Solitaire Spirit

Les Powles only had eight hours of sailing experience when he decided to sail solo around the world. Many novices would be content to just dream of such an adventure, and maybe get as far as a solo Channel crossing a couple of years down the line. Not so Les Powles, one of the twentieth century's most extraordinary and eccentric sailors.

Les was in his fifties when he built himself a yacht with little prior knowledge of boatbuilding. Remarkably, he made it across the Atlantic, though his navigation skills didn't match his boatbuilding abilities; his first landfall was Brazil. He had been aiming for Barbados – 100 miles north, and in a different hemisphere!

Three complete solo circumnavigations followed, all of them full of incident. The last one saw him given up for dead when he hadn't been heard from for four months. His boat had been damaged in a storm, he had lost all communications, and had virtually run out of food. When he sailed up the Lymington River (aged 70) in a skeletal state, his arrival caused a media frenzy. Lymington Yacht Haven subsequently gave him a free berth for life.

A terrific achiever who has beaten the odds, Les Powles tells his story in a lively, entertaining, humorous, and compelling way. It will resonate with sailors and non-sailors alike and may inspire one of them to become the twenty-first century’s Les Powles.

About the Author

Les Powles, who passed away at the age of 96, was the round-the-world sailor who survived against all odds after going missing in the South Atlantic. He completed his third solo circumnavigation despite being presumed lost, surviving on tiny amounts of rice, rainwater, and corned beef. A former Yachtsman of the Year, Les became an instant celebrity upon his return in 1996 when his battered yacht, Solitaire, limped into Lymington. In recognition of his achievements, Lymington Yacht Haven granted him a free berth for life. He remained a legendary figure in the sailing world, inspiring countless adventurers.

Praise for Solitaire Spirit

"Remarkable."

– RNSA

"Required reading for any who have the inclination to cock a snook at convention."

– Barry Pickthall, Classic Boat

"I can’t remember when I’ve enjoyed a book more."

– Fly & Fish