Passing of Hal Roth

[Bill NH]

EASTON, Md. (AP) _ Hal Roth, an avid sailor and author of 12 books who circumnavigated the globe three times, died Saturday. He was 81.

Roth died after a 2 1/2-year battle with lung cancer, according to his wife, Margaret.

Roth's first book, "Pathway in the Sky," about the John Muir Trail in California's Sierra Nevada mountains, was published in 1965. The next year, Roth and his wife quit their jobs and began a 19-month journey around the Pacific on a 35-foot sloop. The adventure led to his first sailing book, "Two on a Big Ocean."

Publisher McGraw-Hill later coupled that book with two other critically acclaimed titles, "Two Against Cape Horn" and "The Longest Race," to produce "The Hal Roth Seafaring Trilogy," released in 2005.

His books "are universally listed among the most influential sailing books ever published," according to SpinSheet, a sailing magazine.

Hal and Margaret Roth sailed around the world together from 1981 to 1985, and Roth later competed in two solo round-the-world races. The couple also retraced the path of Homer's Odysseus.

Roth's last book, "Handling Storms at Sea," will be published this month, his wife said.

[Tim]

Thanks Bill, for anyone interested the trilogy is available for about $20 from Amazon, and individual books used as low $3.

[CharlieJ]

That's a real shame. He was one of my favorite authors. I have a copy of the first printing of "Two on a Big Ocean" and just recently was rereading parts of it.

[Captain Smollett]

Wow, sad news.

RIP, Hal.

[Pappy Jack]

His was one of the first books I ever read on sailing many many years ago. He will be missed :'(...

Pappy Jack

[chris2998]

That stinks I just finished one of his books Sunday and it was really the first book I have ever read on sailing as well darn I really have enjoyed his book. I'll have to get the one on storms.

[skip]

I met Hal Roth and Wife at the All Sail Boat Show, Navy Pier in Chicago 5 years ago. We talked, he signed his book for me and I enjoyed each word of the story crossing the Pacific from West to East via Japan. He was an engaging man. A very nice man. I shall cherish his words. skip.