Sailing Solo : The Legendary Sailors and the Great Races

A lavish, full-color chronicle of the most grueling single-handed yacht races in the world

Ever since Joshua Slocum circumnavigated the globe in 1895-98, sailors have dreamed of taking to the high seas alone. Many have devoted their lives to the dream; some have given their lives.

With gorgeous, full-color photography and dramatic prose, Sailing Solo pays homage to the world's greatest sailors as it explores every major single-handed race, from the pioneering Ostar to the grueling Figaro, to the ultimate of all solo competitions, the Vendee Globe, in which sailors surf down40-foot waves at speeds in excess of 20knots, thousands of miles from any help.

Single-handed racing has never been more popular. As many as 200,000 people braved winter weather to witness Ellen Macarthur's completion of the Vendee Globe in 2001.

The author, a veteran single hander, traces the history of each race, introducing the skippers and the incredible boats they fly solo--offering readers a unique and awe inspiring glimpse into what makes sailors tackle that ultimate of all challenges: sailing alone.

Nic Compton was brought up on boats in the Mediterranean. After gaining an Honors Degree in English at Exeter University, he tried his hand at boatbuilding for a few years. While working in Greece he bought a 32-foot (9.75 m) William Atkins double-ender, sister ship to Knox-Johnston's Suhaili, which he sailed back to the U.K. After a postgraduate course in journalism he became deputy editor, then editor, of Classic Boat from 1994 - 2000. He now works as a freelance writer, contributing to Yachting Monthly, Boat International, and Motorboats and Yachting.