Volvo Ocean Race Boats

These 70-foot boats leave on Saturday for their next leg of the Volvo Ocean Race. They'll be going to Ireland. Impressive machines. Makes carbon fiber bikes look like matchbox toys.

The really impressive races, though, are the single-handed, non-stoppers, like the Vendee Globe Those men who do that are totally nuts. Alone in the southern ocean, without stops. Now that's a party.

If you're into this sort of thing (which I used to be), some good books to read are "The Proving Grounds" and "A Voyage for Madmen."