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From Family to Crew by James A. Ellingford

From Family to Crew

by James A. Ellingford

Pub Date: April 25th, 2013
ISBN: 9781478295556
Publisher: CreateSpace

A thorough guide to acquiring, maintaining and enjoying a yacht.

Ellingford, of Sydney, Australia, is a longtime yacht owner who describes his purchase of a Nordhavn 62 luxury yacht in this debut memoir and instructional guide. After deciding to retire early following a successful corporate career, he and his wife, Claire, turned to their passion for boating. Although they’d already owned several boats of varying sizes, Ellingford hadn’t yet realized his dream of owning a small ship that he could take on voyages all over the world. He and Claire didn’t anticipate, however, the steep learning curve as they began their foray into yacht ownership. The Nordhavn 62 is just under 70 feet long and is fully equipped with excellent mechanisms and accoutrements, but the ship, dubbed Pendana, could only provide a smooth sail if James and Claire could master it. However, en route to delivery, the ship sprung a hydraulic leak. After this setback was resolved, James and Claire, along with a seasoned captain, spent three weeks learning the ins and outs of Pendana, studying its functions and determining how to best maneuver it. As they underwent training, both Claire and James fell even more in love with the boat. The author describes this first year of ship ownership in colorful detail, including breathtaking photos of sunsets and ocean views. He details every snag he encountered along the way and provides a helpful and full account of everything he wished he had known when purchasing his ship. It’s clear that Ellingford’s life aboard Pendana is a dream he lives every day, and current or prospective ship owners will likely benefit from this insightful, user-friendly book.

An honest, detailed account of a man taming a ship.