigging, for example. Nichols doesn't overburden the reader with detail -- only what's needed to understand the difficulties the men faced and important facts concerning boat design, which I found rather fascinating. He has a gift for clear, concise, explanation, aided by a number of useful illustrations concerning the racers' routes and a number of photographs of the ships and racers which nicely flesh out the account.
I don't think I would be giving too much away to end by saying that two men emerge from this unusual contest as heroes; two men who found peace at sea and within themselves. They were dramatically different, and yet in a way the same. One of them goes on to win the race, and the other....
well, read the book and find out. You'll be well rewarded if you do.
I read this book because
A) a teacher told me it was his favorite, and I always read teachers' favorites
and B) because I was sorely lacking something to read at the moment.
I knew NOTHING about sailing. I still know nothing about sailing, nor do I plan to change this state of events anytime soon. So, when I first checked it out from the library, I fully expected to be hopelessly bored within the first twenty pages, if not bogged down by the sheer nautical terminology, of which I was so ignorant. Well, twenty pages went by...and I was still reading. "Well," I thought, "the next twenty will probably be unbearable". Then the next twenty went by....then the next twenty...then the next...and before I knew, I was finished. And, what is still more miraculous, I had ENJOYED the thing. In short, this was a pithy, well-written book which kept even poor, ignorant me afloat in its quickly-moving, often poignant tale.
So, thanks, Mr. G. It wasn't half bad.
A) a teacher told me it was his favorite, and I always read teachers' favorites
and B) because I was sorely lacking something to read at the moment.
I knew NOTHING about sailing. I still know nothing about sailing, nor do I plan to change this state of events anytime soon. So, when I first checked it out from the library, I fully expected to be hopelessly bored within the first twenty pages, if not bogged down by the sheer nautical terminology, of which I was so ignorant. Well, twenty pages went by...and I was still reading. "Well," I thought, "the next twenty will probably be unbearable". Then the next twenty went by....then the next twenty...then the next...and before I knew, I was finished. And, what is still more miraculous, I had ENJOYED the thing. In short, this was a pithy, well-written book which kept even poor, ignorant me afloat in its quickly-moving, often poignant tale.
So, thanks, Mr. G. It wasn't half bad.
The true story of the first single-handed circumnavigation of the world by yacht. That means, a full circuit of the world, alone. On a boat powered only by sail. In a time not so long ago, but before GPS.
In 1968 there were a handful of men vying to be the first alone around the world, and a prize was posted, making it a race. Of nine contenders, only one finished the race, and this is the story of all the noble, rugged, hapless and crazy entrants, and the extremes they underwent and went to.
It's a very tense, suspenseful read, and the author manages the very difficult feat of telling nine concurrent stories quite masterfully. People who set out to conquer these firsts of adventure have a streak of crazy already, and then there's the setting - the vast, strange oceans that are as alien to landlovers as outer space. This is the story of both, told with drama and humour and pathos.
In 1968 there were a handful of men vying to be the first alone around the world, and a prize was posted, making it a race. Of nine contenders, only one finished the race, and this is the story of all the noble, rugged, hapless and crazy entrants, and the extremes they underwent and went to.
It's a very tense, suspenseful read, and the author manages the very difficult feat of telling nine concurrent stories quite masterfully. People who set out to conquer these firsts of adventure have a streak of crazy already, and then there's the setting - the vast, strange oceans that are as alien to landlovers as outer space. This is the story of both, told with drama and humour and pathos.
Really a great read--masterful balance of background information, personalities, in the moment descriptions to bring this incredible sail around the world in 1968 to life. It is inspiring and also sobering at the same time.
Peter Nichols has put together a great little book on the 1969 Golden Globe race to be the first man to single-handedly circumnavigate the globe without stopping in any ports along the way. "A Voyage for Madmen" gives a great overview of the race and varying personalities involved -- from professional maritime men to vagabond sailors to one contestant who didn't even learn to sail until he was on his way. Only one person completed the race.
I've read other accounts of the race (including the excellent "The Strange Last Voyage of Donald Crowhurst" and Moitessier's "The Long Way") which are fantastic accounts themselves and perhaps slightly more enjoyable.
Nichols' book excels in by providing a good description of everyone in the race. He is more interested in the technical differences between the competitors' boats and their tactics for dealing with the Roaring Forties than providing particularly deep character studies. However, it's a nice overview of the race and the people involved and makes for a compelling read.
I've read other accounts of the race (including the excellent "The Strange Last Voyage of Donald Crowhurst" and Moitessier's "The Long Way") which are fantastic accounts themselves and perhaps slightly more enjoyable.
Nichols' book excels in by providing a good description of everyone in the race. He is more interested in the technical differences between the competitors' boats and their tactics for dealing with the Roaring Forties than providing particularly deep character studies. However, it's a nice overview of the race and the people involved and makes for a compelling read.
Mind boggling spirit combined with reckless foolhardiness. Could it happen today? Not in this country that's for sure. An amazing and (in parts) tragic story. Great to read the full story without the obsessive focus on one of the sailors we see everywhere else. I learned so much more about all the sailors in this book than in anywhere else previously.
A Voyage for Madmen by Peter Nichols is excellent. This well-crafted sea adventure story is suspenseful and the details of the human drama are haunting. I’ll be thinking about this book for a long time.
In 1968, a London newspaper devised a race—who can sail around the world, single-handed, with no stops? Nine men eventually decided to race—but only one man finished. Although this book is full of descriptions of the terrible conditions the men faced when the sea was at its worst, the insight into the men’s personalities and inner demons is the most compelling aspect.
The book includes maps of the routes taken by the men and pictures. Spoiler alert: a few of the pictures kind of give away the fate of at least one man (once you learn who sailed what boat). So you may want to avoid them until near the end (unless you already have an inkling of what happens—Nichols, when discussing each man, certainly gives you enough insight into their various personalities to at least guess at their success—or lack of—in completing the voyage). He also includes a list of sources (although without specific citations).
I have only three complaints about this book: 1) Nichols overuses the word “ignominious” and its variations; 2) “Tahiti Bill” Howell is introduced as a contestant in the race, but he never actually sails. Nichols never explains why Howell didn’t enter the competition; Howell basically disappears and is never mentioned again; 3) if you have no knowledge of sailing, the boats, or the terminology, the technical (for me) descriptions will be daunting. I wish the author had included a brief overview of the basics of a sailboat and sailing terminology. I mean, I know the difference between starboard and port and some of the sails, but my lack of knowledge probably prevented me from appreciating the book as much as I could have. Other than these three very specific concerns, I loved this book. It’s a seafaring adventure, but it’s also an exploration of the human psyche and it’s amazing. The book is a quick read (under 300 pages) with short, zippy chapters. The prose is concise, but manages to pack in a lot of story without all the melodrama and excessive descriptions. I highly recommend this book. It’s a great antidote to counteract all the political bullshit we (in the USA) are now surround by.
There's a documentary called Deep Water that's excellent. It uses some of the video footage and photographs taken by the sailors. Family members are interviewed and you also hear some of the audio recorded by the men. I think the documentary focuses too much on one person, which is understandable, but I would have liked a more general overview of all the men. At any rate, it's a fascinating 94 minutes and the tragic consequences of the race are very clear. I wouldn't say it's better than the book (there's no connection between the book and the documentary); the book is about all of the race contestants while the documentary focuses on really just two of the men. Definitely worth viewing if you liked the book.
In 1968, a London newspaper devised a race—who can sail around the world, single-handed, with no stops? Nine men eventually decided to race—but only one man finished. Although this book is full of descriptions of the terrible conditions the men faced when the sea was at its worst, the insight into the men’s personalities and inner demons is the most compelling aspect.
These men sailed for reasons more complex than even they knew. Each decided to make his voyage independent of the others; the race between them was born only of the coincidence of their timing. They were not sportsmen or racing yachtsmen: one didn’t even know how to sail when he set off. Their preparations and their boats were as varied as their personalities, and the contrasts were startling. Once at sea, they were exposed to conditions frightening beyond imagination and a loneliness almost unknown in human experience.This is such a good book. It had me researching giant waves and watching surfer videos and reading articles in sailing magazines. This book also introduced me to the world of sailing and boats and the complexities of sailing on the open sea. Nichols gives a brief history of circumnavigation sailing and then launches into the Golden Globe race (as it was called). He introduces each sailor and gives readers some personal background, then alternates whole chapters (or sections of chapters) to tell the story of how each man acquired the boat he used in the race, how he raised the money, how he built the boat, etc. It’s a whole lot more interesting than it sounds. Once the men begin their voyages (they started at different times and different locations), Nichols follows each man in their journeys across the Atlantic and down into what’s known as the Southern Ocean by sailors: “the windswept southerly wastes of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans between latitudes 40 and 60 degrees south, between the habitable world and the Antarctic, where storm-force westerly winds develop and drive huge seas around the globe, unimpeded by land except at one fearsome place, Cape Horn, the southernmost rock of the Andes, the scorpion-tail tip of South America” (3).Sealed inside their tiny craft, beyond the world’s gaze, stripped of any possibility of pretense, the sailors met their truest selves. Who they were—not the sea or the weather—determined the nature of their voyages (xii).
The book includes maps of the routes taken by the men and pictures. Spoiler alert: a few of the pictures kind of give away the fate of at least one man (once you learn who sailed what boat). So you may want to avoid them until near the end (unless you already have an inkling of what happens—Nichols, when discussing each man, certainly gives you enough insight into their various personalities to at least guess at their success—or lack of—in completing the voyage). He also includes a list of sources (although without specific citations).
I have only three complaints about this book: 1) Nichols overuses the word “ignominious” and its variations; 2) “Tahiti Bill” Howell is introduced as a contestant in the race, but he never actually sails. Nichols never explains why Howell didn’t enter the competition; Howell basically disappears and is never mentioned again; 3) if you have no knowledge of sailing, the boats, or the terminology, the technical (for me) descriptions will be daunting. I wish the author had included a brief overview of the basics of a sailboat and sailing terminology. I mean, I know the difference between starboard and port and some of the sails, but my lack of knowledge probably prevented me from appreciating the book as much as I could have. Other than these three very specific concerns, I loved this book. It’s a seafaring adventure, but it’s also an exploration of the human psyche and it’s amazing. The book is a quick read (under 300 pages) with short, zippy chapters. The prose is concise, but manages to pack in a lot of story without all the melodrama and excessive descriptions. I highly recommend this book. It’s a great antidote to counteract all the political bullshit we (in the USA) are now surround by.
There's a documentary called Deep Water that's excellent. It uses some of the video footage and photographs taken by the sailors. Family members are interviewed and you also hear some of the audio recorded by the men. I think the documentary focuses too much on one person, which is understandable, but I would have liked a more general overview of all the men. At any rate, it's a fascinating 94 minutes and the tragic consequences of the race are very clear. I wouldn't say it's better than the book (there's no connection between the book and the documentary); the book is about all of the race contestants while the documentary focuses on really just two of the men. Definitely worth viewing if you liked the book.
Książki o żeglarstwie nie cieszą się u nas zbyt wielką popularnością, można nawet pokusić się o stwierdzenie, że polski czytelnik - jeśli chodzi o reportaże - stoi plecami do morza, patrząc na południe, w stronę gór. Taki stan rzeczy sprawia, że nie jest dziś łatwo znaleźć "książkę okno" na żeglarski świat, która sprawi, że potencjalny czytelnik zainteresuje się tematem, dlatego bardzo się ucieszyłem, gdy w moje ręce wpadł "Wyścig szaleńców" autorstwa Petera Nicholsa. Liczyłem na kawał dobrej żeglarskiej literatury faktu i nie zawiodłem się.
Wydany po raz pierwszy w 2001 roku "Wyścig szaleńców" uchodzi za klasyk literatury żeglarskiej i chociaż ze strony redakcyjnej wyczytałem, że wydanie, które trzymam teraz w dłoniach jest pierwszym w Polsce, to znalazłem również informację, że "Wyścig" był u nas wydany wcześniej, bo w 2011 roku przez wydawnictwo Mayfly, w każdym razie "moje" wydanie AD 2020 prezentuje się ciałkiem nieźle: książka jest oprawiona w miękką okładkę ze skrzydełkami, w środku znajduje się wkładka ze świetnymi, czarno białymi zdjęciami dokumentującymi zmagania śmiałków, do tego każdy rozdział opatrzony jest bardzo przydatną grafiką obrazującą kulę ziemską z zaznaczonym przebiegiem trasy i aktualną pozycją żeglarzy, co bardzo pomaga w wyobrażeniu sobie czego właściwie ci szaleńcy się podjęli. Niebagatelną rolę w odbiorze książki odgrywa też wiedza samego Nicholsa, jest on bowiem z zawodu kapitanem i sam niejedno na morzach i ocenach przeżył.
Wróćmy jednak do treści. Nichols odwalił kawał dobrej roboty zbierając materiały tak o samych regatach, jak i o żeglarzach biorących w nich udział (każdy zasłużył na osobną biografię i chyba wszyscy się doczekali) i udało mu się skondensować tę masę informacji do jasnej, czytelnej i co najważniejsze niezwykle wciągającej i trzymającej w napięciu, aż do ostatniej strony opowieści. Nie jest to bowiem historia tylko o próbie jak najszybszego opłynięcia w pojedynkę naszego globu, a bardziej opowieść o ludziach: niezwykle odważnych i uroczo staromodnych - rozgrzewających się brandy, gdy opływają przylądek Horn, ale też, co autor niejednokrotnie podkreśla, nieprzystosowanych do normalnego życia, o ludziach obdarzonych żelazną wolą i o pokusie zwycięstwa, której części z nich nie wyszła na dobre.
Niech was jednak nie zwiedzie powyższy akapit. Czystego żeglarstwa - tego całego halsowania pod wiatr, samosterów, grotmasztów i wszelkiej maści techniki szkutniczej, jest w książce Nicholsa tyle, co wody w oceanie południowym, i mnie, jako kompletnemu żeglarskiemu laikowi, zabrakło choćby skromnego słowniczka pojęć, lub też grafiki z objaśnioną budową jachtu i w zasadzie jest to jedyna, nawet nie łyżka, ale niewielka łyżeczka słonej wody w beczce wody słodkiej, wszak dziś wszystkiego da się dowiedzieć za pomocą jednego kliknięcia, a oni na tych swoich łupinach często nie mieli nawet sprawnego radia, cóż rok 1968 ... kiedy na świecie zostało jeszcze trochę rzeczy do zrobienia po raz pierwszy, za to nie było GPS - u, a gazety czytało się z wypiekami na twarzy.
Podsumowując, czy polecam "Wyścig szaleńców"? Jednym mocnym słowem: Tak. Komu polecam: każdemu, kogo interesują ekstremalne przeżycia i pokręcone losy niezwykłych ludzi.
Dostałem to, czego oczekiwałem: "książkę okno", a teraz idę poszukać czegoś o Bernardzie Moitessierze i Robinie Knox-Johnstonie ...
Za możliwość przeczytania "Wyścigu szaleńców" dziękuję Klubowi recenzenta portalu nakanapie.pl
Wydany po raz pierwszy w 2001 roku "Wyścig szaleńców" uchodzi za klasyk literatury żeglarskiej i chociaż ze strony redakcyjnej wyczytałem, że wydanie, które trzymam teraz w dłoniach jest pierwszym w Polsce, to znalazłem również informację, że "Wyścig" był u nas wydany wcześniej, bo w 2011 roku przez wydawnictwo Mayfly, w każdym razie "moje" wydanie AD 2020 prezentuje się ciałkiem nieźle: książka jest oprawiona w miękką okładkę ze skrzydełkami, w środku znajduje się wkładka ze świetnymi, czarno białymi zdjęciami dokumentującymi zmagania śmiałków, do tego każdy rozdział opatrzony jest bardzo przydatną grafiką obrazującą kulę ziemską z zaznaczonym przebiegiem trasy i aktualną pozycją żeglarzy, co bardzo pomaga w wyobrażeniu sobie czego właściwie ci szaleńcy się podjęli. Niebagatelną rolę w odbiorze książki odgrywa też wiedza samego Nicholsa, jest on bowiem z zawodu kapitanem i sam niejedno na morzach i ocenach przeżył.
Wróćmy jednak do treści. Nichols odwalił kawał dobrej roboty zbierając materiały tak o samych regatach, jak i o żeglarzach biorących w nich udział (każdy zasłużył na osobną biografię i chyba wszyscy się doczekali) i udało mu się skondensować tę masę informacji do jasnej, czytelnej i co najważniejsze niezwykle wciągającej i trzymającej w napięciu, aż do ostatniej strony opowieści. Nie jest to bowiem historia tylko o próbie jak najszybszego opłynięcia w pojedynkę naszego globu, a bardziej opowieść o ludziach: niezwykle odważnych i uroczo staromodnych - rozgrzewających się brandy, gdy opływają przylądek Horn, ale też, co autor niejednokrotnie podkreśla, nieprzystosowanych do normalnego życia, o ludziach obdarzonych żelazną wolą i o pokusie zwycięstwa, której części z nich nie wyszła na dobre.
Niech was jednak nie zwiedzie powyższy akapit. Czystego żeglarstwa - tego całego halsowania pod wiatr, samosterów, grotmasztów i wszelkiej maści techniki szkutniczej, jest w książce Nicholsa tyle, co wody w oceanie południowym, i mnie, jako kompletnemu żeglarskiemu laikowi, zabrakło choćby skromnego słowniczka pojęć, lub też grafiki z objaśnioną budową jachtu i w zasadzie jest to jedyna, nawet nie łyżka, ale niewielka łyżeczka słonej wody w beczce wody słodkiej, wszak dziś wszystkiego da się dowiedzieć za pomocą jednego kliknięcia, a oni na tych swoich łupinach często nie mieli nawet sprawnego radia, cóż rok 1968 ... kiedy na świecie zostało jeszcze trochę rzeczy do zrobienia po raz pierwszy, za to nie było GPS - u, a gazety czytało się z wypiekami na twarzy.
Podsumowując, czy polecam "Wyścig szaleńców"? Jednym mocnym słowem: Tak. Komu polecam: każdemu, kogo interesują ekstremalne przeżycia i pokręcone losy niezwykłych ludzi.
Dostałem to, czego oczekiwałem: "książkę okno", a teraz idę poszukać czegoś o Bernardzie Moitessierze i Robinie Knox-Johnstonie ...
Za możliwość przeczytania "Wyścigu szaleńców" dziękuję Klubowi recenzenta portalu nakanapie.pl
4.5 Stars!
“I finally awoke at 1100 having had three hours uninterrupted sleep…We were rolling very heavily and it was difficult to stand inside the cabin, but I managed to heat up some soup…I felt very depressed on getting up…I used up a lot of nervous energy last night by leaving the jib up, for what-maybe an extra 20 miles if we’re lucky-and what difference does 20 miles make when I have about 20,000 to go? The future does not look particularly bright…sitting here being thrown about for the next 150 days.”
So reads an excerpt from the journal of one of the competitors, during his gruelling, solo attempt at circumnavigating the globe non-stop. I previously read Bernard Moitessier’s account of his journey in this competition in, “The Long Way” and I was a little disappointed, but this overview is an absolute treat. Even with all the maritime terminology, Nichols still makes this book very accessible to the layman (like me).
We see that bravery, luck, madness and superstition all play their part in this riveting yet absolutely terrifying voyage. Even for the ones who didn’t finish, it still makes for a truly phenomenal achievement. The sheer scale of endurance, stamina and determination of these people is something else. This is a harrowing journey that involves passing the Three Capes (Good Hope, Leeuwin and Horn) as well as tackling other worrying and unpredictable obstacles along the way, such as the Doldrums, the Roaring Forties and the Agulhas Current, which all bring their own version of hell.
Nichols understands that sailing is clearly not for everyone, he even equates it to “Like standing under a cold shower and tearing up money.” which maybe gives us an idea on who it is most likely to attract. Injury and harm are never too far away, and not just conventional injuries, there are also cases of a moustache accidently getting tied to a spinnaker and someone getting battery acid in an eye.
This story is as much about the human condition as it is about a race. All strengths, weaknesses, flaws and fears are on show within these pages. The different vessels, approaches, personalities and their fates are nothing short of fascinating. Each of the competitors had their own ways of dealing with the long, gruelling hours battling the boredom and the elements, whether it was doing naked yoga for long spells (Moitessier) or listening to hours of classical music (Tetley) they had to dig deep to stay sane, and as we learn not everyone would remain that way.
This is an incredible journey and is beautifully told by Nichols, who manages to capture the mood and feel aboard each boat without getting lost in the technological aspects, ensuring that we get the most out of it. This is a thrilling, unpredictable and fascinating journey that will haunt you long after you’ve finished the last page.
This book and I got off to a rocky start. I couldn't really fathom why I was supposed to care about these largely faceless, privileged white dudes in the 60s, who decide to abandon their wives, their families and friends, to sail around the world alone for the best part of a year. One guy literally makes his wife homeless, as they lived on his boat together. And I have zero interest in sailing, which didn't help.
But, one sure way to keep me curious is to pose a mystery that I want to solve. It's clear from the outset that only one of the nine competitors makes it back, and death was a consequence for some. So once I pushed past the 75 page mark, I found myself weirdly invested.
I still don't have much respect for the competitors - it's amazing how the author glossed over the sheer number of broken marriages, failed relationships, abandoned children. Only one competitor won me over, but I would have loved a bit more depth to their stories. There is a clear love of sailing permeating the work, so for a layman like me, the human interest angle is what propelled me forward, and I wanted to understand these men better than I felt I ultimately did.
But the ending! I can't stop thinking about the ending. I have been googling the competition ever since, learning more about their lives, and how the 2018 race is stacking up. So that's quite a turnaround from how I felt at the start of the book.
I'm glad I read this, and I'm looking forward to discussing at the next book club.
But, one sure way to keep me curious is to pose a mystery that I want to solve. It's clear from the outset that only one of the nine competitors makes it back, and death was a consequence for some. So once I pushed past the 75 page mark, I found myself weirdly invested.
I still don't have much respect for the competitors - it's amazing how the author glossed over the sheer number of broken marriages, failed relationships, abandoned children. Only one competitor won me over, but I would have loved a bit more depth to their stories. There is a clear love of sailing permeating the work, so for a layman like me, the human interest angle is what propelled me forward, and I wanted to understand these men better than I felt I ultimately did.
But the ending! I can't stop thinking about the ending. I have been googling the competition ever since, learning more about their lives, and how the 2018 race is stacking up. So that's quite a turnaround from how I felt at the start of the book.
I'm glad I read this, and I'm looking forward to discussing at the next book club.
Riveting. A window onto another world. A bunch of people with great contrasts of experience and character, doing something extraordinary in what is nearly, though not quite, the modern world. The author did a great job keeping a balance with the thrills and spills and the repeating monotony of life at sea on your own.
Second time reading (immediately after reading Bernard Mortessier's account in The Long Way) and I can't believe what I wrote before! Once afloat their world was nothing like the modern world - using sextant and seamanship - it was nearer the world of a hundred years before. Unable to contact the outside world for periods sometimes up to 4 months (although sometimes managing to pick up radio broadcasts). Journeys that were extreme sea voyages but also mind voyages. I've ordered Joshua Slocum's Sailing Alone Around the World from the library as he was probably the first to do it - in 1895. Can't wait.
And the author of this book has written splendidly - have another star.
Second time reading (immediately after reading Bernard Mortessier's account in The Long Way) and I can't believe what I wrote before! Once afloat their world was nothing like the modern world - using sextant and seamanship - it was nearer the world of a hundred years before. Unable to contact the outside world for periods sometimes up to 4 months (although sometimes managing to pick up radio broadcasts). Journeys that were extreme sea voyages but also mind voyages. I've ordered Joshua Slocum's Sailing Alone Around the World from the library as he was probably the first to do it - in 1895. Can't wait.
And the author of this book has written splendidly - have another star.
An wonderfully well written book about the world's first solo circumnavigational sailboat race, from England, around both capes, and back again. Held in 1968, it truly was the ultimate test of will, skill, and nerves. This book adeptly chronicles the contestants, the preparations, and the challenges that they all faced in their attempt to survive... much less win the race. Told by a sailor who has experienced the perils of the ocean first hand, it leaves the reader with an understanding of the terminology and skill required to master such a sport - without being overwhelming or confusing. If you were remotely moved or drawn into the story, "Into the Wild," then this will multiply the level of drama, intensity, and plot a thousand fold. For an added incentive to diving into this incredible story, there's a brilliant documentary out about this race, called "Deep Water." And in 2016, a full length motion picture film will be getting released on this story, directed by James Marsh and featuring Colin Firth as the race's most compelling figure...
Held my attention throughout the book...a great incite into solo sailing around the globe...these individuals must be incredibly driven but also selfish in undertaking such a dangerous voyage many of whom have a wife and children depending upon them. Setting that aside it is inspirational reading about the extremes that some people can endure, there are many lessons to be taken from the book both positives and knowing your own limitations. Interestingly I read the winner of the Golden Globe, Robin Knox-J. book about 20 years ago... it has been great seeing it this time both from his perspective but also his racing competitors standpoint...a superb read....👍🏽
Cannot recommend this book enough. You really couldn't make this stuff up. Characters straight out of a Wes Anderson tale.
More than a story about one of the most challenging events ever held, it's an incredible study of the characters, psychology and motivations of these 9, very different, personalities. A tour through both the marvel, incredible method and madness of the 9 participants all taking part in an inconcievable race for glory, fame and survival. The end results will baffle all.
Peter's writing style is well balanced and a pleasure to follow. Highly recommended.
More than a story about one of the most challenging events ever held, it's an incredible study of the characters, psychology and motivations of these 9, very different, personalities. A tour through both the marvel, incredible method and madness of the 9 participants all taking part in an inconcievable race for glory, fame and survival. The end results will baffle all.
Peter's writing style is well balanced and a pleasure to follow. Highly recommended.
I read this book just in time for the 50th anniversary of the Golden Globe Race and I am glad I did. The book is about the trials and joys of the sailors who attempted to sail around the world nonstop in 1968. After reading this book, I am confused why anyone would try again, considering everything these sailors went through. This was well researched and kept me up way too late reading. A good book makes you feel sad when you are finished. A great book leaves you with I want more. This was a great book. If you love adventure and endurance tales, this book should be at the top of your list.
It's a fascinating study of personality and endurance and dealing with psychological struggles. And I really like sailing. I enjoyed this book a lot.
My one criticism is that it was hard to keep track of who was who. The author included a brief bio of each of the nine sailors in the beginning to help, which I kept flipping back to for the first half of the book. Nonetheless I felt like it would help to read it again when I was finished, once I had figured out who all the players were.
My one criticism is that it was hard to keep track of who was who. The author included a brief bio of each of the nine sailors in the beginning to help, which I kept flipping back to for the first half of the book. Nonetheless I felt like it would help to read it again when I was finished, once I had figured out who all the players were.
Finished and it was one heck of a ride... I have loved to ocean and always wanted to sail but this book has confirmed for me how harsh and unforgiving it can be. Physically, mentally, emotionally. The open ocean can break men or strengthen them.
I loved the book but upon finishing it I feel depressed after having read some of the outcomes.
I loved the book but upon finishing it I feel depressed after having read some of the outcomes.
Crazy, crazy crazy. When I started this book I knew that I would never have been on of those people to do what these men did, and after finishing it I still hold that belief. These guys were nuts.. the book was fascinating. It interested me just like climbers of Mt Everest do. They wish to push the human limits. I like to read about it, but I would never do it.
As someone who knows nothing about and takes little interest in sailing this book/story had me absolutely hooked. A misdiagnosed distressingly normal man takes the crown while a charmingly odd frenchman gets to be one with the sea (alongside a few other events).
—and also, thanks Caden for the book :)
—and also, thanks Caden for the book :)
A slow start, but a fast finish! Fascinating true story about 9 men who set out to sail around the world - by themselves. Strengthened my conviction that I'm not living on a sailboat!
An amazing adventure book based on true life events in 1968. I fell in love with the narrative and the parallel stories of the race despite a slow start.
Just read it and don't do any research to spoil the ending.
4.5 stars
Just read it and don't do any research to spoil the ending.
4.5 stars
Die "Vendée Globe" gilt als die härteste Segelregatta der Welt. Dabei können sich die Sportler heutzutage auf GPS, Hightech-Yachten und gute Kommunikation verlassen.
Davon konnten die Teilnehmer des "Sunday Times Golden Globe Race", der ersten Nonstop Einhand-Weltumsegelungsregatta im Jahr 1968, nur träumen.
In "A Voyage for Madmen" rekonstruiert Peter Nichols die Geschichte von neun Männern, die auszogen das letzte große Abenteuer der Erde zu erleben.
Doch zehn Monate später sollte nur einer von Ihnen die Ziellinie erreichen. Während ihn Reichtum, Ruhm und Ehre erwartete, blieb für die anderen nur die Niederlage, Wahnsinn und Tod.
Einmal um die Welt segeln. Klingt für den Laien nach einem schönen Rentnertraum. Aber ganz so einfach ist es wohl nicht.
Denn wenn man nicht durch den Panamakanal segelt, sondern vorbei an den drei Kaps (Kap der Guten Hoffnung, Kap Leeuwin, Kap Hoorn) erwarten einen am 40. Breitengrad die Roaring Forties.
Winde, die aus westlicher Richtung kommen und häufig zu heftiger Sturmstärke auflaufen. Sie Sorgen für hohen Seegang und Regen und verlangen Einhand-Seglern und Booten alles ab.
Neben der körperlichen Fitness benötigt der Weltumsegler aber vor allem mentale Stärke.
1968 musste sich die Teilnehmer auf ein knappes Jahr "Einzelhaft" auf ihren Booten einstellen, häufig ohne jeglichen Kontakt zur Außenwelt. Diese Einsamkeit muss man erstmal aushalten können.
Hinzu kommen Schlafentzug, schlechtes Essen und technisches Versagen. Die besten Zutaten für Wahnsinn!
Klar, dass sich nur eine Handvoll Draufgänger dazu hinreißen ließen.
Den Mut zur Herausforderung brachten alle mit aber ansonsten hätten die Teilnehmer nicht unterschiedlicher sein können. Vom philosophischen Segelexperten Bernard Moitessier bis hin zu Chai Blyth, der vor dem Rennen noch nie wirklich gesegelt war.
Auch bei den Yachten war vom Einrumpf-Holzboot bis zum Trimaran alles dabei.
Nach einer detaillierten Vorstellung der Teilnehmer rekonstruiert Autor Peter Nichols, der selbst auch Segler ist, anhand von Zeitungsartikeln, Literatur und Logbüchern den Verlauf des Rennens.
Welches Schicksal, wen ereilte soll hier nicht verraten werden. Aber wer zuvor noch nie etwas von dem Rennen gehört hat, wird die ein oder andere spektakuläre Überraschung erleben.
Nichols Schreibe ist solide wenn auch nicht übermäßig leidenschaftlich. Deshalb hätte ich gerne mehr Originalauszüge aus den Logbüchern gelesen.
Zudem war es anfangs aufgrund der vielen Protagonisten nicht so leicht den Überblick zu behalten aber im Laufe des Rennens lichtet sich praktischer weise das Teilnehmerfeld.
Fazit - Leinen los für ein Leseabenteuer!
Das Sunday Times Golden Globe Race von 1968 bot reichlich Stoff für fesselnden Seemansgarn.
Und obgleich es um neun Einzelschicksale geht, gelingt es Nichols diese zu einer runden Geschichte zu verarbeiten. Vom Haifisch bis zur Monsterwelle bietet "A voyage for Madmen" alles, was das Leichtwassermatrosenherz begehrt. Alle Mann an Bord, es geht rund!
Alle awesomatik Rezensionen auf einen Blick
http://awesomatik.com/buchfuhlung/
awesomatik Kuriosum
Wer selbst mal um die Welt segeln möchte, der kann sich hier ein paar Tipps holen:
http://www.yacht.de/schenk/n004/circu...
Was einem so alles auf hoher See passieren kann, sieht man spektakulär in folgenden Filmen:
All is lost von J. C. Chandor
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sc6X8J...]
En Solitaire von Christophe Offenstein
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hoIBkF...]
Davon konnten die Teilnehmer des "Sunday Times Golden Globe Race", der ersten Nonstop Einhand-Weltumsegelungsregatta im Jahr 1968, nur träumen.
In "A Voyage for Madmen" rekonstruiert Peter Nichols die Geschichte von neun Männern, die auszogen das letzte große Abenteuer der Erde zu erleben.
Doch zehn Monate später sollte nur einer von Ihnen die Ziellinie erreichen. Während ihn Reichtum, Ruhm und Ehre erwartete, blieb für die anderen nur die Niederlage, Wahnsinn und Tod.
Einmal um die Welt segeln. Klingt für den Laien nach einem schönen Rentnertraum. Aber ganz so einfach ist es wohl nicht.
Denn wenn man nicht durch den Panamakanal segelt, sondern vorbei an den drei Kaps (Kap der Guten Hoffnung, Kap Leeuwin, Kap Hoorn) erwarten einen am 40. Breitengrad die Roaring Forties.
Winde, die aus westlicher Richtung kommen und häufig zu heftiger Sturmstärke auflaufen. Sie Sorgen für hohen Seegang und Regen und verlangen Einhand-Seglern und Booten alles ab.
Neben der körperlichen Fitness benötigt der Weltumsegler aber vor allem mentale Stärke.
1968 musste sich die Teilnehmer auf ein knappes Jahr "Einzelhaft" auf ihren Booten einstellen, häufig ohne jeglichen Kontakt zur Außenwelt. Diese Einsamkeit muss man erstmal aushalten können.
Hinzu kommen Schlafentzug, schlechtes Essen und technisches Versagen. Die besten Zutaten für Wahnsinn!
Klar, dass sich nur eine Handvoll Draufgänger dazu hinreißen ließen.
Den Mut zur Herausforderung brachten alle mit aber ansonsten hätten die Teilnehmer nicht unterschiedlicher sein können. Vom philosophischen Segelexperten Bernard Moitessier bis hin zu Chai Blyth, der vor dem Rennen noch nie wirklich gesegelt war.
Auch bei den Yachten war vom Einrumpf-Holzboot bis zum Trimaran alles dabei.
Nach einer detaillierten Vorstellung der Teilnehmer rekonstruiert Autor Peter Nichols, der selbst auch Segler ist, anhand von Zeitungsartikeln, Literatur und Logbüchern den Verlauf des Rennens.
Welches Schicksal, wen ereilte soll hier nicht verraten werden. Aber wer zuvor noch nie etwas von dem Rennen gehört hat, wird die ein oder andere spektakuläre Überraschung erleben.
Nichols Schreibe ist solide wenn auch nicht übermäßig leidenschaftlich. Deshalb hätte ich gerne mehr Originalauszüge aus den Logbüchern gelesen.
Zudem war es anfangs aufgrund der vielen Protagonisten nicht so leicht den Überblick zu behalten aber im Laufe des Rennens lichtet sich praktischer weise das Teilnehmerfeld.
Fazit - Leinen los für ein Leseabenteuer!
Das Sunday Times Golden Globe Race von 1968 bot reichlich Stoff für fesselnden Seemansgarn.
Und obgleich es um neun Einzelschicksale geht, gelingt es Nichols diese zu einer runden Geschichte zu verarbeiten. Vom Haifisch bis zur Monsterwelle bietet "A voyage for Madmen" alles, was das Leichtwassermatrosenherz begehrt. Alle Mann an Bord, es geht rund!
Alle awesomatik Rezensionen auf einen Blick
http://awesomatik.com/buchfuhlung/
awesomatik Kuriosum
Wer selbst mal um die Welt segeln möchte, der kann sich hier ein paar Tipps holen:
http://www.yacht.de/schenk/n004/circu...
Was einem so alles auf hoher See passieren kann, sieht man spektakulär in folgenden Filmen:
All is lost von J. C. Chandor
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sc6X8J...]
En Solitaire von Christophe Offenstein
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hoIBkF...]
The first non-stop, single-handed, round-the-world yacht race, was "Like the first ascent of Everest, [...] a feat without any larger purpose than its own end. But like a trip to the moon, it was a voyage that provided man with another benchmark of the far reach of his yearning endeavor".
The race was nothing like today's well-funded, meticulously organized Vendee Globe or BOC Challenge. For a start, the rules were written as many of the competitor were already planning on undertaking the project. The organization of the race by the Sunday Times transformed what some saw as a spiritual quest into a commercial venture. But that doesn't mean it was a well-organized one: one of the competitors had never sailed before. Another, prepped his boat for long after the starting deadline. Anchored outside of a port in England, he was technically departed. The inefficacy of radio systems in those days meant communication with the competitors was scant: positions would be many times discovered only when the boats closed with the shore.
Certainly, the most amazing aspect of the book is the attention given to the competitors, and their lives and thoughts as they undertook what Knox-Johnston, the eventual winner, described as "solitary confinement with the hardest of labor". Why did they do it? Of course, each will have his own reason: for Knox-Johnston, it was for England. For Moitessier, deliverance from past sins. For Crowhurst, the ultimate chance to succeed in life. But they all have a bit of what Nichols smartly describes as the Ulysses Factor; they all felt the "urge to be off, to test himself to the brink of tolerance". For them, "the where and how is simply the means to burrow as deeply as possible into oneself. It's the answer to the relentless question that flood the mind when the exercise becomes painful and severe: "What am I doing here? What's the point?"". And indeed, by putting themselves in such extreme conditions, these men learn much about themselves. Nichols is able to retell some of that self-discovery, and particularly the maelstrom of emotions these men underwent.
The one critique I had for the book is that it could've been longer. Some of the aspects of the race are extremely well explored, like Crowhurst's demise. But others are barely touched. The clearest of all is Moitessier's shocking decision to abandon the race as he was taking the lead and to continue to sail alone around the globe. By far the most amazing decision in the race, the one I can't imagine someone taking. A highly competitive man, abandoning a formal competition after so long and so close to the finish line, in order to save his souls by continuing to sail alone. I wish more pages had been dedicated to what went on in his mind, how that decision related to his past and how he lived with it later in his life. Another problem with the book is that it delves into a lot of technical sailing descriptions, rich with jargon, but doesn't contain an appendix to the non-sailors.
In any case, a worthwhile read for anyone interested in heroic acts, and the men who pursue them.
The race was nothing like today's well-funded, meticulously organized Vendee Globe or BOC Challenge. For a start, the rules were written as many of the competitor were already planning on undertaking the project. The organization of the race by the Sunday Times transformed what some saw as a spiritual quest into a commercial venture. But that doesn't mean it was a well-organized one: one of the competitors had never sailed before. Another, prepped his boat for long after the starting deadline. Anchored outside of a port in England, he was technically departed. The inefficacy of radio systems in those days meant communication with the competitors was scant: positions would be many times discovered only when the boats closed with the shore.
Certainly, the most amazing aspect of the book is the attention given to the competitors, and their lives and thoughts as they undertook what Knox-Johnston, the eventual winner, described as "solitary confinement with the hardest of labor". Why did they do it? Of course, each will have his own reason: for Knox-Johnston, it was for England. For Moitessier, deliverance from past sins. For Crowhurst, the ultimate chance to succeed in life. But they all have a bit of what Nichols smartly describes as the Ulysses Factor; they all felt the "urge to be off, to test himself to the brink of tolerance". For them, "the where and how is simply the means to burrow as deeply as possible into oneself. It's the answer to the relentless question that flood the mind when the exercise becomes painful and severe: "What am I doing here? What's the point?"". And indeed, by putting themselves in such extreme conditions, these men learn much about themselves. Nichols is able to retell some of that self-discovery, and particularly the maelstrom of emotions these men underwent.
The one critique I had for the book is that it could've been longer. Some of the aspects of the race are extremely well explored, like Crowhurst's demise. But others are barely touched. The clearest of all is Moitessier's shocking decision to abandon the race as he was taking the lead and to continue to sail alone around the globe. By far the most amazing decision in the race, the one I can't imagine someone taking. A highly competitive man, abandoning a formal competition after so long and so close to the finish line, in order to save his souls by continuing to sail alone. I wish more pages had been dedicated to what went on in his mind, how that decision related to his past and how he lived with it later in his life. Another problem with the book is that it delves into a lot of technical sailing descriptions, rich with jargon, but doesn't contain an appendix to the non-sailors.
In any case, a worthwhile read for anyone interested in heroic acts, and the men who pursue them.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
A Voyage for Madmen was a real treat, a riveting read that I devoured over the course of one day and that was all I’d then talk about to my friends for another. In recent years I’ve discovered that I have a bit of a thing for tales of people enduring extreme challenges – be they explorers, climbers, sailors or their like – and finding out what they’re really made of (this despite, or maybe because of my personally being a very cautious person). A Voyage for Madmen is a cracking entry in that genre, and has sparked a thirst for more which has led me to fill my wish-list with all sorts of sailor’s books I’d have never thought were my cup of tea before reading this.
A Voyage for Madmen tells the tale of the 1968 Golden Globe race, a challenge to single-handedly non-stop circumnavigate the world – sponsored by the Sunday Times when they heard news of a couple of men about to separately attempt the feat. Those men were soon joined by others until they were nine in total, each feeling that they had a chance of being the first and who varied from experienced sailors to complete novices.
A Voyage for Madmen tells of each of their awe inspiring journeys and how their different characters influenced their outcomes. It’s soon very clear who of our sailors are truly in their element at sea and it was deeply interesting to see how each of the men dealt with their situations – Bernard Moitessier and Robin Knox-Johnstone soon became my favourites, while I also harboured a soft spot for Nigel Tetley who reminded me of Jack Aubrey, with his quaffing of oysters and roast pheasant while drinking wine and listening to classical music. But even more interesting is the man who decided to fake his race instead…
The book really captures the sheer exhilaration of such a journey, as well as the solitude and the terrifying power of the sea. The descriptions alone of sailing in the Roaring Forties and the Furious Fifties are terrifying – I can’t imagine ever having the stones to actually do it with an experienced crew, let alone on my own – and this only got more interesting as the faker got deeper and deeper into his carefully plotted deception.
I finished this book as excited as I was reading it, and harbouring a deep certainty that I am terribly unsuited to going to sea myself.
**Also posted at Cannonball Read 11**
A Voyage for Madmen tells the tale of the 1968 Golden Globe race, a challenge to single-handedly non-stop circumnavigate the world – sponsored by the Sunday Times when they heard news of a couple of men about to separately attempt the feat. Those men were soon joined by others until they were nine in total, each feeling that they had a chance of being the first and who varied from experienced sailors to complete novices.
A Voyage for Madmen tells of each of their awe inspiring journeys and how their different characters influenced their outcomes. It’s soon very clear who of our sailors are truly in their element at sea and it was deeply interesting to see how each of the men dealt with their situations – Bernard Moitessier and Robin Knox-Johnstone soon became my favourites, while I also harboured a soft spot for Nigel Tetley who reminded me of Jack Aubrey, with his quaffing of oysters and roast pheasant while drinking wine and listening to classical music. But even more interesting is the man who decided to fake his race instead…
The book really captures the sheer exhilaration of such a journey, as well as the solitude and the terrifying power of the sea. The descriptions alone of sailing in the Roaring Forties and the Furious Fifties are terrifying – I can’t imagine ever having the stones to actually do it with an experienced crew, let alone on my own – and this only got more interesting as the faker got deeper and deeper into his carefully plotted deception.
I finished this book as excited as I was reading it, and harbouring a deep certainty that I am terribly unsuited to going to sea myself.
**Also posted at Cannonball Read 11**
The recent film ‘The Mercy’, about Donald Crowhurst and the act of deception in the 1968 Golden Globe race that drove him to madness, encouraged me to seek out this book. Though Nichols is obviously fascinated by Crowhurst’s story - the chapter on Crowhurst’s final hours is as emotionally shattering as anything I’ve read - he is assiduous in his account of the other eight competitors. Writing with a lifetime’s experience of sailing behind him, he conjures the hardships and the elements vividly; his ability to explicate nautical technicalities for the non-seaman is commendable. ‘A Voyage for Madmen’ is vigorously researched, shot through with an intuitive psychological understanding of its protagonists (some of them heroic, some tragic, some quixotic), and told with the pace and urgency of a thriller.
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