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

Pete Goss (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 9, 2000

On November 3, 1996, former Royal Marine Pete Goss embarked on the most grueling competition in his sailing career: the Vendée Globe, a nonstop, single-handed round-the-world yacht race. For the next seven weeks he met every challenge in his stormy path, from combating waves the height of six-story buildings to grappling with his spinnaker in high winds. Then everything began going wrong: His sails were destroyed, his navigation equipment proved useless. And on Christmas Day his radio picked up a Mayday that a French competitor was sinking 160 miles away. Turning into the hurricane-force winds, Goss set out to rescue a near-dead man on a life raft somewhere in the vast wilderness of the merciless southern ocean. How he did it makes this extraordinary tale as amazing as it is thrilling.

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 --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Da Capo Press (May 9, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786707410
• ISBN-13: 978-0786707416
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #835,995 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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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.