Fastnet, Force 10 was a great read. A good book. More like a good history than is Fatal Storm -- which is partway read.

Wish there was more of Fastnet. Got real feel for being there, which glad I wasn't. Two things stick in mind: a cubic foot of seawater weighs 64 pounds, the author says! That puts a whole new meaning on "wave piercing" bows and how it feels to get hit by a 40-foot wave driving along at 20 mph.

Second, some of the larger boats had chefs. Kinda blows the rough sea sailor image, having the personal chef along.

I was walking along a quayside a couple of years ago and realised that I was stood next to 'Grimalkin'. It made me go into a cold sweat for a second, but i guess someone still loves her, it wasn't her fault after all.

"Just After Sunset" short stories by Stephen King.

Duma Key also King but this ones down south on the water.

That must have been eerie. I noticed that Nick Ward, one of the two left on Grimalkin, has a book out called Left for Dead (I think). Hasn't gotten good reviews...

For those of you in Aus -- after reading Fatal Storm, I think that you need to rename the Bass Strait. How about "Stay Outta This Strait". Will keep up with Hobart next year...

Book's most incredible part was where 42-foot, nine-ton yacht got caught in the curl of a wave (after being rolled and dismasted by a previous wave) and surfed it for about 400 yards. The man at the helm, who was just keeping steerage way, said the boat was shooting the curl going "bap-bap-bap" along the top of the wave, which was in the 60-80 foot range.