This wildly entertaining collection of autobiographical anecdotes is skillfully conveyed by a man who, having logged nearly 200,000 bluewater miles, says his greatest accomplishment is "never having had a real job." In fifteen years of delivering sailboats to far flung quaysides, John Kretschmer has had innumerable adventures, both humorous & terrifying, including a research voyage in the Western Caribbean with a crew of eccentric Swedes & the discovery during a mid-winter crossing of the North Atlantic that Force 13 winds do exist. He has sailed a wide variety of ships, from an 80-year-old ketch that tried to sink itself to a sleek Swan 44 that blasted around Cape Hatteras, & encountered a diverse collection of characters, from Dan Rather & Richard Simmons to Hurricanes Bob, Floyd & Grace. This engaging narrative is interspersed with practical information about sailboats & the sea, & optimism & humor-the two most important tools in any delivery skipper's sea bag-are liberally employed throughout.