"... Never lost, just hard to find ..."

John Kretschmer Sailing

Training Passages - Workshops - Presentations - Expeditions - Writing/Photography

A Serious Ocean

You know it by the northern look of the shore,
by the salt-worried faces,
by an absence of trees, an abundance of lighthouses.
It's a serious ocean.

North Sea off Carnoustie by Anne Stevenson

Tomorrow will have an island
by William Stafford

Tomorrow will have an island. Before night
I always find it. Then on to the next island.
These places hidden in the day separate
and come forward if you beckon.
But you have to know they are there before they exist.

Some time there will be a tomorrow without any island,
So far, I haven't let that happen, but after
I'm gone others may become faithless and careless.
Before them will tumble the wide unbroken sea,
and without any hope they will stare at the horizon.

So to you, Friend, I confide my secret:
to be a discoverer you hold close whatever
you find, and after a while you decide
what it is. Then, secure in where you have been,
you turn to the open sea and let go.

More Poetry...

Used Boat Notebook

From the pages of Sailing Magazine, reviews of 40 used boats plus a detailed look at 10 great used boats to sail around the world.

With the used boat market growing and becoming more complex, here is the book that used boat buyers have been waiting for. John Kretschmer's Used Boat Notebook has long been one of the most popular features in Sailing Magazine. Each month Kretschmer provides a hard hitting, detailed review of a well-known boat. From trailer sailers like the O'Day 23, to coastal cruisers like the Ericson 35, to blue water classics like the Valiant 40, the Used Boat Notebook covers a fascinating spectrum of boats. These thoroughly researched reviews include owner insights, a guide to common problems and suggestions on where to find parts, advice and support. Kretschmer's lively writing style and unique perspective is based on 200,000 miles of offshore sailing experience. In fact, Kretschmer has sailed thirty different boats at least 1,000 miles or more. Current market pricing and availability information along with an innovative 'value guide' help readers evaluate each of the forty boats profiled.

In addition, "Ten Great and Affordable Used Boats to Sail Around the World" features quality boats that prospective world cruisers should seriously consider. The boats are selected for their seaworthiness and their value in the market place. You can find affordable boats for world cruising with the aid of this book. While there are plenty of good books that offer general information and what to look for in an offshore boat, this book focuses on the specifics.