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  • Sailing a Serious Ocean

  • Sailboats, Storms, Stories and Lessons Learned from 30 Years at Sea
  • By: John Kretschmer
  • Narrated by: Sean Runnette
  • Length: 10 hrs and 37 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (159 ratings)

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Sailing a Serious Ocean

By: John Kretschmer
Narrated by: Sean Runnette
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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
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What listeners say about Sailing a Serious Ocean

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Great book

Wonderful stories and lesions in life and sailing, well told and easy listening really enjoyed it lots

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Paints pictures of sailing the ocean

I listened to this book after a book by the same author, Cape Horn To Starboard, and it follows in the same style, painting a vivid picture of blue water sailing. There are some rather boring parts, lists of top ten sailboats etc but they are no so bad and easily made up for by the stories and experiences told. It is book to learn from too. With thousands of sea miles under his belt, the author passes on useful tips - but is always careful to state that these are his views, not that they are right, these are the words of a true expert, humbled by the knowledge that there is always something new the sea (or life in general) can throw at you.
The reader has a wonderful voice and the book is beautifully read.

As I rig my little boat to spend a day off shore ten words of this book still ring in my ears.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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** Brilliant **

Wonderful storytelling accompanied by a fantastic narrator. Kretschmer is a master mariner and relays his stories, reflections and practical insights with a gentle humility and moments of laugh out loud humour. Highly recommended, you won't be disappointed.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Pleasant Narration

Contrary to what some reviewers are saying here, I found the narrator's voice very pleasant to listen to. Calm and mature, one could even say that it fits the subject matter very well. Also technically competent.
It's a matter of opinion, of course, as with everything...

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    5 out of 5 stars
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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.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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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.

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My first sailing book and I loved it!

I learned a lot about storm tactics, boat models and overall enjoyed the good story!

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Really good mix

I must disagree with some other reviewers who criticised the orator — he was fine. He doesn’t distract from the story at all. It’s a great book. If you’re interested in sailing abs travel and human beings then you’ll like this book.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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Great story, shame about the narrator

This is a great book with a mix of tips and sea stories. However whilst the sea stories themselves are vivid and gripping, the narrator has no real feeling in his voice. I just couldn't get properly into the stories with his lifeless rendition of them.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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It’s another world

I love the writers ability to take me into a world, I know nothing about. His absolute passion and reverence for the sea and sailing shines through. It’s also a reminder to do what you love. Great book . Fabulous story telling.

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