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 Boatand 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”!

“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