My Old Man and the Sea

David and Daniel Hays test the strength of their tiny boat, SPARROW, as well as the strength of their relationship on a 17,000-mile journey to Cape Horn and back. David's reflective, almost constant analysis of their adventures (both internal and external) plays marvelously off his son's lighthearted, sometimes boyishly bumbling captain's log entries. The alternating voices bring their experiences to life while simultaneously recreating the oftentimes humorous, oftentimes touching situations they encounter. More than a travel story, MY OLD MAN AND THE SEA is the chronicle of a father-and-son adventure, the coming together of two men to learn from one another. R.A.P. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine

January 2, 1995
As a child, David Hays regarded sailing around Cape Horn as the ultimate adventure. Now, in middle age, he makes the voyage with his 24-year-old son, hoping to regain a youthful perspective on life. Daniel, just out of college, wanted time to think about commitment to a career. Together, they built a 25-foot sloop, Sparrow, and set out across the Caribbean, navigating by compass and sextant. Sparrow carried neither motor nor radar, only a two-way, short-range radio. Father and son take turns giving their accounts of the 17,000-mile voyage. Their course was through the Panama Canal, then south by way of the Galapagos and Easter Islands. On day 179, they passed the Horn, having made 230 miles in 36 hours without being able to search the sky for sights because of the weather; in return for that feat of navigation, Dan became the captain. It is an engaging adventure, and a remarkable story of a father-son relationship. First serial to Sailing magazine; author tour.