Last Voyages

Looking back at the lives and sailing careers of some of our lifetime's finest yachtsmen, this collection of eleven original, moving accounts is just as much a celebration of the good – tales of hope, achievement and courageous spirit – as it is an account of their tragic final voyages. Included are world-renowned racers, like Eric Tabarly and Rob James, highly experienced cruisers and adventurers, like Peter Tangvald and Bill Tilman, and the notoriously ill-prepared Donald Crowhurst, as well as other famous and some less well-known sailors.

Starting with the sad loss of Frank Davison and Reliance in 1949, the book concludes with the amazing last voyage of Philip Walwyn in 2015 – crossing the Atlantic single-handed in his 12 Metre yacht Kate. All of the men and women described were friends with or known to the author, Nicholas Gray, who himself competed in several short-handed long distance races, where he met and raced against many of these fascinating characters.

Peppered with photographs showcasing the sailors and their yachts, this is a refreshing look at those who have helped to shape this sport's history, honouring their lives and accomplishments before detailing their tragic last voyages.

Praise for Last Voyages

"he progresses beyond an account of a voyage to a much richer character portrait, allowing the reader to share both the challenges of these ambitious voyages and what the sailor was going through. The sailors are a remarkable collection."
— Yachting Life

"breath-taking accounts of events that led to the tragic seafaring deaths of seventeen people….in a captivating easy-to-read style, each page crammed with information and insights… a 'must-read' for anyone contemplating a serious sea voyage or offshore race."
— Cruising Association

"Nicholas Gray describes, with an elegance and sympathy rightfully deserved by such characters, the lives, sailing careers and final voyages of a number of well-known yachtsmen, all friends of or known to him. He gives a wonderful insight into the people behind the headlines and the lives before the tragedies. This is an excellent tribute to truly great sailors. Last Voyages is a superb read. I thoroughly recommend it for anyone, like me, with a love of the sea or an admiration of those who have the courage to contend with this mighty force of nature."
— Sir Chay Blyth

"This is an unusual and absorbing book which describes the exploits and adventures of eleven great sailors, some very well-known and others less so, all of whom lost their lives at sea. The subject matter is not as depressing as it sounds. Nicholas Gray has succeeded in making it more of a celebration of the lives and achievements of these remarkable people. The author knew many of the sailors who are featured, and writes in an engaging, almost conversational style with much hitherto unpublished background detail and reminiscences. Each story is very different, but all are fascinating. One is left with a consistent feeling of admiration for the seamanship, endurance and above all for the sense of fun that prevailed throughout. They all lived life to the full, and Last Voyages is a very fitting tribute."
— Royal Cruising Club

About the Author

Nicholas Gray has sailed all his life and owned 14 boats. He raced trimarans short-handed and has competed in the Round Britain & Ireland and Azores and Back races, winning his class in both. During this time he competed against many of the sailors featured in this book.

He has worked in Merchant Banking, as a solicitor and in the petroleum industry. He has also had an interest in a sailmaking company and owned a boatyard specialising in the restoration of classic wooden boats.

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.