There is no doubt in my mind that crossing an ocean alone in a small boat with only oars for propulsion (without sails) is one of the hardest voluntary sporting task anyone can undertake. (I assume that is why this has become my most-read blog. I first wrote it in the early 2000’s, but only… Continue reading Is Ocean Rowing an Exercise in Futility?
Category: Ocean Racing & Records
Ray DeFir–Portland Water Ski Racer and Boat Builder (1930-2011)
Ray Was First Man to Water Ski 1,000 Miles Non-Stop! Ray DeFir, an active and well-known figure in the Portland, Oregon boating scene for over 50 years, died in 2011 at the age of 81. Ray had a lifetime love of water sports and was well-known as a record-breaking water-skier, designer and builder of high-performance… Continue reading Ray DeFir–Portland Water Ski Racer and Boat Builder (1930-2011)
WWII Merlin Engine Set US Speedboat Records
Loss of the Quicksilver and its driver in 1951 at Seafair In the years after World War II, as the US economy prospered, veterans settled down and soon began to look around for new forms of leisure. Many took to boating, but some wanted more than a pleasant day on the water, they wanted speed… Continue reading WWII Merlin Engine Set US Speedboat Records
2015: Florence Arthaud Dies in Helicopter Collision
She Held Both Solo Trans-Atlantic Records Copyright P.Marsh French yachting star Florence Arthaud, who broke into solo ocean racing in the 1980’s and became a sailing legend by winning the 1990 Route dy Rhum, died recently in a collision between two helicopters in Argentina during the filming of a wilderness survival TV series. She was… Continue reading 2015: Florence Arthaud Dies in Helicopter Collision
2013: Meeting My Vendee Globe Heroes
In March 2012, after riding along the Canal du Midi from the Med to Bordeaux, I rewarded myself with a train ride north to Brittany. But i was soon back on the bike and searching for the sailing center of Port La Foret in Brittany, the training center for the top Open 60 sailors. It… Continue reading 2013: Meeting My Vendee Globe Heroes
2014 – Mini Yachts Promise Maxi Speed…..and Risk!
Huge Beam, Giant Rigs, Maxi Sprits Early in October, 2013 I took the train from London to Portsmouth, ferry to St Malo, and cycled across Brittany via back roads and canal towpaths to see the solo Mini Transat race start in Douarnenez, near the north-western tip of France. Another big fleet of 84 MINI 6.5 meter (21′… Continue reading 2014 – Mini Yachts Promise Maxi Speed…..and Risk!
2007 – Film “Deep Water” Reveals Tragedy of Donald Crowhurst
Documentary of Crowhurst’s “Voyage to Oblivion” – copyright Peter J. Marsh Boating has certainly changed since the 1960s; this was brought home to me when I watched “Deep Water,” an award-winning documentary that arrived in the northwest at the end of summer. Its subject was the 1968-69 Golden Globe race in which a motley crew… Continue reading 2007 – Film “Deep Water” Reveals Tragedy of Donald Crowhurst
2000 – Paraplegic’s Non-Stop Circumnavigation
Australian Paraplegic Finishes Incredible Voyage – copyright Peter Marsh On August 12, a month before the Olympic Games opens, 32-year-old Vincent Lauwers became Australia’s latest sailing hero, by becoming the first paraplegic to sail around the world solo, non-stop and unassisted. He returned to a huge welcome in his home port of Melbourne after an… Continue reading 2000 – Paraplegic’s Non-Stop Circumnavigation
2004 – Ellen Macarthur, Young English Star of Solo Racing
How English Sailor Gained International Fame – copyright Peter Marsh The scene in the small French harbor of Les Sables d’Olonne the evening of February 11 was unlike anything ever seen in the world of sailing. An estimated 200,000 people packed the tiny seaport to get a glimpse of France’s unlikeliest new sports star: 24-year… Continue reading 2004 – Ellen Macarthur, Young English Star of Solo Racing
Steve Fossett’s Life on the Edge
Steve Fossett (1944 – 2007) American Sailor, Aviator and Adventurer For over a decade, Steve Fossett galvanized the sailing world with his record-setting exploits at sea, while also surviving many near-death situations while attempting to set records in the air. Now he has apparently died at the age of 63 during a short flight over… Continue reading Steve Fossett’s Life on the Edge