Topsail and Battleaxe: A Voyage in the Wake of the Vikings

by Tom Cunliffe

Tom Cunliffe and his wife, Ros, gathered their four-year-old daughter and a couple of friends and embark on an amazing expedition sailinh north from England to Norway, bashing their way westward from Norway to Iceland, then past Greenland to L'Anse aux Meadows in Northern Newfoundland in the 75 year-old pilot cutter Hirta. Their burning desire to retrace the explorations of the 10th century Vikings is told with gusto, and Cunliffe interweaves stories of Viking adventures with Hirta's progress, relating a great deal about ancient Viking history and showing that the VIking spirit still lives on in present-day Scandinavians

Genres: Nonfiction

182 pages, Paperback

First published May 26, 1988

About the author

Tom Cunliffe (born 1947) is a British yachting journalist, author and broadcaster.

Cunliffe has been a regular contributor to Yachting Monthly, Yachting World, Sail magazine, Classic Boat and 'Sailing Today' for many years.

A professional writer since 1986, Cunliffe has won the Best Book of the Sea award twice, for Topsail and Battleaxe and Hand, Reef and Steer.[4] He is author of the important Shell Channel Pilot for the English Channel.

In 2010 he presented the award-winning six-part BBC documentary series, The Boats that Built Britain. He also presented the popular 'Boat Yard' series for Discovery TV. He now has a big following on his Youtube channel, 'Yachts and Yarns'.

Reviews

[Arlene Richards · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. Tom Cunliffe, the author was on exciting adventure to retrace the steps of the Vikings from Norway to Newfoundland. He chose a older working pilot cutter to make this voyage. This boat was sturdy enough to make the trip, if they didn't run into iceburgs, but it had very few aids to navigation and comforts were practically nonexistent except for booze. On board was his wife and four year old daughter. Throughout the book, he intertwines the history of the Vikings, like Eirik the Red and Leif the Lucky, and really makes them come to life. His book is full of beautiful pictures, numerous charts, plans of the boat's accommodation etc. He is a very competent experienced sailor and he shared much of his nautical knowledge with the reader.

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

A delightful book. Cunliffe weaves together a voyage in the wake of the vikings with some of the stories (from various sagas) that lead to the vikings going to the Faroes, Iceland, Greenland and North America (Newfoundland?). Together with his wife and daughter and varying crew, he voyages a 70 year old English cutter to Norway and then eastwards following the Viking 'trail' across the North Atlantic. Along with modern day excitement (I'll never try the North Atlantic!) we find out some of the stories that lie behind the Vikings - and bloody, brawling stories they are!

[Rachel Alcock-Hodgson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very readable. I found some of the norse sections slightly clunky, and some of the breathlessness over buxom modern viking women a little uncomfortable, but on the whole a great adventure. Tom Cunliffe certainly does justice to his crew, who all sound hilarious, would love to join one of their boat parties....

[Stephen Langford]

My latest book trade with my father-in-law

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this book when it was first published in 1988 and enjoyed it then, and I am enjoying reading it again! It is the story of an old pilot cutter, Hirta, with a small crew sailing from Norway to Iceland and on to the North American coast. The route was one that the Vikings must have taken and without a compass! It's a tremendous journey and includes many maps, photographs and diagrams. Equally exciting is the author's telling of the history of Viking travel across the North Atlantic.
If interested in sailing here is the author's website:
https://www.tomcunliffe.com/

[Steven Monrad · Rating 4 out of 5]

Recreation in an old pilot boat of the Norse trips from Norway to Vinland, with background/comparison of what is know of the originals from the sagas - nice writing, speculative conclusions - no modern navigation equipment.

[Jeremy · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a good book by a great author.