In 1960, when Sir Francis Chichester first raced singlehanded across the Atlantic, it was widely regarded as an insane stunt. Nowadays, the Singlehanded Transatlantic Race is not only accorded the greatest of respect but it is also recognised as a true test of stamina, seamanship and navigation.

But this does not mean that it is exclusively a race for heroes. In 2005, writer, broadcaster and amateur sailor Paul Heiney entered the race to prove that the Corinthian spirit of the transatlantic pioneers could still get you from one side of the Atlantic to the other if you tried hard enough. He sailed in what would be widely regarded as a standard family cruiser, in which he had great confidence; but his trust in his own abilities was less certain.

The Last Man Across the Atlantic is an honest account of what it was like to be out there alone. Even the strongest yacht takes a battering after 3,000 miles: bits break and there's no pit stop for repairs. There is no one else to scold or praise, no shoulder to weep on, no one to joke with, no one to kiss, and nobody to argue with about who washes up.

Heiney fully expected to be the last man across the Atlantic in the 2005 race and says it didn't bother him in the slightest. 'It's enough to be able to say you climbed Everest without having to run up it as well. And this is the sailing Everest - for me, anyway.'