8 Great Sailing Books - Adventure Style!

10 Best Sailing Books | Discover Boating

Best sailing books

25 sailing books every sailor should read

Sailing Alone Around the World

Navegando Solo Alrededor del Mundo

Racing the World's Most Dangerous Waters

Compitiendo en las Aguas Más Peligrosas del Mundo

Godforsaken Sea

Mar Abandonado por Dios

Santiago, an aging Cuban fisherman, has gone 84 days without a successful catch. He's considered unlucky to the point where his young, loyal friend, Manolin, is compelled by his parents to abandon Santiago and join a more fruitful fishing crew. Despite this, Manolin remains devoted, aiding Santiago at the end of each day, ensuring he has food, and engaging in conversations about their shared passion for baseball. Santiago, optimistic, determines to venture farther out into the ocean than he typically would on his next trip, believing his dry spell is about to end.

On his determined journey out into the Gulf Stream, Santiago finally hooks a large marlin on the 85th day of his unlucky stretch. His strength isn't enough to reel the fish in, and instead, he finds himself being towed by the fish, unable to secure the line to his boat out of fear it would snap. For two days and two nights, Santiago endures excruciating pain as the marlin drags the boat across the ocean, his hands raw from the strain of the line. Throughout this ordeal, Santiago feels a profound respect for the marlin, viewing it as a companion in suffering and endurance.

Exhausted and almost delirious on the third day, Santiago finally manages to kill the marlin, which is the biggest he's ever seen, with a harpoon. He secures it to his boat, excited about the profit it'll fetch him but also concerned that those who will consume it don't truly appreciate its magnificence. However, the marlin's blood attracts sharks, and Santiago is left increasingly defenseless as he fights off multiple attacks, losing his harpoon and valuable rope in the process. By nightfall, the sharks have left nothing but the marlin's skeleton, leading Santiago to regret his decision to venture too far out. Returning home, he is too exhausted to do anything but sleep. The next morning, local fishermen are awestruck by the marlin's remains, while unaware tourists mistake it for a shark. Manolin is relieved to find Santiago safe, and they agree to resume fishing together. Santiago, back in his own world of dreams, sees lions playing on African beaches.

The Old Man and the Sea

El Viejo y el Mar

The Long Way

El Largo Camino

Seventy-six Days Lost at Sea

Setenta y seis Días Perdido en el Mar

Adrift

A la Deriva

Maiden Voyage

Viaje de Soltera

The story begins with Ishmael, a seasoned sailor with an ambition to experience a whaling voyage. He ends up in New Bedford, Massachusetts and shares a room with Queequeg, a harpooner tattooed from head to toe. Despite initial reservations, they form a bond and choose to venture together on a whaling ship, the Pequod. The ship is ominous, decorated with the remains of sperm whales and owned by two hard-bargaining Quakers, Peleg and Bildad. They speak ominously of the ship's captain, Ahab, a man still recuperating from a previous encounter with a sperm whale that cost him his leg.  

As the ship sets sail into warmer waters on a frosty Christmas day, the crew encounters an eclectic mix of diverse individuals. Ahab emerges, revealing his intention to hunt the infamous white whale, Moby Dick, who he believes embodies pure evil. He offers a gold doubloon for the first man to sight the beast. As they sail towards Africa, a secret crew led by a man named Fedallah emerges, who Ahab believes will help him capture Moby Dick. Despite seeing several whales, their hunts are unsuccessful. 

Circling Africa and entering the Indian Ocean, they successfully capture and process a few whales for their oil. Ahab persistently questions every captain they cross about Moby Dick. They meet with various difficulties and ominous warnings, including a prediction of doom from a crazed prophet, Gabriel. Despite these warnings, Ahab's obsession to kill Moby Dick intensifies. They sight and engage Moby Dick, resulting in lost boats and men. On the third day, Ahab is caught in a harpoon line and thrown to his death. Moby Dick then sinks the Pequod, pulling all remaining crewmen under. Only Ishmael survives, floating on Queequeg’s coffin until rescued by another ship, the Rachel.

Moby Dick

Master and Commander

Capitán de mar y guerra

Across the Pacific in a Raft

A través del Pacífico en una balsa

Kon-Tiki

A Voyage for Madmen

Un Viaje para Locos

The Log from the Sea of Cortez

El Registro del Mar de Cortez

12 Sailing Books For Beginners

The Annapolis Book of Seamanship

El Libro de Annapolis de Navegación

The Complete Sailor

El Marinero Completo

Two Years Before The Mast

Dos Años Antes del Mástil

A True Story of Men Against the Sea

Una Historia Real de Hombres Contra el Mar

The Perfect Storm

La Tormenta Perfecta

Surviving the Deadliest Storm in Modern Sailing History

Sobreviviendo la Tormenta más Mortal en la Historia Moderna de la Vela

Left for Dead

Abandonado a la Muerte

The Proving Ground

El Campo de Prueba

The Curve of Time

La Curva del Tiempo

Gipsy Moth Circles The World

La Polilla Gitana Rodea el Mundo

19 Best Sailing Books of All Time

Sailing Alone Around the World

Godforsaken Sea

Racing the World's Most Dangerous Waters

The Old Man and the Sea

The Long Way

Adrift

Seventy-six Days Lost at Sea

Maiden Voyage

Moby Dick

Master and Commander

Kon-Tiki

Across the Pacific in a Raft

A Voyage for Madmen

The Log from the Sea of Cortez

The Annapolis Book of Seamanship

The Complete Sailor

Two Years Before The Mast

The Perfect Storm

A True Story of Men Against the Sea

Left for Dead

Surviving the Deadliest Storm in Modern Sailing History

The Proving Ground

The Curve of Time

Gipsy Moth Circles The World

Sources

What To Read Next

19 Best Sailing Books of All Time

Sailing Alone Around the World

Godforsaken Sea

Racing the World's Most Dangerous Waters

The Old Man and the Sea

The Long Way

Adrift

Seventy-six Days Lost at Sea

Maiden Voyage

Moby Dick

Master and Commander

Kon-Tiki

Across the Pacific in a Raft

A Voyage for Madmen

The Log from the Sea of Cortez

The Annapolis Book of Seamanship

The Complete Sailor

Two Years Before The Mast

The Perfect Storm

A True Story of Men Against the Sea

Left for Dead

Surviving the Deadliest Storm in Modern Sailing History

The Proving Ground

The Curve of Time

Gipsy Moth Circles The World

Sources

What To Read Next

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