Product Description

Herb and Nancy Payson spent six and a half years cruising the Pacific with their sizable brood of teenaged children packed into the 36-foot ketch SEA FOAM. Their globe-spanning travels and side-splitting adventures are recounted in Blown Away, a sort of Swiss Family Robinson by way of the Marx Brothers.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #94144 in Books
• Published on: 1995-12-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 251 pages

Review
...amusing, occasionally touching and wholly delightful adventure. -- The Dolphin Book Club News, Midsummer 1980

Blown Away lets the reader laugh as he learns - a classic comedy of riches. -- SAIL, July 1995

The story is a realistic portrait of an adventurous, enterprising family, with enough sailing lore to satisfy most bluewater buffs. -- Publisher's Weekly, April 1980

To the South Sea islands with a family aboard a 36' ketch; entertaining, witty story. -- WoodenBoat, March/April 1996

A realistic portrait of an adventurous, enterprising family, with enough sailing lore to satisfy most bluewater buffs. -- Publishers Weekly, April 1980

Getting away from it all was not an impossible dream for Herb and Nancy Payson, a California couple: they sold their belongings, purchased a ketch, SEAFOAM, and sailed for the Southern Seas. In their workaday lives Herb was a nightclub pianist and Nancy a cocktail waitress; he was an experienced sailor; she was eager to learn. So they set out with their children, one just 10 years old. And they enjoyed their journeys. When cash ran low everybody went to work: he and a son worked at carpentry in New Zealand: nancy and a daughter made blouses for a boutique in Papeete and the 10-year-old made tourist souvenirs from coconut shells. The story is a realistic portrait of an adventurous, enterprising family, with enough sailing lore to satisfy most bluewater buffs. --Publisher's Weekly, April 1980

Herb s self-deprecation is a wonderful counterpoint to his serious seamanship. Blown Away lets the reader laugh as he learns. A classic comedy of riches. --Sail, July 1995

To the South Sea islands with a family aboard a 36 ketch; entertaining, witty story. --Wooden Boat, March/April 1996

About the Author
From their first seven-year voyage throughout the Central and South Pacific, to their 26,000-mile trailersailer cruise of North America, to their nine years spent cruising the East Coast and the Caribbean from Canada to Brazil, Herb and Nancy Payson have grown from stumbling neophytes to experienced sailors. Herb was a professional musician before retiring (ha!) to cruising. Nancy gave up house, job, and all familiar safety nets to join him as a voyaging partner. They've been regular contributors to SAIL magazine for 24 years and Herb is presently editing the popular SAIL page &Things That Work.

Customer Reviews

Hope for us all
This book is one of the best all-around, just-your-average-guy, kind of sailing story. There are many, many books about guys who have been sailing their local waters all their life. They have always owned a sailboat and have always known that some day they would take off over the horizon. That is not the kind of guy Herb Payson was.

The author and his wife just happened to decide that sailing was the answer to a life that did not seem to be giving them the joy they were seeking. Nevermind that between them they had very little sailing experience. It's this type of spirit for adventure and desire to explore the unknown that many of us aspire to.

The book is well written and truly a joy to read. The author takes a witty and low-key approach to their sometimes eventful escapades. What this book represented most of all, however, was that you don't have to have decades of sailing experience or incredible endurance to take to a life of cruising. It is an inspirational piece and required reading for anyone thinking of doing the same.

Best sailing adventure my wife and I have read
We purchased the book from Herb at the Annapolis Boat Show, she read it to me as we drove home and we laughed at almost every paragraph she read. It sealed our desire to join the crusing world, we soon began our search for a suitable crusing boat and began making plans to sell the house, quite the jobs, and take off for the South Pacific. If Herb could make it to "paradise" then we can too. His writing style will keep you laughing...

If you love sailing, you'll love this book.
My dad gave me this book to read during our first week-long cruise on the Chesapeake with his new 34 Catalina. Not only was this book an instant favorite of mine, it was a perfect selection while I was enjoying the sea myself. It made me want to buy a boat and cruise the world. I'm envious of his travels! It's an endearing and hilarious read.