White Sails Became Me by Nicholas F. Starace II

White Sails Became Me by Nicholas F. Starace II is a captivating memoir of a life shaped by the sea, family legacy, and model ship-building. Starace’s journey spans over eighty countries, navigating personal loss, triumph, and adventure. With heart-wrenching honesty, he shares the tragedies that befell his family, and how they survived by virtue of a strong determination to fulfill their destiny in America. Starace saw the world from quaysides and ship-decks. But it took the miniature version—model ships—for him to see his family. His grandfather was a boatbuilder and seaman from Procida, an island near Naples, who immigrated to Brooklyn in the late 1800s. 

He brought with him an unusual passion that he would pass on to his grandson: model-ship-building. His grandfather’s teachings and a shared passion for all things nautical had a profound effect on Starace’s career path. His grandfather’s old hobby would also help him form a crucial bond with his son Nicky, before his untimely death at twenty-six. Nicky’s death woke the family—and especially Starace—to the chaotic nature of life, and to utter despair. Starace began to look for his family’s identity as a way to make sense of not only loss, but terrorism, divorce, near-death accidents, earthquakes, cancer, military death in the family, and even the pleasant trauma of retirement. Notwithstanding the many setbacks, you will see the author living life to the fullest with an insatiable thirst for travel, challenge, and adventure. White Sails Became Me is a gripping adventure of a life spent around ships, boats, and the sea. And while the central theme is nautical, it truly has something for everyone. 

As a fellow member of the New Jersey Ship Modeling society (my home model club), I’m honored to know Nick personally, and his passion for maritime history truly shines in this book. I’m also excited to make this book available as the first title on SeaWatch that we didn’t publish ourselves, marking a new chapter as we expand our offerings to bring you even more exceptional nautical stories. Whether you’re a seafaring enthusiast or simply love a compelling read, this book offers something for everyone.