Close to the Wind: An Extraordinary Story of Triumph Over Adversity [Hardcover]

Pete Goss (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 20, 1999

This true story of triumph over adversity begins with Pete Goss's first transatlantic race at the age of 24 in a boat so old that the keel falls off after arriving in Newport. He next becomes a skipper in sailing competitions that teach him fundamental lessons about teamwork and character under extreme conditions, as he pursues his ultimate dream: the single-handed round-the-world race. To raise the money to build the boat for this grueling competition, Goss sells his car, his television set, and finally his house. The race itself confronts Goss with all the challenges of high-speed sailing, from combating waves the height of six-story buildings to the unremitting and exhilarating trial of his skills. A third of the way through the race everything goes wrong. His sails are destroyed, his navigation equipment proves useless. Then he receives a Mayday that a competitor is sinking 160 miles away, upwind. Now Goss has to find a man on a life raft in a merciless wilderness of ocean. How he does it, and still completes the race, is the stuff truly inspiring tales are made of.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

On 25 December, 1996, Pete Goss turned his 50-foot yacht Aqua Quorum back into a hurricane-force headwind to rescue French sailor Raphael Dinelli. He risked his life and any chance of winning one of the world's great yachting challenges--the Vendee Globe nonstop, single-handed, round-the-world race. Instead, he was awarded France's highest honor, the Legion d'Honneur.

Close to the Wind is Goss's story. He starts the book with his years of preparation as a merchant seaman and skipper on one of the 10 yachts in Chay Blyth's British Steel Challenge. He describes how he attempted to get sponsorship but was constantly rebuffed, and he discusses the hardships he faced--nights before business meetings spent sleeping on platforms because there was no money to spare for a room, for instance. The drama of the Vendee is recounted in detail, down to Goss's having to operate on his elbow without anesthetic and with only the assistance of faxed instructions. And will he race again? In fact, he plans to set off on in a 115-foot catamaran in The Race, December 2000. --Amazon.co.uk

From Library Journal

During the 199697 Vende Globe Single-Handed Non-Stop Round-the-World Race, one sailor perished and three had to be rescued in the Southern Ocean off Australia. Goss, a professional British sailor, tells the story of his race experience along with his daring rescue of Frenchman Raphael Dinelli, a fellow racer. Beginning with his career in the Royal Marines, he tells of his love of sailing and his ultimate goal of competing in the Vende. It took him nearly ten years to finance and build his 50' composite boat with an innovative swing keel and lee boards. He constantly struggled for sponsorship to avoid creditors, even to the point of mortgaging his own house. An author promotion site at (http://www.PeteGoss.com) has audio clips of Goss retelling some of the more exciting parts of the book. This is a compelling and well-written account sure to be popular at public libraries.John Kenny, San Francisco P.L.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 17 pages
• Publisher: Da Capo Press (April 20, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786706074
• ISBN-13: 978-0786706075
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,702,002 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I couldn't put it down, August 24, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Close to the Wind: An Extraordinary Story of Triumph Over Adversity (Hardcover)

This is an excellent, riveting book. Hats off to Pete Goss for not only sailing in this horrific race, but also for writing so sensitively and evocatively about it. The story of Pete Goss puts the lie to the idea that there are no heroes anymore. I highly recommend this book.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great book written by a real Hero, October 6, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Close to the Wind: An Extraordinary Story of Triumph Over Adversity (Hardcover)

A great story that keeps your attention. The "Into Thin Air" of sailing. The only negative is that you can tell Goss is a professional sailor not a professional writer.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars To much Background, May 17, 2000

By 

John T. Stinson "the-h-man" (Boston, MA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Close to the Wind: An Extraordinary Story of Triumph Over Adversity (Hardcover)

I enjoyed this book but I did think he talked a little to much about his struggles to get sponsorship and not enough about his sailing. The sailing parts of the book were the most interesting because he always seems to be pushing his boats to the limit. Which in turn he seems to always almost sink them. So for his next book , which will be coming out I'm sure after his around the world race in 2001, more sailing less background.