Cape Horn to Starboard

By: John Kretschmer

Narrated by: Tom Perkins

Length: 6 hrs and 52 mins

Publisher's summary

Legendary account of the author's voyage around Cape Horn in a 32-foot sailboat, sailing east to west (thus the Horn is to starboard, or on the right). This is a notoriously difficult and dangerous passage, especially in a boat this size.

©1986 John Kretschmer (P)2020 Tantor

A Sailing Classic

If you’re familiar with John Kretchmer’s writing, this book is certainly the epitome of his crazy adventures and love for the sea. As a fairly new sailor, I enjoyed his stories about just starting to sail all the way up to one of his greatest achievements. I highly recommend this book to anyone who’s in need of a vicarious adventure or some light sailing literature. The narration is good, although I preferred the performance of Sailing to The Edge of time the most.

Enjoyable and a good read/listen

This was the third book that I’ve encounter from John Kretschmer, and I believe the first he wrote. He has a wonderful way of storytelling with useful information in the story. I am looking forward to reading his new book that just came out. One of my favorite seagoing authors.

Ambitious sailor, beautiful girl, and a Contessa 32

This is a true adventure book. Especially for those craving the open ocean. A very well told story that keeps you wondering what’s coming next at the end of each chapter.

i enjoyed this one -- short & sweet

this [audio]book tales the adventure from New York to San Francisco via the Cape Horn [S. America] passage

having just finished "Sailing a Serious Ocean," there are a lot of similar themes here: sailing + etiquette, travails at sea, handling crises as they occur, boat repairs...

i found myself researching small sailboats to attempt something similar, hehehe

great material(!)

awesome story

great listen - wonderful story about some friends and their combined efforts to have fun and experience the sea and it unique qualities.

afterwards

after arriving in San Francisco, not one word about Molly who seems to have totally disappeared into the pages

Great story, poorly read

The author wrote a terrific book. It’s journey draws you in and has you join the crew. You can feel the wind and the waves. Unfortunately, Audible selected a performer to read the book who mis-pronounces common English words and mangles sailing jargon. I heartily recommend the book for the strength of the writing and it’s compelling stories. You’ll just have to suffer (and occasionally swear) at the performer.

Overall very good, but ended abruptly

For the most part this was a great story. It was the telling of an obviously grand, dangerous, and possibly foolhardy adventure. I really enjoyed the book, up until the very end. It's not a spoiler to say the story revolved around sailing around Cape Horn. My issue came at end of the voyage. The writing got sloppy and the ending was just thrown in. And it left so many unanswered questions. The main issue is there was a character who was the second most important character (after the author) through the entire book. At the end we are teased with this grand foreshadowing of what might happen, then nothing happens. Even though she was integral to the story, her name was only mentioned once in passing in the last 20 minutes. What the heck happened? I needed closure on her character as well.

great story !

don't miss this , self effacing author tells us how a boy becomes a sailor ,eh mates ?

it was ok, not great.

Actually I almost didn't finish even though I generally love sailing books. And I was left wondering what happened to wife #1