11/10 Great book

Me, the Boat, and a Guy Named Bob - an utterly captivating tale of a series of adventures experienced by a young man cruising the world’s oceans pursuing his dream of adventure, romance, and life outside the box. Written in a flowing style charmingly conversational, yet informed and reflective, author Chris Bowman places the reader seemingly inside his life, making you a partner to his cliffhanging, risky escapades.

Facing shipwreck yet again, Chris writes “ I do remember it stood out as a dark and stormy night, the kind of a night when strange riders could have been seen approaching as the wind began to howl.” Countless jewels like this are sprinkled from cover to cover. 

I can attest his yarns, improbable and occasionally hair-raising though they are, are literally true, because I was there, as a shipmate aboard the old, leaky yet durable ketch “Hawcon” as Chris began his life at sea, a life which eventually led to his exotic ship building and partnership with mega-star folksinger Bob Dylan aboard a 68 foot wooden yawl they built in the native Grenadine style, among the palms of yesteryear Bequia Island in the far south Caribbean.

My only complaint I made to Chris about his story is that at 437 pages, it is too brief. Grab it, settle in to your most comfortable chair, and hang on for the ride - hopefully, soon coming to a movie theater near you.

Oh, to be a young man again.

I’ve was looking forward to Chris’ memoir since reading his first book
“Tradewinds” which I enjoyed thourghly. His stories are so amazing and flow off the pages like a tropical breeze. I met Chris 45 years ago in Grenada 4 months after he survived his harrowing trans-Atlantic crossing aboard “Tyree” a 23’ daysailer. His telling of that voyage and his travels leading up to that stuck with me all these years and to finally get to find out where the winds blew him after our short time together was not short of astounding. It is hard to fathom one can find saltier stories written about more amazing events than those Chris Bowman shares in “Me, the Boat and a Guy named Bob”. Enthralling read from cover to cover and I felt like I was there personally experiencing the adventures with Chris.