Sailing Around Britain

Kim Sturgess was a weekend sailor: he enjoyed club racing and several brief sailing holidays, but had never attempted a substantial expedition. Reaching the age of fifty focused the mind and he decided to sail around Britain. While many cruising sailors would not contemplate a 1900 nautical mile voyage, he broke the voyage into a series of day sails, making it an achievable ambition for him, largely single-handed, and for many other weekend sailors who might dream of sailing around their home island. This book tells the quirky traveller's narrative of the voyage and visits to forty-eight towns. Evoking the spirit of both Jerome K. Jerome with his Three Men in a Boat and Joshua Slocum's Sailing Alone Around the World, Kim shares his thoughts and struggles, recounting how easy it is for anyone to become an adventurer here at home. But don't expect to always agree with him – he has been described as "the Jeremy Clarkson of yachting"!

Praise for Sailing Around Britain

"Sail the glorious and challenging coast of Britain with Kim Sturgess in his salty tale…. His leisurely approach to adventure takes in towns and villages along the way and brings to life the great variety of culture and cuisine on our small island… It's wonderful, warm and well worth a read."
— Sailing Today

"The narrative grips the reader as we share the heart-in-the-mouth experiences of an inexpert sailor learning as he goes and sailing a boat not particularly well-prepared for the job in hand. He tells the story with a vivid immediacy; we are there with him in the harsh elemental world of the sea."
— Cruising Association

"Subtitled 'A weekend sailor's voyage in 50 day sails', the author lures one into contemplating a substantial cruise: 'Is that even possible?' Yes it is. Kim Sturgess left Greenwich, sailed north to Inverness, transited the Caledonian Canal then headed south along the Irish coast, across Milford Haven, round Land's End and up Channel to return to London. A night sail was involved, but it's an impressive use of daylight."
— Yachting Monthly

About the Author

Kim Sturgess describes himself as a conservative 'weekend' sailor. He learned to sail at 24, had an RYA Day Skipper qualification and, before this trip, had logged about 5,800 nautical miles cruising, mostly in the sight of the coast. He had never before attempted a substantial voyage.

About Fernhurst Books

Fernhurst Books was founded in 1979, initially publishing books related to dinghy racing. The list soon expanded to include cruising and other watersports. In 2006 the business was sold to John Wiley, but in 2013 a group of sailing enthusiasts (including the original founder) bought the list and name back, once again creating an independent nautical publisher owned and run by sailors. Fernhurst continues to publish books that instruct, inform and inspire those with a passion on, in or under the water. Their 140+ titles range from how-to guides to narrative to coffee-table books, covering sailing, surfing, canoeing, kayaking, stand up paddleboarding, swimming, diving and fishing.