Knowledge 2.0 –Staying Afloat in the Information Age
What can yacht racing and sailing teach us about ourselves and the way we react and think? Mark Chisnell’s fascinating book uses racing and sailing triumphs and tragedies–such as the 1979 Fastnet Race, Beryl and Miles Smeeton’s infamous rounding of Cape Horn and Sir Ben Ainslie’s fourth gold medal win–to analyse human behaviour, decision making and problem solving, offering insight into the best way we can use the knowledge we have to react to a given situation. Chisnell’s background is in sailing and more recently, America’s Cup racing, and he believes yacht racing is “a perfect microcosm” for how we process and deal with knowledge.
Chisnell’s skill is in dissecting each of these incidents, drawing out the truths and then analysing these truths from different perspectives, giving us lessons that can be applied to how we process knowledge in our everyday lives.
An insightful read for sailors and non-sailors alike.
Antarctic Sketchbook
.Most of us will never cruise in Antarctic waters but Claudia Myatt paints such an evocative picture that you can almost smell the ice and feel the wind of this desolate landscape. Myatt’s work is based on her time as Artist in Residence for the Friends of Scott Polar Research Institute. Her sketches and paintings are complemented by her narrative and diary entries. These are factual and colourfully descriptive; her use of language is almost as vivid as the palette of her paintbox. A must read for those like me who yearn to visit the remote regions of the earth.
Cargo of Hope
This is a heartwarming and humbling read. Vega is a 130-yearold 55-ton wooden commercial sailing vessel owned by seasoned sailor Shane Granger and his partner, Meggi.
They and Vega’s volunteer crew spend their lives delivering medical and educational supplies to remote communities in eastern Indonesia and East Timor.
The book is made up of tales of their voyages and their captivating, beautifully descriptive experiences living alongside the communities they help, intermingled with the Nordic history of Vega, and how the devastating 2004 tsunami in South East Asia led to the ship becoming a beacon of hope for so many through their now annual Mission of Mercy voyage, to deliver aid.
Many PBO readers will be interested in how Shane and Meggi maintain the ship on a ‘microscopic budget’ as well as Shane’s views on seamanship, but ultimately, this is a tale of human endeavour and high seas adventure for the benefit of others.
AVoyage Around Britain In A Small Yacht
Mark Evans wanted what many sailors want; time to explore new cruising grounds. He had to wait for retirement until he could achieve his aim of sailing around Britain clockwise, via Cape Wr
