How does a small-vessel sailor navigate the logistical and physical challenges of a long-distance circumnavigation? Eric C. Hiscock, a seasoned mariner and expert in small-craft sailing, documents his experiences and technical methodologies while crossing the world's oceans. The text serves as both a personal account and a practical framework for those interested in the realities of blue-water sailing during the mid-20th century.

Experts in the maritime community recognize this work as a classic account of mid-century long-distance sailing. Readers frequently note the practical focus of the prose, which balances personal narrative with the technical realities of life at sea.