Product Description

In twenty years of delivering sailboats to far-flung quaysides, John Kretschmer has had innumerable adventures, both humorous and terrifying, ranging from a Western Caribbean research voyage with a crew of eccentric Swedes to the mid-winter crossing of the North Atlantic during which he discovered the existence of Force 13 winds. He has logged over 200,000 bluewater miles over the course of his career, and has sailed all manner of watercraft.

His adventures have been many and varied, and this book recounts them with optimism and humor, the two most important tools in any delivery skipper's bag. The result is as fascinating a sailing story as you can imagine.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #27641 in Books
• Published on: 2003-03
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 204 pages

Review
"...extremely well-written...highly recommended..." -- Latitudes & Attitudes, December 2003

'..filled with a myriad of sea-stories....all delivered with a wry and self-deprecating sense of humour.' Sailing

From the Back Cover
"As a professional delivery captain, John Kretschmer has done more offshore passagemaking in his first 40 years than most serious sailors do in a lifetime. Part romantic, part poet, part philosopher and 100% optimist, Kretschmer shows his uncanny ability to deliver the wrong yacht in the wrong direction across the wrong ocean at the wrong time of year time and time again, yet end every delivery with the boat safely in port, a smile on his face, good friends at his side, and a few dollars in his pocket. A great story of adventure well-told with warm humor and affection." - Milt Baker, Bluewater Books & Charts

"John Kretschmer is a superb seaman, a master story teller, and a delivery skipper of vast experience. His tales of tropical passages and Atlantic gales, of near sinkings and quirky owners will appeal to anyone who dreams of far horizons and tropical beaches. He has written a book of rollicking humor and abundant common sense that any sailor will find hard to put down." - Brian Fagan, author, archaeologist, and sailor

"Not only has John Kretschmer lived a life wildly festooned with adventure, romance and outrageous characters - his reality outstrapping our most Walter Mittyesque sea fantasies - now he has gone and turned it all into a collection of yarns that incite yet more envy among those of us stuck behind landbound computers.

"Not only can the sailor sail - through hurricanes and civil wars - but the sailor can write. It's a hell of a read. It's just not fair." - Fred Grimm, Miami Herald columnist

"Flirting with Mermaids follows John as he delivers a variety of boats around the world, from aging hulks with a fondness for the bottom to luxury yachts owned by would-be circumnavigators. While he's doing this, with a conscripted crew of friends, relatives, his wife, and total strangers found holding empty glasses at beach bars, he's also learning about navigating the uncharted territory of his heart.

"The glamorous life of a professional sailor? Here's the straight story, with humor, salty adventures, and a steep learning curve." - Gregory O. Jones, editor, Sailing magazine

About the Author
John Kretschmer is a writer and sailing enthusiast.

Customer Reviews

Absolute favorite book of all time
Kretschmer earns your respect, grabs your heart and opens your soul with this book. This guy bares it all. After I read through his 'Used boat notebook' I expected this book to be filled with all the little details I needed in order to function as a liveaboard cruising sailor. It didn't. Instead I sat in the cockpit of John's boat and listened to him tell me a story about people and places, love and work. From it, I know each step I take closer to my goal (liveaboard) is the right step. I'll find the details I need, but they won't amount to the value of this book. This book is so extraordinary I am beginning to doubt that he's a better sailor than a writer!
Not bad for a guy from Detroit!

Not a sailor myself, but...
I have no experience with sailing but I do have experience in traveling; this book might be set on sailboats but is in no way a technical book about sailing. I can't express how enjoyable this book was to read and found the author very expresive and full of interesting stories. He seems to be the type of person that anyone would love to have as a good friend. I found it easy to relate to his stories and found the occasional mention of specific sailboat parts, descriptions, etc. interesting and thought that they only added to the stories. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes to read about world travel on land or by water. It's a great read.

A truly enjoyable read!
I was surprised how much I liked this book! It is nicely told and very entertaining. It even threw in some romantic situations that I usually run from in a book. I say "Good Job" to you Mr. Kretschmer on a very fun book!