Figaro yacht racing

Figaro yacht racing? William Snaith had five yachts called Figaro,in one Fastnet Race in Britain,he came second in Figaro IV (four) but the race he dearly wanted to win,never came his way,as he died as Figaro V (five) was being built.Figaro V is now some thirty nine (39) years old and she is here in the Cape,was Figaro V the yacht that would have won the Fastnet Race for William?more on her restoration and William Snaith to follow later.

Roy


A book by John Kretschmer

One of the best books of its genre, March 25, 2001

This review is from: Flirting With Mermaids: The Unpredictable Life of a Sailboat Delivery Skipper (Hardcover)

This book reminds me of William Snaith's book "On the Wind's Way", written 35 years ago. The vehicle is sailing, but the subject is really existential philosophy and the story of how one young man from a very early age decided to lead a life of individual freedom, independence, self-sufficiency, honesty and responsibility. Don't be misled by the stupid and misleading title (probably suggested by some marketing genius at Sheridan House), this book has an important message for today's disaffected, disenchanted thirty-something generation. The message is that time is an individual's only asset and doesn't have to be wasted in jobs or activities we don't like doing. Although not quite in Camus' league (despite the flattery of Mme. Richardson), Kretschmer is a very good writer who doesn't let the underlying philosophy lesson get in the way of the yacht delivery stories, all of which are related with a sardonic humor and just the right amount of technical detail. And "Mom Kretschmer"--what a gal she must be! But that's another story which I hope her son will decide to write some day. Kretschmer the writer deserves a better publisher who can give much wider distribution and better editing than Sheridan House.