Rating: 
Summary: My Favorite sailing book
Review: I have read this book multiple times and I have loaned it out to every one I know. It is my favorite adventure book. The writing is superb and John's analysis is spot on. The storm is reviewed from its beginnings over Minnesota, its brush with the J/24 world championship off New England and on to its fateful meeting with the Fasnet fleet. He tells a compelling story about the race and the horror of the sea in a state of rage - this is better than Into Thin Air and the Perfect Storm. Best of all John tells his story with compassion and sensitivity and shows that sometimes no matter what you do you may find yourself in an impossible situation. . Buy this book! You will not be disappointed! Thanks John for a great book.
Rating:
Summary: The best modern sea adventure story!
Review: I have read this book multiple times and I have loaned it out to every one I know. It is my favorite adventure book. The writing is superb and John's analysis is spot on. The storm is reviewed from its beginnings over Minnesota, its brush with the J/24 world championship off New England and on to its fateful meeting with the Fasnet fleet. He tells a compelling story about the race and the horror of the sea in a state of rage - this is better than Into Thin Air and the Perfect Storm. Best of all John tells his story with compassion and sensitivity and shows that sometimes no matter what you do you may find yourself in an impossible situation. . Buy this book! You will not be disappointed! Thanks John for a great book.
Rating:
Summary: One of the best sea stories I have ever read.
Review: I read Fasnet Force 10 for the first time in the early 80's. It was an incredible story that I never forgot. I rarely read a book twice..I decided a couple of years ago to read it again but I could not find it until I came to Amazon. It was as exciting and frightening the second time around. A sea story like no other. A must read......
Rating: 
Summary: An excellent read for offshore racers and interested others.
Review: I read this book a couple of years ago and still think about it often. It is meritorious on two levels. First, it is a gripping account of ocean racing in fierce storm conditions, and secondly, it is a dramatic series of the personal stories of the various people who survived, died, completed the race, and won the race. Most memorable was the author's description of media tycoon Ted Turner (who was at the time also an expert sailor) and his response to the race and it's disastrous aftermath. I wont spoil it for you, but that section really was illuminating. The pictures are incredible
Rating: 
Summary: For experienced sailors
Review: I think this book would be much more appreciated by experienced sailors. As an armchair enthusiast with only a small amount of sailing knowledge I was quickly bogged down with all of the technical jargon. I never got that feeling of being "there" and identifying with the people and the crises that I had hoped for.
Rating:
Summary: Could not put the book down...
Review: John Rousmaniere has done a super job in explaining what ocean sailing is all about. Even though I have never done ocean sailing, I feel I have learned valuable lessons of what to do and not to do. Mr. Rousmaniere gives actual details of what these sailors go through so you feel you are right with them. I also recommend reading his other book, Rescue in the Pacific.
Rating:
Summary: It's Just So Exciting...
Review: Rousmaniere has done a great job on this book. He combines story and technical data quite well. He obviously did a lot of research, and it's reflected in the book. If you're a Sunday sailor - or a want to be ocean racer - this book is a must!
Rating: 
Summary: I hoped to help and entertain sailors and non-sailors alike.
Review: The December 1998 Sydney-Hobart Race in Australia, where six sailors died, reminds us yet again of the power of storms at sea. "Fastnet" tells the story of the most deadly and famous storm in sailboat racing history. It killed 15 sailors and sank five boats. I sailed in the race in a U.S. boat that suffered no damage, I spoke with many of its survivors and rescuers, and I worked hard to tell its story in a way that would both thrill non-sailors and instruct sailors. Almost 20 years after the storm, the book remains in print in four languages, and the lessons learned from the accounts here have greatly influenced the teaching of seamanship (including in my own sailing manual, "The Annapolis Book of Seamanship"). The continuing praise for "Fastnet" by new and old readers is extremely gratifying to me. John Rousmaniere
Rating:
Summary: Gripping tale of adventure and boat safety
Review: This book is superb, the best I have ever read on sustained rough weather sailboating and what really happens onboard 30 to 80 foot sailboats in very strong storm conditions at sea. The book is very well written and the author's words allowed me to come quite close to feeling the wet, windy, bouncing, noisy and scary conditions experienced by the people on the boats in that terrible storm. It is highly gripping as an adventure, and unusually informative on how to properly prepare a yacht for offshore sailing where threatening storms are always a real threat. Very enjoyable. by Allen Hobbs, Lt. USN (ret)
Rating:
Summary: This is a truly great book.
Review: This is my favorite non-fiction book, and a worthy gift for any serious sailor. I just finished my third reading of FF10 and as with the first two, couldn't put it down throughout. In my first reading, the story of this tragedy captured me. The second time I focused on the technical aspects and the weather discussions, and the rescues - a sailor's study. This last time I grappled with Rousemaniere's questions concerning decision making and preparedness by sailors and crew. In light of the recent (2000) film, A Perfect Storm, I wonder whether it would be at all possible to make this story into a movie, and how difficult such a task would be. Those not familiar with the 1979 Fastnet Race would think Hollywood had gone too far in its imagination...truth in this case is stranger than fiction.
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