John Kretschmer

Time spent sailing, especially far from the shackles of land, is the key to discovering the good life waiting at sea.

The Promise, the Challenges, and the Freedom of Ocean Voyaging

Sailing to the Edge of Time

Sailing a Serious Ocean 

John Kretschmer is a writer and sailing enthusiast.

Flirting with Mermaids

Legendary account of the author's voyage around Cape Horn in a 32-foot sailboat, sailing east-to-west (thus the Horn is to starboard, or on the right). This is a notoriously difficult and dangerous passage, especially in a boat this size.

Cape Horn to Starboard

"I know you'll want to read more after you finish Sailing a Serious Ocean. And be warned, you'll very likely want to sail with John, perhaps across an ocean." -- DALLAS MURPHY, AUTHOR OF ROUNDING THE HORN 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 oftenchallenging 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.

Sailing a Serious Ocean

Sailing a Serious Ocean: Sailboats, Storms, Stories and Lessons Learned from 30 Years at Sea

"None of the men knew each other, yet they converged by fate in a tiny circle of the sea in the midst of a hellish storm no boat could withstand. And even as he battled for survival, Carl Wake lived the crowning hours of his life." "John Kretschmer's At the Mercy of the Sea retraces the journeys of these three sailors through life and across oceans. At the Mercy of the Sea is much more than a chronicle; it is a requiem for a lost friend. Author John Kretschmer helped Wake choose his boat, accompanied him on his first passage, and advised him on when to sail to the Caribbean. To write the book, Kretschmer interviewed friends, family, and associates of the sailors, obtained transcripts of their radio calls during the storm, and analyzed the hurricane with the help of the National Hurricane Center. He draws on his own sea experience to take us into the heart of a hurricane in a small, frail boat, and to show us how Carl Wake redeemed his life with his final heroic act."--BOOK JACKET.

The True Story of Three Sailors in a Caribbean Hurricane

At the Mercy of the Sea

'The Best Used Boat Notebook' covers a fascinating spectrum of boats. Thoroughly researched reviews include owner insights, a guide to common problems and suggestions on where to find parts, advice and support.

From the Pages of Sailing Magazine, a New Collection of Detailed Reviews of 40 Used Boats Plus a Look at 10 Great Used Boats to Sail Around the World

The Best Used Boat Notebook

“The tale of Carl Wake and the hurricane that was waiting for him goes straight to the heart of the greatest sea stories: they are not about man against the sea, but man against himself. John Kretschmer’s book is as perfectly shaped and flawlessly written as such a story can be. In addition to being the best depiction I have ever read of what it is like to be inside a hurricane at sea, At the Mercy of the Sea is as moving a story of a man’s failure and redemption as can be found anywhere in the literature of the sea. This book is surely destined to become a classic.”—Peter Nichols, author of Sea Change and A Voyage for Madmen “John Kretschmer has transformed this story of three men on a collision course with a hurricane into a modern seafaring classic.”—Peter Nielsen, editor of SAIL magazine “With expert analysis and taut writing, he draws readers into that mad storm. You can’t turn away. You keep reading until it breaks your heart.”—Fred Grimm, columnist for the Miami Herald “Once begun, his vivid and powerful narrative is impossible to put down.”—Derek Lundy, author of Godforsaken Sea and The Way of a Ship “I felt I knew Carl Wake, because John Kretschmer found in him an archetype—an aging sailor with an age-old dream.”—Jim Carrier, transatlantic sailor and author of The Ship and the Storm: Hurricane Mitch and the Loss of the Fantome “A remarkable book, impossible to put down.”—Herb McCormick, sailing journalist

John Kretschmer

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