You Can't Blow Home Again [Paperback]

Herb Payson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1999

"It was a rainy morning in Orange County, California, a soggy, raw morning, which is the way I remember most of the times that I've gotten bad news." That was the day Herb Payson and his wife Nancy learned that Sea Foam-their old wooden sailboat, made famous by Payson's book Blown Away and now halfway around the world in a Tahitian cove-was in desperate need of repairs.

You Can't Blow Home Again is the charming story, both comical and thought-provoking, of the Payson family's rescue of Sea Foam and their subsequent return voyage from French Polynesia to the U.S. Whether wrangling with dour customs officials or bargaining with shrewd pearl divers, Payson's unique determination and self-effacing humor are irresistible. Equally engaging are his comments on everything from marine heads ("Getting intimate with a marine head is very much like dealing with toilets on land, except that the cramped spaces on most boats make the job much like mud wrestling in a phone booth.") to navigation ("There is really nothing to worry about, even if you don't know where the hell you are."). And even when beset by adversity-as they invariably are-the Paysons enjoy enough moments of that intense delight which only the cruising life can afford, so as to never forget why they went sailing in the first place.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Contains more of the same jolly cruising in the South Pacific as did Payson's previous book, Blown Away. There's also more of the same self-deprecating humor, more good seafearing yarns and anecdotes. Yet beneath the subterfuge of a raconteur and comic is a man who knows the way of a yacht, a man how is mechanically and navigationally competent, and one who, I'll bet, is cool in a jam though more often than not, he depicts himself as a clown. For the vicarious voyager, this is an amusing and informative read; for someone bound to the South Pacific, a vade mecum. --Sail Magazine

About the Author

Herb Payson gave up his job as a jazz pianist in the Los Angeles area for the cruising life in 1973. Since then, he and his wife Nancy have become well-known habituŽs of the many ports of call between California and New Zealand. A contributing editor to SAIL magazine, Herb is the author of Blown Away and Advice to the Sealorn.

Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Sheridan House (November 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1574090909
• ISBN-13: 978-1574090901
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,476,595 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Dream of a lifetime, an honest look, February 5, 2001

By 

"bill_crawford" (Ferndale, Washington USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: You Can't Blow Home Again (Paperback)

Both of these books ("Blown Away" and "You Can't Blow Home Again") are great and should be read one after the other (The second is the continuing saga). The true story of a family that sells everything to buy a boat and sail around the world. They only make it as far as the south pacific, but it makes for year after year of adventures. As a sailor myself (coastal, not blue water) I felt he did a great job of capturing the sharp contrast between the elation, exhilaration and sheer terror that can be found in sailing. Mr. Payson's honest, care free and "oh well" attitude is something that I wish I could capture for myself. Someone who does not mind laughing at himself.

I only have one critique of the books. Mr. Payson uses nautical terms and the names of boat parts as if they are a part of everyone's daily vocabulary. I sail a simple sloop configuration and can name every component that is applicable to our boat. But his repeated use of terms unique to multi-masted, wooden masted, bow-sprinted boats kept sending me to the nautical dictionary. Since the book does not appear to be targeted at highly experienced sailors, a little more explanation would have been nice.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Sail Away to the South Pacific, September 27, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: You Can't Blow Home Again (Paperback)

With Herb Payson and his wife and stepson as they begin the vacation of a lifetime. Payson is a witty, experienced sailor who writes about his family's adventures while sailing in the South Pacific onboard their 36 ft. wooden ketch, Sea Foam. Their journey begins as a necessity, but soon becomes an adventure with a few sailing lessons and detours thrown in. Payson's writing style is simple, funny, informative and addictive. Anyone who dreams of a cruising life should read this book. Anyone who has never even seen a sailboat would love the self-effacing humor of Payson and the beautiful descriptive narratives of the islands they visit and the genuine appreciation he has of the local people who live there.

This book is one that will leave you wanting to read more of Payson's sea adventures.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Don't miss this one, February 22, 2007

By 

Kamahoi (Hawaii) - See all my reviews

This review is from: You Can't Blow Home Again (Paperback)

One of the best sailing books I've read. I sure wish he'd write more!