Listen free for 30 days
-
Amazing Sailing Stories
- True Adventures from the High Seas
- Narrated by: Steve Hodson
- Length: 8 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged Audiobook
- Categories: Science & Engineering, Engineering
Add to basket failed.
Add to wishlist failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Listen with a free trial
Buy Now for £14.99
No valid payment method on file.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
Listeners also enjoyed...
-
Sailing, Yachts and Yarns
- By: Tom Cunliffe
- Narrated by: Tom Cunliffe
- Length: 6 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Sailing, Yachts and Yarns is a selection of Tom Cunliffe’s funniest, wisest and most thought-provoking writing from the pages of Yachting Monthly. Tom’s love of language and sense of humour shine through as he recalls the wealth of sinners and saints he has met on docksides from Southampton to South America, Greenwich to Greenland and Newtown to New York. He has a gift for capturing the magic of sail and finding pearls of practical wisdom in the most unlikely nautical adventures.
-
-
Not that interesting
- By Slowhand on 10-10-20
-
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
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
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.
-
-
Great book but poor orator
- By Balooe on 15-10-19
-
Left for Dead
- The Untold Story of the Tragic 1979 Fastnet Race
- By: Sinead O'Brien, Nick Ward
- Narrated by: Simon Vance
- Length: 6 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Left for Dead is the tragic and inspirational story of Nick Ward's survival against all the odds. It is the story of an ordinary man who survived an extraordinary event. It was an experience which affected him so deeply that for over 25 years his story has remained untold - until now.
-
-
Too much reverence
- By andrew on 09-03-21
-
Old Man Sailing
- Some Dreams Take a Lifetime
- By: John Passmore
- Narrated by: Charles Robert Fox
- Length: 8 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When COVID-19 struck the UK, the government advised the over-70s to "shield" while the country went into lockdown. One old man went sailing instead. Single-handed and self-isolated, retired journalist John Passmore used the pandemic to achieve an ambition that had eluded him for 60 years. For 3,629 miles, he disappeared into a world of perfect solitude, adventure, and adversity, arriving back 42 days later, short of water and with shredded sails, to find himself celebrated on national radio as the embodiment of everybody’s lockdown dream. This is his story.
-
-
Light and fun
- By John on 04-05-22
-
Sailing to the Edge of Time
- The Promise, the Challenges, and the Freedom of Ocean Voyaging
- By: John Kretschmer
- Narrated by: Matthew Kevin Anderson
- Length: 9 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
John Kretschmer is sailing’s practical philosopher - as much a doer as a thinker. And that is the overarching theme of this chronicle of a sailing life. Often amusing, sometimes poignant, occasionally terrifying but always inspiring, his deeply personal account is a welcome reminder of the good life waiting at sea. With hundreds of thousands of nautical miles under his keel, John’s adventures have taken him several times around the world.
-
-
outstanding advice really deep details as usual -
- By Ziri on 07-07-20
-
Philosophy of Sailing: Offshore in Search of the Universe
- By: Christian Williams
- Narrated by: Christian Williams
- Length: 10 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Veteran sailor and writer Christian Williams invites us along once again on a 5,000-mile voyage of discovery around the North Pacific. Equipped with a new boat, a well-stocked toolbox, and the entire history of philosophic thought, he takes us as crew through squalls and calms deep into a laboratory of the universe that exists only out of sight of land. Funny, erudite, and at times deeply personal, Philosophy of Sailing explores who we are and how encounters with the unknown can be a path to revelation and joy.
-
-
Loved this book of sailing musings
- By Philip McKee on 17-04-19
-
Sailing, Yachts and Yarns
- By: Tom Cunliffe
- Narrated by: Tom Cunliffe
- Length: 6 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Sailing, Yachts and Yarns is a selection of Tom Cunliffe’s funniest, wisest and most thought-provoking writing from the pages of Yachting Monthly. Tom’s love of language and sense of humour shine through as he recalls the wealth of sinners and saints he has met on docksides from Southampton to South America, Greenwich to Greenland and Newtown to New York. He has a gift for capturing the magic of sail and finding pearls of practical wisdom in the most unlikely nautical adventures.
-
-
Not that interesting
- By Slowhand on 10-10-20
-
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
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
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.
-
-
Great book but poor orator
- By Balooe on 15-10-19
-
Left for Dead
- The Untold Story of the Tragic 1979 Fastnet Race
- By: Sinead O'Brien, Nick Ward
- Narrated by: Simon Vance
- Length: 6 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Left for Dead is the tragic and inspirational story of Nick Ward's survival against all the odds. It is the story of an ordinary man who survived an extraordinary event. It was an experience which affected him so deeply that for over 25 years his story has remained untold - until now.
-
-
Too much reverence
- By andrew on 09-03-21
-
Old Man Sailing
- Some Dreams Take a Lifetime
- By: John Passmore
- Narrated by: Charles Robert Fox
- Length: 8 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When COVID-19 struck the UK, the government advised the over-70s to "shield" while the country went into lockdown. One old man went sailing instead. Single-handed and self-isolated, retired journalist John Passmore used the pandemic to achieve an ambition that had eluded him for 60 years. For 3,629 miles, he disappeared into a world of perfect solitude, adventure, and adversity, arriving back 42 days later, short of water and with shredded sails, to find himself celebrated on national radio as the embodiment of everybody’s lockdown dream. This is his story.
-
-
Light and fun
- By John on 04-05-22
-
Sailing to the Edge of Time
- The Promise, the Challenges, and the Freedom of Ocean Voyaging
- By: John Kretschmer
- Narrated by: Matthew Kevin Anderson
- Length: 9 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
John Kretschmer is sailing’s practical philosopher - as much a doer as a thinker. And that is the overarching theme of this chronicle of a sailing life. Often amusing, sometimes poignant, occasionally terrifying but always inspiring, his deeply personal account is a welcome reminder of the good life waiting at sea. With hundreds of thousands of nautical miles under his keel, John’s adventures have taken him several times around the world.
-
-
outstanding advice really deep details as usual -
- By Ziri on 07-07-20
-
Philosophy of Sailing: Offshore in Search of the Universe
- By: Christian Williams
- Narrated by: Christian Williams
- Length: 10 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Veteran sailor and writer Christian Williams invites us along once again on a 5,000-mile voyage of discovery around the North Pacific. Equipped with a new boat, a well-stocked toolbox, and the entire history of philosophic thought, he takes us as crew through squalls and calms deep into a laboratory of the universe that exists only out of sight of land. Funny, erudite, and at times deeply personal, Philosophy of Sailing explores who we are and how encounters with the unknown can be a path to revelation and joy.
-
-
Loved this book of sailing musings
- By Philip McKee on 17-04-19
-
Cape Horn to Starboard
- By: John Kretschmer
- Narrated by: Tom Perkins
- Length: 6 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
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.
-
-
great story
- By Michael Charles Devlin on 26-09-21
-
A Race Too Far
- By: Chris Eakin
- Narrated by: Christian Rodska
- Length: 9 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In 1968, the Sunday Times organised the Golden Globe race - an incredible test of endurance never before attempted – a round the world yacht race that must be completed single-handed and non-stop, going into port for repairs or supplies would mean disqualification.This remarkable challenge inspired the daring to enter – with or without sailing experience. A Race Too Far is the story of how the race unfolded, and how it became a tragedy for many involved.
-
-
Brilliantly written, brilliantly read
- By Jack of all on 04-10-17
-
At the Mercy of the Sea
- The True Story of Three Sailors in a Caribbean Hurricane
- By: John Kretschmer
- Narrated by: Patrick Conn
- Length: 7 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
"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 audiobook is as perfectly shaped and flawlessly written as such a story can be. In addition to being the best depiction I have ever listened to 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 audiobook is surely destined to become a classic."
-
-
Over long and spoilt by a terrible narrator.
- By R W. on 16-09-19
-
Cruising in Seraffyn
- By: Lin Pardey, Larry Pardey
- Narrated by: Kitty Hendrix
- Length: 8 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The cruising tale is full of the sights and sounds, the fragrances and native customs of foreign lands, especially Central American and the Caribbean. It is a story of a leisurely sail through the Gulf of Cortez and on through Panama Canal to the Azores and England. Cruising in Seraffyn is also a carefully thought out guide to living aboard a small boat, with fun and economy as the guiding principles. Four appendices provide data that is vital for anyone comtemplating long-distance cruising.
-
-
Great audiobook if you love sailing...
- By R LYCETT on 16-06-17
-
Taking on the World
- By: Ellen MacArthur
- Narrated by: Lisa Coleman
- Length: 13 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
On February 11th, 2001, Ellen MacArthur sailed into port in France, completing the Vendee Globe, the world's toughest race. Alone and unsupported, she had spent more than three months at sea and had coped with storms, exhaustion, rigging failures, and a catastrophic collision with a submerged object. But Ellen never gave up and, at the age of 24, she became the first woman to circumnavigate the globe. This is Ellen's story, from her childhood in land locked Derbyshire, to that historic race.
-
-
Stunning and inspirational
- By Alan on 07-11-08
-
RYA Yachtmaster Handbook
- By: James Stevens
- Narrated by: Chris R. Wright
- Length: 2 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The RYA Yachtmaster examination is the gold-standard qualification for sail and power boaters the world over. This audiobook is the RYA's official and definitive guide to the Coastal and Offshore exams. It offers a unique insight into what you need to know, how the exams will be conducted, and the skills required. Whether you are going to take either of the exams or are thinking of it and want to find out what you will face on the day, this is the audiobook that you must have.
-
-
Good as an overview
- By oliver W. on 13-09-21
-
Breaking Seas
- An Overweight, Middle-Aged Computer Nerd Buys His First Boat, Quits His Job, and Sails Off to Adventure
- By: Glenn Damato
- Narrated by: René Ruiz
- Length: 9 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Do you have a dream you must pursue, but everyone says it's unrealistic? Or that you're not qualified? Too old, too out of shape? Or you don't have the "right experience?" Glenn Damato was a 41-year-old software instructor who sought to exceed the bounds of his comfortable but humdrum existence. He embarked on an adventure for which he was miserably unprepared. Why did he do this? How did he answer the ancient human question: how do we jump-start growth in our lives? We become something we were not.
-
-
Just what I needed
- By Mr Thomas Gordon on 08-10-16
-
Across Islands and Oceans
- A Journey Alone Around the World By Sail and By Foot
- By: James Baldwin
- Narrated by: Spencer King
- Length: 13 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Across Islands and Oceans is the memoir of 25 year-old James Baldwin and his epic two-year, solo circumnavigation in Atom, his trusty but aging 28-foot sailboat.
-
-
one of the best
- By william r on 27-02-19
-
Introduction to Sailing
- By: Christian Williams
- Narrated by: Christian Williams
- Length: 5 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Introduction to Sailing is veteran sailor Christian Williams’ candid and highly entertaining invitation to boats and the sea. Writing for new sailors of every kind, he evokes the joy of wind and water in an intimate style that begins with dinghies, which he advocates as most fun of all, and continues through cruising boats small and large and for every budget.
-
-
Excellent
- By Fiona on 13-05-22
-
Sailing Alone Around the World
- By: Joshua Slocum
- Narrated by: Bernard Mayes
- Length: 7 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Challenged by an expert who said it couldn’t be done, Joshua Slocum, a fearless New England sea captain, set out in April 1895 to prove that a man could sail alone around the world. A little over three years and forty-six thousand miles later, the proof was complete. This is Slocum’s own account of his remarkable adventures during the historic voyage of the Spray.
-
-
Brilliant!
- By Bob on 21-10-18
-
Alone Together
- Sailing Solo to Hawaii and Beyond
- By: Christian Williams
- Narrated by: Christian Williams
- Length: 11 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
What happens when a man of today's overconnected world sets off alone across the Pacific at the age of 71? Christian Williams, a veteran sailor and writer, planned a 6,000-mile voyage as a test of his own seamanship and endurance, and to fulfill a lifelong goal. But he found his focus quickly turning from the surrounding sea to all of us. Is anyone the same person when no one else is there? Do we dare to find out?
-
-
Thank you Christian
- By rhys walters on 01-03-17
-
Swell
- A Sailing Surfer's Voyage of Awakening
- By: Liz Clark
- Narrated by: Liz Clark
- Length: 12 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Captain Liz Clark spent her youth dreaming of traveling the world by sailboat and surfing remote waves. When she was 22, she met a mentor who helped turn her desire into reality. Embarking on an adventure that most only fantasize about, she set sail from Santa Barbara, California, as captain of her 40-foot sailboat, Swell, headed south in search of surf, self, and the wonder and learning that lies beyond the unbroken horizon.
-
-
Not Just For Sailors
- By Jase Moorcroft on 28-06-19
Summary
Tales of adventures on the high seas captivate both sailors and those who stand on the shore and gaze out across the oceans. In this original collection of sea stories, edited by veteran writer Dick Durham, the gamut of human experience is mirrored in a world of tragic shipwrecks and sea monsters, epic races and brave rescues, tall ships and tiny dinghies.
More from the same
Narrator
What listeners say about Amazing Sailing Stories
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
- Louise
- 15-03-12
Gripping!
Life is stranger than fiction! If you love sailing & being out on the water there are some incredible true stories in this audio book so dramatically read, really kept me gripped. Some chilling 'Dead Calm' moments, I even had to re-wind several times to hear the details again. I loved the true story about the fight between a giant squid & a whale so graphic & visual. It's a wonderful selection of tales from old clipper ships, modern day racing yachts & lone eccentrics who took to the sea with no experience. I highly recommend it found it inspiring & moving. I might even build a ship & set sail soon across the oceans soon!
5 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- T. Griffith
- 09-09-18
Steve Hodson has such a brilliant voice..
Hate sailing, love these stories. They are inspirational for anyone who thinks they are having a difficult day..
3 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Amazon Customer
- 24-09-20
great
I really enjoy listening to this very easy to relax and drift away in self reflection
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Steve Hale
- 10-10-21
Great listen
Very interesting & inspirational stories, enjoyed every minute. The variety of short stories keeps you hooked with some fascinating i insights to some top seamanship.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- H R Clayton
- 12-04-21
Awful
After just a few moments I realized why this was in the two for one collection. Save your time and don’t bother!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Slowhand
- 30-01-20
A mixed bag
An odd mix of stories and a narrator with some bizarre pronunciation choices. Overall, it's disappointing.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Charlie
- 24-11-19
Remarkable achievements by remarkable people
If you are thinking of blue water cruising this might make you think twice!
-
Overall
- Sandy
- 21-03-19
All at sea
Some amazing true sea stories, which show courage, spirit, determination and sheer will power of men and women who take to the sea. The stories are read beautifully well. With the exception of running into each other slightly. You will feel like you are well travelled after listening.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Amazon Customer
- 22-08-18
Many short accounts of sailing exploits
Arranged as 57 short chapters, these delightful yarns will appeal to all serious sailors, but particularly to those with an interest in long distance sailing.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Anonymous User
- 17-10-17
Incredible and catching stories!
Incredible and fascinating stories from a range of years. Couldn't stop listening! The narrator is interesting to listen too and speaks very dynamically and confidently. 57 separate stories leave you wanting more
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Lisa
- 20-11-13
More summaries than stories
Some potential great stories, but they're so brief you might as well be reading the blurb on the back cover - or that's how it seemed to me. Even Shackleton's incredible epic journey gets turned into a short and not very impressive story which I wouldn't have thought possible.
I love amazing sailing stories, but amazing story summaries are not the same thing.
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Matthew
- 22-03-14
Hours of factual unemotional stories
What would have made Amazing Sailing Stories better?
The stories are interesting but lack details which make them engaging. Hours of Hodson reading what seem like newspaper articles- factual, informational, but ultimately droning.
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- C. Coop
- 10-10-18
Good short stories.
Entertaining. Many nautical terms I didn't know, but nevertheless, enjoyable. Thinking about sailing, this book might give you second thoughts because most adventure stories are borne in misfortune.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Ron Juan
- 11-09-12
Easy Armchair Listening
Where does Amazing Sailing Stories rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?
A diverse compilation of excerpts, short stories and old magazine articles, the book takes you along many diverse themes in the nautical world. This book will be enjoyed by anyone who has sailed or wishes to sail.
What does Steve Hodson bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?
Steve Hodson's reading imparts drama and often times the irony more effectively than if read by yourself.
Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
The wide range of stories will make you laugh, gasp and just shake your head in understanding of just how unpredictable sailing can be.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Paul
- 13-08-12
Excellent amazing sailing stories
Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?
Yes, very entertaining and interesting stories which are very well read and written
What was the most compelling aspect of this narrative?
The fact these are true stories, I have read other books from some of the survivors and can vouch for the authenticity in this one.
What do you think the narrator could have done better?
Nothing really, it is very well done.
Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
Yes, some of these are incredible stories and as a sailor I could relate very well.
Any additional comments?
Could not move easily or quickly between chapters. I think this is a shortfall of the Audible software installed on my Garmin Nuvi 2455LMT. It is a serious issue that should be fixed.
An excellent book and no need to be a sailor to enjoy the incredible stories.
I recomend it to anyone interested in the seas or sailing or those who enjoy true stories.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- kriss
- 30-08-12
good stories, production didn't work on iPhone
What didn’t you like about Steve Hodson’s performance?
There were little pauses between stories and could not tell when one story stopped and next began.
Any additional comments?
iPhone would stop and go constantly, many times had to do a manual restart play from iPhone.