Voyages of a Simple Sailor

by Roger D. Taylor

Aged just 23, and already set on a life of adventure, Roger Taylor signed up as an able seaman on the square-rigger Endeavour II, bound for New Zealand. The voyage turned into a terrifying ordeal as the ship was caught in a tropical storm. Embayed between two headlands the ship was driven towards a hostile lee shore. The Endeavour II finally struck land in horrific conditions at one in the morning. There seemed little chance of survival... Following this formative experience, Roger resolved that from then on he would ever only go to sea on his own terms, single-handed and in easily manageable yachts. He built the 19' Roc and twice crossed the Tasman Sea in her - the smallest craft then to have made the crossing. Roger continued to develop his ideas on the importance of simplicity in ocean voyaging and sailed his 21' junk-rigged Corribee Mingming in the first Jester Challenge. This was a voyage of calms, frustrations and mature reflection.

Genres: Travel

272 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2008

Reviews

[Graham · Rating 3 out of 5]

Roger D. Taylor is a British sailing enthusiast whose seafaring adventures have taken him around the globe. This book examines three very different sailing trips, which take place at different stages in his life. Although part autobiography, its main aim is to give a picture of what it’s like to be at sea, and the reasons people sail. It’s a well-presented book with a professional sheen.

The first third of the book is the most exciting, detailing a doomed voyage as Roger and his crew are caught in a tropical storm off the coast of New Zealand. This section is entitled ‘Shipwreck’, and is by far the most readable part of the book. The second section, ‘Capsize’, downscales things as Roger builds his own small yacht and then sails it across the Tasman Sea, with unpredictable results. The final section, ‘Calms’, details a modern-day attempt to cross the Atlantic, and is the most lyrical and reflective of the three.

As a complete novice to the world of sailing, some of the detail in this book was lost on me. It’s heavily technical, with a focus throughout on the details of seafaring and the equipment that goes with it. Enthusiasts will be delighted, but I would have preferred a more personal touch. Scenes such as the ones where Roger describes the wildlife he meets on his journeys through the oceans, or where he reflects on loneliness and isolation, are among my favourite, but they’re a long time in coming.

This review was first published in The Self-Publishing Magazine.

[Bodhi47 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Three Short Tales

The three major voyages in the author’s life to that date and the beginnings of his simple sailing philosophy. Actually a quick and absorbing read. I binged it in about 2 days

[Sebastian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Does this soothe the wanderlust or stirs it up? Both?

[Sailaway · Rating 4 out of 5]

good, i am envy