An Annotated Bibliography of Some Marine Record References
Copyrighted ©  2000  Richard Boehmer

  

Books

 The Guinness Book of Records (1973-1993)

Since 1973 the annual British edition of the GBoR - THE RECORD BOOK - has contained three tables of records (circumnavigations, transatlantics, transpacifics) compiled by Nobby Clarke.  Since 1985, Richard Boehmer helped Clarke with the sailing speed records.  In 1990 Clarke retired after contributing to the 1990 tables, and Boehmer was first credited for his work on these tables.  In 1991, an additional 'Other' section produced by Boehmer was added, and the US edition contained the tables after an hiatus of many years.  The tables were discontinued after the 1993 edition due to a change in editors.

 Singlehanded Sailing, 1988 (2nd edition), Richard Henderson

On pages 319 - 321, Appendix A consists of a table of 91 solo or mostly solo world cruises and circumnavigations through 1988.  Much of this material is known to have originated from Nobby Clarke's more detailed tables published in Cruising World.

 The Challenge of the Atlantic, 1988, Dag Pike

Although he discusses both sail and power; the later is his unique forte.  In the entire book there is only one table which is on pages 68 & 69 and lists the ships and lives lost in the Atlantic trade from 1840 to 1892.  Also he has a interesting illustration on page 58 showing the growth of Atlantic liners from 1840 to 1890.

 Faster! Faster!, 1984, David Pelly

This book contains a three page table that traces the progression of the 500 meter record in various classes as established at the RYA speed weeks.  An additional table contains 8 race records, 5 transatlantics, and 5 best day's runs.

 Blue Water Dream, 1981, Nobby Clarke

Pages 33 and 34 contain a list and graph entitled, "Some Large and Small Transocean Boat and Yacht Milestones 1784-1940" which presents dozens of firsts.  This list and graph is extended from 1940-1979 on pages 60 and 61.

 Traditions & Memories of American Yachting, 1981 ed., William P. Stephens

On page 15, this book contains a table listing the crossing times of early transatlantic passages of American Yachts from 1851 to 1874.  Originally published in the 1940s.

 The Capsize Bugaboo, 1980, Charles Chiodi (editor)

Pages 249- 257 contain an appendix by Richard Boehmer which describes multihull capsize and other losses.  Fold-out page 261 contains a list and graph entitled "Some Multihull Milestones in Transoceanic Voyaging (1945-1980)" that was contributed by Nobby Clarke. 

 The Multihull Primer, 1976, Nobby Clarke

On pages 177-179, Appendix 5 consists of a table detailing 35 multihull records.

 An Evolution of Singlehanders, 1976, Nobby Clarke

Pages 160 - 206 contain 9 tabular appendices entitled: the first circumnavigators, singlehanded circumnavigations, part singlehanded and/or near circumnavigations, singlehanded Cape Horners, transatlantic marine records, transpacific yacht records, trans-indian ocean, singlehanded transocean races, and transocean yachtswomen.

 The Way of a Yacht, 1974, Alan Hollingsworth

Page 128 contains a list of 12 transaltantic records.

 Trimaran Development, 1972, Nobby Clarke

A mixed assortment of records (monohull & multihull transatlantic, transpacific, Indian Ocean, Cape Horn, and circumnavigations) along with multihull firsts and fastests are presented on pages 148-160.  Updated and tabulated collections of these records can be found in Clarke's later books.

 Lonely Voyagers, 1954, Jean Merrien

Pages 293 through 303 list some details of 120 voyages by one or two people in small boats.

 Atlantic Adventures, 1953, Humphrey Barton

This book contains an 18 page appendix tabulating small craft transatlantic passages: east to west, west to east, power and sail, northern and southern routes.

 Five Hundred Sailing Records of American Built Ships, 1952, Carl Cutler

"The Record Book" on clipper ship sailing records.

 Sailing Craft, 1928, Edwin Schoettle

Lists on pages 224 & 225, 46 transatlantic crossings in both directions from 1851-1905.

 American Yachts, 1884, James Kelly

Lists on page 146, 29 transatlantic crossings made by "some American yachts which have visited Europe."

 

Magazine Articles

 PlayStation's lucky breaks: battens and a record, Richard Boehmer, Multihull International 384 (Feb'00), 52-55.

Contains two tabulations of Newport to Bermuda passages, the first list details over five dozen multihull passages starting in 1964 and terminates with PlayStation's 2000 record, the second table lists five progressive monohull records.

 Facts & figures of Explorer's & Foncia's w-e transat record attempts, Richard Boehmer, Multihull International 379 (Sep'99), 234-236.

Contains a chronological tabulation detailing over six dozen w->e transatlantic sailing passages from either Sandy Hook or Ambrose Light to the Lizard from 1870 through 1999

 Tri, tri, tri, tri again:  a commentary on Formula 60 trimarans (part 2), Richard Boehmer, Multihull International 377/8 (J/A'99), 206-207.

Contains a tabulation of the major race records of all the 60' multihulls (32 trimarans, 13 catamarans, and one proa) starting from the first, Gulf Streamer (1974) and ending with the two trimarans launched in 1988, Groupama Assurances and Biscuits La Trinitaine (III).

 Facts & figures on PlayStation's 580 nm. best day's run, Richard Boehmer, Multihull International 375 (May'99), 136-138.

Contains a tabulation of the progressive best day's under sail starting with the clipper ship Sea Witch (1846) and ending with the 1999 record of 580.3 nm. by the maxi-catamaran PlayStation plus some other noteworthy best day's runs.

 Speeding around the world under sail, Richard Boehmer, Multihull International 365 (Jun'98), 160-162, back cover.

An updated rehash of the below article,"Of antipodes & circumnavigations", but oriented towards The Race with a detailed table of nearly two dozen significant, true and near circumnavigations.

 Multihull Cape Horners [table], Richard Boehmer, Multihulls (M/A'93), 19.

A tabular listing of 14 multihulls which by then had sailed around The Horn plus three that were in the process.

 Of antipodals & circumnavigations, Richard Boehmer, Sailing World (May '91), pp.60-63.

Written as an interview and supported with three graphics, the historical basis of the Guinness Book of Record's antipodal requirement for record circumnavigations is traced and the concept is explained.  (Republished in the August 1992 issue of the German magazine, Yacht.)

 Going for speed records, Richard Boehmer, South African Yachting (May 1991), p.22-23.

An article with three graphics which analyses the transatlantic speed record and patterns of elapsed time records for the TransPac and the Round the Island (Wight) Races. 

 Singlehanded firsts, Nobby Clarke, South African Yachting (November 1990), p.10.  

A list of 16 singlehanded around the world records.

 All in a day's work, Freeman Pittman, Sail (September 1990), p.99.

A short article about best day's runs for which the idea, information, table, and graphics were supplied by Richard Boehmer.

 Will the west-east transatlantic sailing speed record keep falling?, Rich Boehmer, Multihull International (June 1990), p.161.

A graph showing the decline of the transatlantic crossing time from 1980 through 1990.

 For the record, Richard Boehmer, Soundings (May 1990), p. B12.

A table detailing the elapsed time records of 28 U.S. sailing races.

 Setting your sights on a record, Richard Boehmer, Sail (August 1989), pp.45-48.

This article suggests 8 sailing race records that are ripe for the picking as graphically extracted from over 60 sailing speed records.

 14 new course records, Richard Boehmer, Sailing World (July 1989), pp.48-49.

An update and addendum to the table published in the July 1988 issue of Sailing World.

 500-meter sailboard speed records, Richard Boehmer, Sailing World (June 1989), p.10.

A graph showing the progression of sailboard speed records for both men and women.

 The solo 400 club, Richard Boehmer, Sailing World (September 1988), p.44.

A very shot article documenting the 400+ nm./day runs made by five 60' multihulls during the 1988 Carlsberg Singlehanded Transatlantic Race.

 68 course and speed records, Richard Boehmer, Sailing World (July 1988), pp.56-58.

A 2 and 1/2 full-page table detailing 68 world-wide racing and other sailing speed records.

 The fastest multihull ... records, Richard Boehmer, Multihulls (May/June 1988), p.61.

A full-page table detailing 35 multihull race course and other speed records.

 New records reign, Robbie Robinson, Sail (February 1988),  pp.7-8.

A small article originated by Richard Boehmer but published as rewritten by Robinson which includes a table of 11 speed records set in 1987.

 10 bluewater pioneers, Richard Boehmer, Yacht Racing & Cruising (July 1985), pp.32-33.

An article on a few firsts, a smallest, a fastest, 2 largest, and 2 youngest sailing records.

 12 record day's runs, Richard Boehmer, Yacht Racing & Cruising (July 1985), pp.58-59.

A table detailing the 12 best day's runs (over 400 nm./day) by sport sailing craft.  The table shares these pages with an analysis of FORMULE TAG's best day's run.

 25 ocean race course records, Richard Boehmer, Yacht R. & C. (July 1985), pp.60-61.

A table superseded by that published in the July 1988 issue of Sailing World.

 Record non-stop sailing passages, Richard Boehmer, Multihulls (Nov./Dec.'83), p.58.

A table detailing 26 of these records, primarily by clipper ships.

 Race courses, Richard Boehmer, Multihulls (Nov./Dec. 1983), p.59.

A small table detailing 21 race records.

 This is not yachting, Nobby  Clarke, Cruising World (May 1983), pp.93-95.

An interesting article about the 'smallests' which includes a table presenting the details of 20 records by craft under 4 meters in overall length.

 Singlehanded circumnavigators, Nobby Clarke, Cruising World (March 1983), pp.141-142.

A very comprehensive table detailing 77 circumnavigations.

 Sailing firsts, Nobby Clarke, South African Yachting (February 1981), p.52.

A table detailing 20 Cape Horn firsts.

 Singlehanded firsts, Nobby Clarke, Cruising World (January 1981), pp.41-42.

A table detailing 64 solo firsts.

 More on the multi records game, Richard Boehmer, Multihulls (Nov./Dec.'78), pp.40-42.

An article discussing the verification of sailing speed records.

 Introducing: the multi records game, Nobby Clarke, Multihulls (July/Aug.'78), pp.75-78.

An article discussing superlative (first, fastests, smallests, etc.) multihull records.

 Transocean firsts and fastests, Nobby Clarke, Yachting Monthly (May 1973), pp.786-787.

This article includes a list of 33 solo circumnavigators.

   

Technical Papers

 When to go for the TransPac record, Richard Boehmer, Proceedings of the 1986 Ancient Interface Symposium XVI, pp. 1-9.

The first page of this paper contains a table detailing the line honors winners of 33 TransPac Races.  Page 5 contains a small table summarizing the Multihull TransPac. 

 West-east transatlantic sailing records: a speed analysis, Richard Boehmer, Proceedings of the 1984 Ancient Interface Symposium XIV, pp. 1-17.

This paper contains five detailed tables of west-east transatlantic race and course records.

 Analysis of sailing vessel performance ratios and their synthesis, Richard Boehmer, Speed Sailing [AYRS #93] (May 1979), pp.31-41.

This paper contains a list of 39 best day's runs by various kinds of sailing craft and their dimensions.

 

 

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