Old Man Sailing cover art

Old Man Sailing

Some Dreams Take a Lifetime

Preview

£0.00 for first 30 days

Try for £0.00
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

Old Man Sailing

By: John Passmore
Narrated by: Charles Robert Fox
Try for £0.00

£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

Buy Now for £14.99

Buy Now for £14.99

Confirm Purchase
Pay using card ending in
By completing your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and authorise Audible to charge your designated card or any other card on file. Please see our Privacy Notice, Cookies Notice and Interest-based Ads Notice.
Cancel

About this listen

When COVID-19 struck the UK, the government advised the over-70s to "shield" while the country went into lockdown. One old man went sailing instead. Single-handed and self-isolated, retired journalist John Passmore used the pandemic to achieve an ambition that had eluded him for 60 years. For 3,629 miles, he disappeared into a world of perfect solitude, adventure, and adversity, arriving back 42 days later, short of water and with shredded sails, to find himself celebrated on national radio as the embodiment of everybody’s lockdown dream. This is his story. It is also a story for anyone who ever thought a dream was unattainable.

©2021 John Passmore (P)2021 John Passmore
Biographies & Memoirs Sailing Dream Inspiring Heartfelt Feel-Good
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2

Listeners also enjoyed...

Sailing to the Edge of Time cover art
Introduction to Sailing cover art
Philosophy of Sailing: Offshore in Search of the Universe cover art
Sailing a Serious Ocean cover art
Get Real, Get Gone cover art
Sailing, Yachts and Yarns cover art
A Race Too Far cover art
Sailing into Oblivion: The Solo Non-stop Voyage of the Mighty Sparrow cover art
Breaking Seas cover art
Amazing Sailing Stories cover art
Cape Horn - One Man's Dream, One Woman's Nightmare cover art
Swell cover art
Alone Together cover art
RYA Yachtmaster Handbook cover art
Cruising in Seraffyn cover art
Brave or Stupid cover art

What listeners say about Old Man Sailing

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    59
  • 4 Stars
    7
  • 3 Stars
    4
  • 2 Stars
    4
  • 1 Stars
    1
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    55
  • 4 Stars
    8
  • 3 Stars
    1
  • 2 Stars
    4
  • 1 Stars
    2
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    54
  • 4 Stars
    8
  • 3 Stars
    4
  • 2 Stars
    3
  • 1 Stars
    0

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Inspiring story

I loved this book. I’ve done a little off shore sailing in my life and always enjoyed it. I regret not having done more. With retirement approaching John’s book has inspired me and made me realise it’s never too late!!!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

You’re never too old.

As a retired and frustrated sailor, I found John’s book not only a fascinating and interesting read, but really inspiring, realising that life is never over, til it’s over. At that point you have every excuse not to continue enjoying life. Until then, crack on, and remember, most men never really grow up. I found the book quite captivating and enjoyed it immensely. If I have to criticise anything I would say that I found the narrator’s continuous and unnecessary pauses a little annoying. I mentioned this to the author after listening to one of his podcast thingies, and thought he had a great voice and should use it. In summary, a great read and Thank You John.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Very enjoyable

Thoroughly enjoyed listening to this on various car journeys over the last week or so. Lots of humorous sailing and boating stories brought to life by a narrator who does a great job too. Highly recommend.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Inspirational

I’ve just completed my own solo voyage, so spent some time digesting the contemporary biographies on the subject. John is a funny guy, someone you could have a beer with. This biography is particularly relevant because it’s not all about a boring transatlantic.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

What a splendid read

What a great, inspiring book. Fully gripping and had me looking for second hand ocean going boats in no time!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A rarity, honest and true

Lovely little insight to a childhood dream… Undiminished after a life lived and fully supported by his loved ones. A humble middle finger at the status quo and the mantra that you’re never to old!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Inspiring

A fantastic story of taking to the seas to escape the Covid lock-downs.
As a newbie sailor, I found a wealth of information about the great and sometimes not-so-great elements of sailing.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Good read for sailors or wannabes! A good guy!

Enjoyable and easy read (audible in my case). He's a journalist so he knows how to write and he's a sailor so he knows how to sail and the guy who read it had a decent reading voice too! It was advertised in a sailing mag, I bought it, I enjoyed it, I got a few tips out of it!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

give this book a go , you really won't regret it,

it was a well written book, and amazing sailing adventure, being a sailor too , I loved it

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

enjoyed it's immensely

made me laugh a lot, now I have to read his blog until the next book

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!