A Splendid Madness: A Man, a Boat, a Love Story

How does a sensible middle-aged family man suddenly find himself clinging to the tiller of a runaway sailboat and shouting for joy? The answers are found in this highly entertaining account of one man's late-blooming love affair with sailing. Froncek got his first taste of sailing in college, but it was not until he was facing a mid-life crisis that he was tempted to try it again. Before long, he was swept away by an unexpected passion. Many of his new sailing buddies were also late-bloomers - and just as loopy as he was about all things nautical. Together they endured many rites of passage, from learning the difference between a sheet and a scupper to getting home safely after a big blow, and from finding an equilibrium between wind and water to balancing need and desire, boat and family, love and obsession. A Splendid Madness will stir fond memories among old sailing hands and newcomers alike. It will encourage those who dream of someday sailing their own boat, and will enable puzzled friends and family to better understand the strange obsession that grips those who adore boats and sailing.