“Dreams of freedom and adventure: For most people, they remain just that — dreams. For certain others, like Wendy Hinman and Garth Wilcox, such dreams are the stuff life is. In 2000 the couple set sail from Puget Sound for a Pacific Odyssey in their 31-foot cutter, Velella. Seven years later, the couple returned home. Along the way, they logged some 34,000 nautical miles, touched 19 countries, endured typhoons, experienced close calls with freighters, potential pirates and phantom night vessels, swam in snake and crocodile infested waters and made do without refrigeration and Internet. A compelling read, “Tightwads on the Loose: a Seven Year Pacific Odyssey” flows as an adventure narrative with a “you are there” flavor. Ms. Hinman had done plenty of professional writing before the voyage: She’s as competent with the written word as she is at sea. And she clearly has a sense of humor — a necessary, conjugal survival tool within the confines of a 31-foot boat small enough to prevent her husband from standing straight up.” Mike Dillon, Magnolia News
“A light-hearted tone and unaffected style make this an entertaining tale.” San Francisco Book Review
“Hinman’s self-effacing style and eye for the hilarious make the seven-year, 34,000-mile tale a pleasure to read.” Sailing Magazine
“Wendy Hinman is an accomplished storyteller. Tightwads on the Loose, her memoir, will captivate you.” Cruising World Magazine
“Tightwads on the Loose; a Seven Year Pacific Odyssey vividly details the highs and lows of life at sea and at port. It will definitely appeal for those who are curious about sea voyaging. Armchair travelers will find a diversity of cultural experiences, historical details, and adventures for their entertainment and education. Come on board and sail away with the intrepid Wendy Hinman and her humorous and ingenious insights about life at sea.” Chanticleer Book Reviews
“What an incredible book!!!! I couldn’t put it down. I savored every word and honestly I literally couldn’t put it down. It was so evocative and exciting reading about all those South Seas places I always wanted to visit. I loved the color and the mystery and I also I loved the personal parts about how Wendy and Garth were able to not only save their relationship but enrich it in so many ways.” Donna J. Moore, author of Out of the Fog
“Lively, thoughtful and entertaining, “Tightwads on the Loose” offers a realistic glimpse into the ups and downs of living the cruising dream. Armchair sailors can enjoy the ride, while aspiring voyagers will appreciate Hinman’s honesty. She aptly demonstrates that like most worthwhile pursuits, long-distance voyaging is far from easy, and that’s a large part of what makes it so satisfying.” Three Sheets Northwest
“Alternately hilarious, exciting and thought provoking, Tightwads on the Loose tells what happens when two people with very disparate personalities set out in a too small boat with a too small budget. Tightwads on the Loose will take you on a glorious romp around the Pacific.”
Elsie Hulsizer, author of Glaciers, Bears and Totems: Sailing in Search of the Real Southeast Alaska and Voyages to Windward: Sailing Adventures on Vancouver Island’s West Coast
“Enjoy a wild ride with Wendy Hinman’s Tightwads on the Loose: A Seven Year Pacific Odyssey. The pragmatist and the dreamer (at one point Wendy likens herself to Tinker Bell) make entertaining travel companions, and the places they visit capture the imagination.”
- Janna Cawrse Esarey, author of The Motion of the Ocean: 1 Small Boat, 2 Average Lovers, and a Woman’s Search for the Meaning of Wife
“In this e-age of shoddy, sloppy sea yarns, it is nice to discover a wordsmith who cares how the words fall upon the page. Wendy Hinman does. She crafts each sentence with care. She is a pleasure to read. I enjoyed this book right from the title. Funny, too!” Cap’n Fatty Goodlander, author of numerous books about wandering under sail, a featured columnist in All At Sea and an Editor-at-Large of Cruising World magazine.
“Tightwads on the Loose, Wendy Hinman’s entertaining book introduces us to two very different people with a shared love of sailing and adventure. In revealing her heart, Wendy gives a poignant personal account. I finished her book with salt spray on my cheeks and a strong desire to see Japan.” Voyages Magazine
“I suffered from wanderlust after reading Seattleite Wendy Hinman‘s fascinating sailing saga Tightwads on the Loose: A Seven Year Pacific Odyssey. Her tropical escape with her husband back and forth across the Pacific, is a great ride for armchair sailors (me) and experts alike.” Candace Dempsey, author of Murder in Italy
“Tightwads on the Loose is an engaging, fast-paced memoir by author Wendy Hinman. Hinman shares her seven year Pacific odyssey from Seattle to Japan and back.” Wanderboomer