Sailing a Serious Ocean

By: John Kretschmer

Narrated by: Sean Runnette

Length: 10 hrs and 37 mins

Publisher's Summary

After sailing 300,000 miles and weathering dozens of storms in all the world's oceans, John Kretschmer has plenty of stories and advice to share. John's offshore training passages sell out a year in advance, and his entertaining presentations are popular at boat shows and yacht clubs all over the English-speaking world. John's talent for storytelling enchants his audience as it soaks up the lessons he learned during his often challenging voyages. Now you can take a seat next to John - at a lesser cost - and get the knowledge you need to fulfill your own dream of blue-water adventure.  

In Sailing a Serious Ocean, John tells you what to expect when sailing the oceans and shows how to sail safely across them. His tales of storm encounters and other examples of extreme seamanship will help you prepare for your journey and give you confidence to handle any situation - even heavy weather. Through his personal stories, John will guide you through the whole process of choosing the right boat, outfitting with the right gear, planning your route, navigating the ocean, and understanding the nuances of life at sea.  

Our oceans are beautiful yet unpredictable - water that is at one moment a natural mirror for the glowing sun can turn into a foamy, raging wall of fury. John knows our oceans, and he is one of the best teachers of taming and enjoying them. Before you set off across the big blue, turn to John for his inspirational stories and hard-learned advice and discover the serious sailor in you.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2014 John Kretschmer (P)2019 Tantor

Absolutely brilliant!

Absolutely one of the best audio books I've ever heard. I can't decide if the book was more entertaining or informative. I learned so much.. And I was glued to my Bluetooth.. Hanging on every word spoken.

5 people found this helpful

Fantastic book on ocean sailing

Loved listening to it while I'm working renovating my own sailboat. I'm relatively new to sailing, and this book made me dream of open oceans. Have dream to circumnavigate the globe some day, and this book have vital information and thougts on how to meet those challanges ahead on a serious ocean. Liked the narrators voice, calm and clear. Kretschmer possesses a ton of information. I also liked the chapter for suggested literature on open ocean sailing. Thank's for sharing your wisdom Kretschmer. I wished Kretschmer could discuss more about pros and cons between long keel boats and modern fin keel boats. Maybe a topic for a book in the future?

5 people found this helpful

A modern classic

As the fame is this book continues to spread, it will be read for generations to come. An excellent writer, storyteller, and educator, John Kretschmer will be remembered and spoken of long after the storm of his captaining has passed.

3 people found this helpful

Great book, practical advise

Great book that gives practical advise for those who yearn to get their own boat and sail over the horizon. A few minor mispronunciation by the reader.

2 people found this helpful

Delicious Arm Chair Adventures

Wonderful story telling...and filled with wisdom.
As an old sailor who has now washed up on the shore, this book lifted me up and rekindled dreams of adventures past. I couldn’t ask for more.

1 person found this helpful

best sailing book I've listened to so far 😊<br />

I've heard 10 books or so on audible about sailing and this one is the best!

1 person found this helpful

Eh, not-for-me

I certainly have less experience and stories to tell than Mr. Kretschmer, and my rating in no-way reflects adequately his capabilities at sea. While there are moments of great story telling here, there are also chapters where this felt like an itemized to-do list from planning yet another of his passages; like I was listening to a repair manual (no, I did not download all of the recommended materials first). Almost like a textbook someone reads aloud, where you can't see the arrows and references.

If your goal is to make a list of requirements for your own crossing, then this might just be the book for you; apologetically, it just wasn't for me.

2 people found this helpful

NARRATIORS VOICE FAR TOO ANNOYING AND PRECIOUS

AUTHOR GETS HIS SAILS WRAPPED AROUND HIS PROPELLER AND CUTS HIS FINGER OFF IN A GALE ?? WHY AM I LISTENING TO THIS SCHMUCK ??

Will be dull listening for some

If you have already owned and sailed and crewed a variety of boats in a variety of conditions, coastally, and offshore, on long races or long cruising passages, this book is probably going to bore the pants off of you. However, if you are as yet just getting your feet wet in the sailing world, you may find it interesting. The author turns "reef early and often" "dont fall off the boat" into decades long sagas, or so it felt like. Armchair sailors will love.💞

Fantastic!

I absolutely loved this book and the narrator.

A useful guide to sailing mixed with amusing and scary sea stories, this book is a must for all who love the sea!

Great book but poor orator

Unfortunately I found the orator difficult to listen to as he sounds like he has false teeth.

2 people found this helpful

Definately worth the read/listen

Many anecdotes that sailors will chuckle at, riveting accounts of storms and how the author handled them. Incessant misspronunciation of 'Lymington UK' i thoroughly enjoyed this book and will look for others by the author.

master piece for sailors

I want more, why did he stop talking what a great book you have to read this if you have any intention of blue water sailing - full of practical advise, personal experience and very well thought and balanced advise want more 👌

Just wonderful!

Ever wondered why people have gone to sea for centuries? You just need to listen to this book to understand the calling the wonder and the awe of the ocean, I look forward to listening to this book again soon.

A great book from an obvious master.

A gripping read (or listen in my case) and it kept me company on a family holiday whilst confined to air conditioned rooms in our villa to escape the extreme heat of
Menorca.
it made me hugry to return to my sailing days of 3 decades past and although I don't have a boat as yet, I'm planning my routes.

hard to stop listening

very entertaining and informative , couldn't stop listening, on the way to work, as I was cooking and in bed 😁😁😁

A must listen before a big crossing

Very informative well narrated book. Full of really useful information and insight from a very experienced skipper with an obvious passion for life. Would thoroughly recommend this to anyone considering a long ocean passage.