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  • Breaking Seas

  • An Overweight, Middle-Aged Computer Nerd Buys His First Boat, Quits His Job, and Sails Off to Adventure
  • By: Glenn Damato
  • Narrated by: René Ruiz
  • Length: 9 hrs and 27 mins
  • 4.3 out of 5 stars (121 ratings)
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Breaking Seas cover art

Breaking Seas

By: Glenn Damato
Narrated by: René Ruiz
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Summary

Do you have a dream you must pursue, but everyone says it's unrealistic? Or that you're not qualified? Too old, too out of shape? Or you don't have the "right experience?"

Glenn Damato was a 41-year-old software instructor who sought to exceed the bounds of his comfortable but humdrum existence. He embarked on an adventure for which he was miserably unprepared. Why did he do this? How did he answer the ancient human question: how do we jump-start growth in our lives? We become something we were not.

The "something" Damato strived to become was neither easy nor simple: an ocean sailing skipper. Overweight and without boating experience of any kind, he decided to pursue his lifelong dream of sailing around the world on his own vessel.

Reckless? Dangerous? Idiotic? Call it what you will, Damato was determined to make the voyage a reality despite the obstacles.

©2012 Glenn Michael Damato (P)2013 Glenn Michael Damato

What listeners say about Breaking Seas

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Just what I needed

I can relate to this guy, not his physical situation but more his desire to achieve something a bit different. It is well written, enjoyable and my only disappointment is that is wasn't longer and ended where it did.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

So disappointed

I wanted to like this book. I want to one day sell up and sail off into the sunset. But not like this. This isn't a story of the underdog overcoming adversity. This is a story of an arrogant self pitying fool who wasn't enough before he got a boat, and then wasn't enough once he had the boat. What I expected to be an epic worldly adventure was a short series of painfully inevitable farces, leading to the abandonment of the dream.

To summarise, this is a tale of a man, not in control of his senses, his crew or his boat.

The bit about the drive-by stand up was hilarious though.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Great book, honest and endearing character

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

yes Detailed sailing story and shows journey and how he gives up all to chase his dream to sail the world. Doesnt quite make it however!

What did you like best about this story?

humilty and characters

Have you listened to any of René Ruiz’s other performances? How does this one compare?

no

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

main characters journey of self realisation

Any additional comments?

good honest tale

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
  • I
  • 05-02-14

high seas adventure escapism that's true!

What did you like most about Breaking Seas?

A lit of blokes dream about sailing around the world, before going back to mowing the lawn, but this guy buys a big boat and quits his job without ever having set foot on a sailing boat, and then he actually does go round the world. Inspiring and very funny.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Breaking Seas?

The descriptions of his near death experiences hold you breathless. The small things that always go wrong (this guy practically defines "sods law", are reminiscent of our own struggles with the minutiae over life. That makes it believable and very funny!

Have you listened to any of René Ruiz’s other performances? How does this one compare?

No. I like his delivery though. He reads it as if he's telling you the story of his adventures, not reading out someone else's words. His characterisations of the many different people that Glenn encounters are subtle and well defined.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The "drive by rejection" by a potential lover, that is the catalyst for the whole crazy enterprise is so painful, and every man who has ever been rejected will wince at the description. However you have to give thanks to the woman without whom we wouldn't have had this tale, and Glenn Damato wouldn't have had his amazing life.

Any additional comments?

Anyone who loves a good adventure yarn, wrapped up in a warm room while reading about cold black seas beating against the Hull of a lonely boat in far distant reaches, read this. Anyone who lives stories of people "giving it all up" on a whim and a dream, read this. Anyone who has been unlucky in love or in their career or in life and want an inspirational tale, read this. Anyone who wants a good laugh, read this. Anyone who wants practical advice on how to set up a boat so it is sea worthy could do worse than read this as Mr damarto gives some great advice and tips along the way.
Basically, read this, I did and I loved it!

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

Not one I will recommend.

Would you try another book written by Glenn Damato or narrated by René Ruiz?

No Sorry.

What was most disappointing about Glenn Damato’s story?

Sailing yarns have a habit of being a tad,"poor me". In the story I grew tired of the poor me attitude and hoped it would be replace by something else,it wasn't. I wont give any spoilers but its safe to say the story goes absolutely nowhere.

Who might you have cast as narrator instead of René Ruiz?

The narrator was spot on.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars
  • JM
  • 25-11-23

Not bad, but infuriating.

Ok, so this book is written quite well. A little self indulgent and falsely self deprecating, but its a good lesson.
Spoilers below!!
The story is, however, tragic. The subtitle should read “A non sailor with confidence issues gets his dream shattered by terrible choices”
As a sailor, nay, an OCEAN sailor, this is a tough lesson in what not to do. Don’t buy a boat the way Glenn did, refit a boat the way Glenn did, never underestimate “boat tax”, don’t recruit crew the way Glenn did, don’t be afraid to tell people to get the f**k off your boat, don’t be a skipper without authority.
I think the last point is the reason why the story went the way it did. Being “in command” isn’t easy, but nor is it difficult. Glenn needed some help with that for sure.
Being a nerd is not a handicap, being unpleasant is. Both Glenn and his “1st Mate” (who would not make it with 100miles of my boat) had this in spades. Glenn’s personal and political views are the polar opposite of most cruisers, and Joyce’s utter disregard and disrespect for anyone else is sadly endemic in that part of the world (my experience only).
Anyway. That’s my tuppance. Narrator is excellent.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

a very honest story

as a sailor of over 20 years sailing experience, I often wonder why people with no experience head off on an ' everest ' of adventure. This book explains that well .
if you suddenly find yourself filled with a desire to sail off , listen to this book first, its an honest and entertaining work !, More than anything , it teaches, ' try before you buy' . Reading a manual won't do it.
everything is made to look easy and safe , by years of experience.
G ood for him for at least reaching for his star though.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

A bit misleading

I rather expected tails of sailing single handed around the world but this never happened. Too many self deprecating remarks by the author. Took some time before any sailing started.

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Not really what I expected

I struggled to listen to this to the end and I really wanted to like this but Glenn Damato comes off as probably the most unlikable author I've come across writing in this genre.

I give credit to him for telling him like it really was, he does not try to glorify his attempt at adventure but part way through the book I just found him and his retelling of the story really depressing.

Chapter by chapter you slowly realise he will in no way succeed in his endeavours which seems totally a result of his self centred character and the decisions he makes along the way. I'm not sure he wants any empathy from the reader or listener but if you are looking for a warts and all tale of an attempt at leaving the rat face this may be the book for you.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

disappointing...gave up

I gave up
it was interesting but too much detail. like someone used a thesaurus and made the book sound like a boring accountants description.
person reading...well paint drying sounds more interesting

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