Modern Era Voyaging

Atlantic Adventure – John Groser – First Edition

This is the book about the highly controversial third London Observer Singlehanded Transatlantic Rec in 1968.

A first edition published by Ward & Lock, London. Octavo, 160 pages, nicely illustrated and with two good appendices at rear – Scale Drawings of Yachts in the 1968 Race and … List of entries with helmsman, designer, builder, type, rig, size and “result”. A fine copy.

Running down the “results” column maybe you get an understanding of the drama in the book with … Steering trouble, disqualifies, taken ill, rudder trouble, unable to navigate, sank!, leak in hull, mast came loose, mast broke, sank, sank … sank.

The North Atlantic not to be underestimated.

$25.00

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Trimaran to Tahiti – D.E. Barry-Evans

Doug Barry-Evans preferred to be called DE. A WWII naval aircraft pilot born in the UK but spent most of his life in New Zealand.

A First edition 1978, published by Richards o Auckland, NZ. Small quarto, 216 pages plus appendices. Really well illustrated and with really good technical information regarding the boat in the back section. A very good copy

From New Zealand to Tahiti an 1,800 mile there and back voyage with lots of excitement and adventure along the way.

A special sailing adventure with good detail on the islands visited

$30.00

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Sail and Deliver! – Ronald Preedy

With a forward by Sir Alec Rose. Ronald Preedy had the best job … delivering yachts … and there really is only one way to do it.

A fine first edition published by Partridge Press, London in 1989. Octavo, 249 pages, illustrated and with charts of various routes taken.

Voyages undertaken include … Falmouth to Corunna, Spain; Florida to Norfolk, Virginia; Lymington to Gibralter; Vilamoura to Falmouth; Les Sables d’Olonne to Vilamoura and quite a few more.

Written very much in a story telling manner … a relaxing sailing read

Preedy was there when a skipper was needed

$25.00

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The Crossing of the Copula – Jean Filloux – First English Edition 1955

A first English edition of Filloux’s adventure in the North Atlantic, translated by Gretchen Besser.

Published by Collins. London in 1955. Octavo, 253 pages plus diagrams of the vessel, nicely illustrated throughout with images from photographs taken on the voyage. End paper maps on which one has dates written by a previous owner, helpful we think. A couple of snags to what is a complete dust jacket, a pretty good copy.

Filloux, a penniless young engineer took a berth on the Copula, a 47 foot catamaran rigged like a Chinese Junk. They took their time. Thirteen months, to voyage from Bordeaux o New York … with time off in the Canaries (forced on them) and in the Windies having reached Martinique (chosen plan). Well written unusual account

Copula across the Atlantic an round the Windies – not your usual vessel or adventurer.

$25.00

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The Kon-Tiki Expedition – Thor Heyerdahl (With Original Photograph of the Raft)

Well certainly not a rare book, probably the biggest selling modern maritime adventure book. But a very good copy.

A 1959 edition by which time it had already run to 23 impressions. Octavo, 235 pages with eighty odd photographic images.

Thor Heyerdahl set off on the most amazing raft voyage with five companions determined to prove his migration theories. This account, praised by Somerset Maugham as “an incredible adventure which happens to be true. It would be a very dull reader who did not admire and envy the courage of the six men who took part in it”. Very good copy.

We also have what appears to be an original photograph of the raft on its way … the camera work is rather shaky so clearly taken from another vessel.

Leaving Callao in Peru for Tahiti, they almost made it running aground on the Raroia Reef were the raft was smashed to smithereens.

Kon-Tiki nice copy with photograph.

$30.00

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Last Voyage – Ann Davison – First edition 1951

First edition of Ann Davison’s autobiographical account which ends in the most dramatic shipwreck and the loss of her husband.

An incredible individual, after all of this, she became the first woman to single-handedly sail across the Atlantic.

Published by Peter Davis, London, 1951. Octavo, 248 pages, two photographs of Ann and Frank … it was not that sort of adventure. Very good condition.

The Last Voyage begins with her earlier life as an aviator in the 1930’s delivering mail around the UK. She married Frank Davison a fellow aviator when they both worked at the Hooten airfield near Liverpool. They has a long held ambition for sailing and bought a run-down 70 foot ketch “Reliance”. Doing it up sent them broke and before the work was finished they sailed to avoid their creditors. They encountered incredible storms in the Channel and the Irish Sea … they foundered on the Portland Bill. Taking to their cork life raft they battled to survive and Frank died out of pure exhaustion ..

Now scarce and one of the most personal accounts we have read.

$35.00

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Atlantic Adventure – John Groser – First Edition

Trimaran to Tahiti – D.E. Barry-Evans

Sail and Deliver! – Ronald Preedy

The Crossing of the Copula – Jean Filloux – First English Edition 1955

The Kon-Tiki Expedition – Thor Heyerdahl (With Original Photograph of the Raft)

Last Voyage – Ann Davison – First edition 1951

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