Ocean Crossing Wayfarer

by Frank Dye

This classic sea story recounts Frank Dye's intrepid voyages in his open 16ft Wayfarer dinghy to Iceland and Norway, which must rank among the most hazardous sea adventures of our time. Encountering the whole gamut of weather, such is Frank Dye's seamanship that he and his crew survived gales up to Force 9, capsizing and a broken mast, finally arriving safely to a Scandinavian welcome. It is a hair raising unforgettable narrative in which we glimpse Frank's gifted boat-handling skills and his instinct for survival.  

Genres: Travel

192 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1977

Reviews

[Gaynor Parker · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was written by my first couisin once removed. I met Frank only once and he was a very interesting man. Rather shy in company but with an excellent sense of humour. I unfortunately didn't meet Margaret Dye until Frank's funeral which was well attended.
Frank was an excellent sailor and is remembered fondly for what he achieved.

[Sean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Picked this up at the library soon after I developed an impulse to buy a sailboat and explore my local waters. Who says you can't have a big adventure in a small boat. The writing has a specificity that makes it feels as though we are reading from Frank Dye's logbook. These daring sailing efforts to exotic northern locales make up for any lack of literary flourish. I haven't bought that boat yet, but I'll certainly consider a Wayfarer (or equivalent) when I get that opportunity.

[Stephen Crawley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Frank Dye is either incredibly brave or incredibly mad. This is the story of 2 of his "holidays" in the early 60's. It is a very functional account full of sailing jargon, but nevertheless you get a taste of the fear/excitement of sailing in an open dinghy in the middle of the ocean in all kinds of weather - including a Force 9 gale - complete madness, but very inspiring.

[Lucy · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book could have been so much better if it was written by someone else. In the 1960s Frank Dye, accompanied by one crew member each time, sailed his little 16-foot boat from Scotland to Iceland, and from Scotland to Norway. I’m not a sailor but that sounds like quite a trip. Violent weather brought 40-foot waves which capsized the boat several times. I don’t need to be a sailor to know that would be an extraordinarily dangerous situation. But Dye’s writing makes it sound like a Sunday afternoon jaunt in a sheltered harbour. Perhaps that’s the sort of calm personality one needs in order to take on such voyages. Sadly, it doesn’t make for a very enthralling read.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Incredible that someone would actually do this kind of thing in a tiny boat. I found the subject fascinating, but I couldn’t help thinking that the modest, matter-of-fact writing style downplayed the awful reality of what must have been truly hideous experiences.

[Lu Watkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing exhilarating

[Henri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Crazy

[Roddy · Rating 4 out of 5]

As an armchair sailor (aspiring to the real thing) I found this a gripping read. Astonishing bravery - there can't be too many dinghy sailors who would attempt such a thing. I love the idea of doing it though! I've dropped a star due to the quality of the writing - it's pretty bland and wouldn't win any literary awards.

[Owen P. · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a new Wayfarer owner...

This book was fascinating. I have recently purchased a well used Wayfarer that I intend to use for day sailing and cruising, and after reading this book, I have so many projects ahead of me!