Hal Roth

Hal Roth (1927 – 18 October 2008) was an American sailor and author. In 1971 he was awarded the Blue Water Medal of the Cruising Club of America. Their vast journey culminated in the publication of his first sailing book, Two on a Big Ocean. He and his wife, Margaret, subsequently made a life of sailing and writing about it, including sailing around South America and a circumnavigation via Panama, the Torres Strait, and Suez.

In 1978, they relocated to Maine.

The couple sold Whisper and purchased the American Flag (later renamed Sebago) and Roth then sailed solo in the Brin's or British Oxygen Company (BOC) Challenge Race of 1986-7. He completed the race 4th in his class of 14, taking 171 days. Chasing the Long Rainbow (1990) is his account of this BOC race. In 1990, he tried the race again in the same Santa Cruz 50 now named Sebago (his sponsor), but due to capsizing, the voyage took 211 days. Chasing the Wind (1994) is his account of the second race. In 1992, they sold Sebago, purchased a Pretorien 35, named her Whisper, and the couple spent two years together tracing Odysseus' voyage through the Mediterranean. We Followed Odysseus, How to Sail Around the World, and Handling Storms at Sea represent books that he wrote based on the couple's final unique voyages.

Roth published hundreds of articles in his lifetime. Although, his book publications appear to be his dominate body of work and document the couple's voyages and growing knowledge of sailing. The 1972 account of their first circumnavigation of the Pacific Basin (1967-8) resulted in the publication Two on a Big Ocean. The Blue Water Medal of the Cruising Club of America was awarded to the Hal Roth, and Margaret was noted as the sole crew, for this voyage. After 50,000 Miles (1977) describes technical aspects of sailing. The 1978 book Two against Cape Horn describes their journey from California to Maine via Cape Horn. Always a Distant Anchorage (1988) describes their four-year (1981–1985) circumnavigation west through the Panama Canal, Torres Strait, the Red Sea, and the Suez Canal.

Death and afterward Roth recorded reminisces and continued to draft manuscripts throughout his life. His last two works, The Paradise Book and Graf Spee were completed but never published. He worked on these manuscripts during his later years and during his two and half years suffering from lung cancer. He died October 18, 2008, while living in Maryland with his wife, Margaret, who survives him.

Honours, decorations, awards and distinctions In 1971 Roth was awarded the Blue Water Medal of the Cruising Club of America in recognition of a cruise of around the Pacific Basin, with his wife as crew aboard their sloop, Whisper. Two on a Big Ocean; the Story of the First Circumnavigation of the Pacific Basin in a Small Sailing Ship. New York: Macmillan, 1972. Print. Two against Cape Horn. New York: Norton, 1978. Print. The longest race. New York: Norton, 1983. Print. Whisper's Pacific Voyage. New Haven, Conn.: Sea TV, 1987. Videocassette. Always a distant anchorage. New York: Norton, 1988. Print. Chasing the long rainbow : the drama of a singlehanded sailing race around the world. New York: Norton, 1990. Print. Chasing the wind : a book of high adventure. Dobbs Ferry, N.Y: Sheridan House, 1994. Print. The monster's handsome face : Patty Cannon in fiction & fact. Vienna, Md: Nanticoke Books, 1998. Print. We followed Odysseus. Port Washington, Wis: Seaworthy Publications, 1999. Print. How to sail around the world : advice and ideas for voyaging under sail. Camden, Me: International Marine/McGraw-Hill, 2004. Print. The Hal Roth seafaring trilogy : three true stories of adventure under sail. Camden, Me: International Marine/McGraw-Hill, 2006. Print. [Reprint of three previous works.] Handling storms at sea the five secrets of heavy weather sailing. Camden, Me: International Marine/McGraw-Hill, 2009. Print. Hal Roth Papers, 1948—2009. San Francisco:San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, National Park Service, 2011. Archival Material.