Total Loss is a highly respected maritime anthology compiling gripping, real-life survival stories from sailors who have lost their vessels at sea. It serves as both a thrilling read and an essential educational tool for both amateur and experienced mariners.
The book features 45 dramatic, often emotional, and harrowing personal stories from skippers who survived shipwrecks. Accounts are logically categorized by the primary cause of the disaster — such as severe weather, collisions with unidentified floating objects (UFOs), fire, gear failure, and navigational errors.Each tale is followed by a post-incident analysis detailing the critical lessons learned, helping others avoid the same mistakes or cope better in emergencies.The collection includes famous maritime emergencies such as the tragic sinking of the yacht Ouzo and the dramatic rescue of Pete Goss and his crew from the catamaran Team Philips.This is highly engaging writing that places you in the middle of the action. It is incredibly practical, providing a wealth of knowledge on safety-at-sea without reading like a dry textbook – though it is not for the faint hearted; the visceral nature of the disasters and accounts of abandoning ship can be intense.The image on this page is an Amazon affiliate link to the Kindle edition as the physical book is out of publication. There is no extra cost to yourself but if you purchase via this page the site owner will earn a small commission which will go towards keeping this site updated and maintained.