Products | Voyager Rare Books Maps & Prints

Call of the Sea – France and Christian Guillain

Published by Victor Gollancz, London 1976 a first English edition having been published in France in 1974. Translated by Caroline Hillier who captures the emotion well. Octavo, 272 pages well illustrated. A very good near fine copy.

This is the first English translation of a French best seller. France and Christian Guillain set off for Tahiti from the Mediterranean with a baby of just a e weeks. This is a very joyful account despite the unusual calamities that befell them along the way. Stranded in the mouth of the Ebro, sea monsters of the Cocos the dreariness of the doldrums. Nice family photographs .. so French.

French couple take their young family on the voyage of anyone’s lifetime and more …

$25.00

Updating cart…

A Girl on a Square Rig – Jenni Atkinson

Published by Arlington Books, Mayfair, London a first edition 1977. Octavo, 203 pages with end paper diagrams of the vessel and nice photographic images and chart. Very good condition.

This is the 1976 Tall Ships race across the Atlantic to celebrate the American Bicentenary. Jenni Atkinson gave up her job to become a hand (one of two women in a crew of twenty seven) on the square-rigger Phoenix. Unsponsored and crewed by volunteers they were the only square-rigger to complete the course. Written with a great sense of humour.

Tall ship across the Atlantic – told with humour

$25.00

Updating cart…

Travellers on a Trade Wind – Marcia Pirie

Published by Frontier a first edition 1992. Octavo, 296 pages well illustrated with photographs and charts and the most endearing sketches by the author. A very good if not fine copy.

Marcia and David Pirie gave it all up to sail their home-built ketch “Moongazer” round the world. An not the usual way … the total voyage took in some 70,000 miles of sailing. Not happy with the usual route after the Panama they sail north from the Marquesas through Hawaii up to the icy waters of Queen Charlotte Sound. And then much more.

Take nine years off and follow the route of Marcia and David!

$30.00

Updating cart…

The Singlehanders – Peter Heaton

Published by Michael Joseph, London in 1976 a first edition. Large octavo, 208 pages nicely illustrated. A very good if not fine copy.

Peter Heaton’s well thought through book on the evolution of the singlehanders.

In the 19th century stockbroker Richard McMullen became a singlehander because he sacked his two hands for being idle and insolent. Those that more carefully planned their way into it are categorised as Pioneers (1876-1899); Romantics (1900-39); Escapists (1940’s and 50’s) and those from the Competitive Era. As well as the individual exploits the issues of loneliness etc are explored.

Great photography and technical diagrams.

Singlehanders covered well by Heaton

$25.00

Updating cart…

Fair Winds and Far Places – Zane Mann

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

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

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

$25.00

Updating cart…

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

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

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

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

Tim Severin put it all into Jason and proved the possibility

$25.00

Updating cart…

All products

Call of the Sea – France and Christian Guillain

A Girl on a Square Rig – Jenni Atkinson

Travellers on a Trade Wind – Marcia Pirie

The Singlehanders – Peter Heaton

Fair Winds and Far Places – Zane Mann

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

Product Categories