By Julia Dawson
As an author and journalist when I heard there was a sailor who had written for the Washington Post just down the dock from my boat at the California Yacht Club in Marina del Rey, I was interested to chat.
When I learned he had sailed his Ericson 38 solo to Hawaii I was intimidated. Nothing I could say or write would be worthy and I certainly wasn’t a sailor by comparison!
Bob Woodward of Washington Post fame says, “Christian Williams is a genius sailor, observer and writer.” No one would argue this. I would add that Williams is a master educator; he can spin the dull practice of retrofitting a boat into a tale that you will want to read again and again.
Williams has clocked more than 20,000 miles at sea since learning to sail as a boy on the Chesapeake Bay. But what is amazing is his ability to write and speak about sailing’s glory and trials.
Williams sailed on Ted Turner’s famous yacht Tenacious, and was his biographer for “Lead, Follow, or Get Out of the Way.” As a sail trimmer for Turner he confesses he was fired and rehired at Turner’s mercurial whim (or maybe it was part of his motivational and management style.)
If you’re brave enough, I highly recommend reading William’s account of Turner’s sail in the deadly 1979 Fastnet Race, the grueling 600-mile dash from Cowes on the Isle of Wight to Ireland’s Fastnet Rock lighthouse and back. It’s personal, downright scary, and detailed in gut-wrenching accuracy. Only the bravest of sailors will want to venture out from their bathtub without the comfort of their rubber ducky after reading this article published by the Washington Post. It’s vividly tangible in details and absolutely haunting.
When I read Williams’ book “Alone Together,” detailing, at 71, his single-handed voyage from California to Hawaii, I was impressed. Not only does he so dramatically and accurately describe his voyage across the sea, he tells us in superb detail about his experience preparing his boat and how he fixed things en route. He has escaped floating shipping containers, hurricanes, and doldrums. Repaired broken helms, whisker poles, and squeaky barometers. And been entertained by stowaway dragonflies and flying fish.
Williams is also a dab hand with video. His You Tube productions associated with his book have generated 2,000,000 internet hits. For those of you who aren’t interested in this computer stuff that is tantamount to making the New York Times Best Seller List.
Christian recently spoke at the Catalina Owners dinner at the Del Rey Yacht club in Marina del Rey. He discussed his second voyage across the Pacific and his new book “The Philosophy of Sailing.” From this voyage he created a beautiful, informative and sometimes hilarious video of his journey which is available to view for free on YouTube. (He really should be monetizing this because he gives much more than he takes.)
Christian Williams is arguably the most erudite sailor since Francis Chichester. In the back of “The Philosophy of Sailing,” he lists nautical terms used in the book, an evaluation of the parts he used to retrofit his boat, and a list of philosophy books. In addition to having the mind for the works of Greek sophists he enjoys jazz well enough to name his boats Thelonious I & II after Thelonious Monk.
Not only does Williams have an ear sensitive enough for fine music, he goes to great lengths to eliminate squeaks, rattles, and creaks on his boat. Often resolved comically with duct tape (man’s solution for all problems) and perfectly carved widgets. Or maybe that’s what we would all do while alone for 5,000 miles.
Williams is gregarious and warm and clearly seems to like people. He is self-proclaimed “Not a loner.” So that begs the question that he says many query:
“The first thing everyone asks is, ‘Why are you doing this again?’ Or, ‘You’re doing this again?’” In “Alone Together” and “Philosophy of Sailing” he expertly answers this question and … how to cook spaghetti and pour chianti on a rocking and rolling boat.
He says, “Sailing teaches you what living is, the same way a violin teaches a player what music is.”
Christian understands his boat from bow to stern. He has three sewing machines and he sewed all the canvas for his boats – I can’t do that. He calls it, “Sewmanship – the manly art.” Christian is a man with a sewing machine and he knows how to use it. He keeps his beautiful wife Tracy in stitches.
Contact the author at Julia@JuliaMichelleDawson.com
