William H. Longyard 384 p, paperback, 23x15 cm Epic Voyages in the Most Improbable Vessels
Longyard reaches back through five centuries to gather a collection of sea adventures in which the smallest, unlikeliest craft - and the daring individuals aboard them - completed extraordinary voyages against great odds. From canoes and small sailboats to a pair of strap-to-your-feet pontoons, the water-craft in these true stories make nearly as varied a collection as the mariners who piloted them.
The intrepid seafarers and their feats of seamanship include: - Ed Gillet's kite-powered transpacific kayak voyage - Gladys Gradely's 1902 quest to become the first woman to solo the Atlantic - Ben Lecomte's swim across an ocean for love - Hugo Vihlen's 1968 ocean crossing in the 6-foot sailboat April Fool - Peter Bird's tragic attempt to row across the Pacific
The risktakers in these extraordinary stories show what vast oceans can be crossed in tiny contrivances by those who dare.