JJ,

It was a very long time now since I read these books, some around 20yrs.
I went through a phase of reading about sailing disasters so I could learn from the mistakes of
others while I was builing a 32ft cat.

Return in the Wake- was a great read.
If you ever dreamed about taking on the European race cct in a multi you built yourself
and doing well it is a great read. Ian and Kathy pitchpoling of their Twiggy Tri in the North sea
and their survival and eventual rescue was good. How they built their next tri while one working and the other
building etc was also touching.

I learnt a lot from Fastnet Force 10 which claimed 15 lives. It was a good read and would
help me from making many of their mistakes that needlessly cost lives.

Fatal Storm on the other hand was about the 98 Hobart Race that cost 6 lives.
It was an extremely well written and captivating book to read.

The reality of the conditions experienced by the crews and even the danger experienced by helicopter crews executing
rescues in 80ft waves was chilling. That book taught me that to save your life in that situation....
just don't be there in the first place.

How they only lost 6 lives is amazing. My guess, they learnt a lot from the 79 Fastnet race.
Interestingly, right through Fastnet Force 10 they keep saying the conditions were so bad they could be compared to those off
the south east Australian coast. While they were bad they were nothing like experinced in the 98 Hobart Race.
Had the same mistakes been made in 98 as 79 they would have lost
2or 3 times those lost in 79.

I think they are all worth reading. But Retrun in the wake and Fastnet Force 10 don't leave you with the feeling of helplessness you get from reading Fatal Storm.

Regards,
Phill