Sailing to the Reefs

Another good one in the blue-water sailing genre. This one ranks 5 stars because, with the exception of a few pages where he is actually explaining how something works, it is told in straightforward language with minimum sailor jargon. Much like an actual long-haul cruise, most of the book actually happens while the boat is in a harbor, out of the water altogether or ceases to exist (in this case, twice). Some of the anecdotes are hilarious, even those that are downright (but unashamedly) dishonest. Some of the inventions and workarounds he comes up with are astonishing. If he had not been sailing around with no money, he would have had buckets of money, but then he would not have been sailing.Actually, the only thing missing from the book is: what happened to Joyce?For me, the book provides that superb balance between the joy of sailing free and the reality that sooner of later during an ocean voyage, there is an 80% probability that on this very trip the ocean is going to try and kill you ... and (even for some of the world-famous old salts) there is about a 50-50 chance that the ocean is going to succeed.

Reading a Moitessier book is like reading a Greek classic; elemental and insightful. So very interesting to see how he gets through life, and comparing it to the struggles sailors have today. Plus the man takes DIY to the most basic level! Going offshore I realize what he's talking about, and it scares me a bit to realize there's a bit of Bernard in me also! Should be considered required reading for offshore enthusiasts, but then, all the ones I know have read all his books!

A nice read overall, but tough to keep interested in several places. I can't help but to compare this book with The Long Way, which is the better read. Regardless, there are many nice passages here and advice that even a novice sailor, such as myself, can make use of.

Moitessier is generally held to be a master sailor, but in this book he wrecks both of his boats (utterly destroying them) by running onto well-charted shores. And as a human being he must have been insufferable, in particular treating his women badly. Poor Joyce get the Moitessier treatment in this tome. Still some of it was interesting from a historical perspective. Blue water sailing for pleasure was much less common 60 years ago.

I had the opportunity to meet Bernard in Hawaii. He was truly a vagabonds vagabond. I have read all of his books. My favorite is Cape Horn the Logical Route. Take advantage of his experience! Read all of his books. Lots of good info. I am incorporating some of his ideas while building my second boat.

A great window into the beginning of the nautical life of one of the most famous single-handed sailors ever. Told with a dose of humor, just the opposite of some of the sailing books you'll pick up, where the author is intent on seeming courageous and important with the first sentence. The sea is the star in this book, and Moitessier just wants to be close to it.

Bernard Moitessier is a true mariner. make do with what you got, improvise and repair.

Bernard is a frugal as they come, and it's fascinating to read about his imaginative ways to keep sailing without the use of money, around the world in a boat he built himself, in the '50's. I'm thoroughly enjoying the book.

Its a sailing classic book about wooden boats , an interesting book to read.