Bernard Cornwell

[Talbot]

Apart from his Sharpe books (well worth a read), Cornwell has written some great stories based around sailing:
Wildtrack
Sea Lord
Crackdown
Stormchild
Scoundrel

The storm descriptions in Stormchild are superb (as is the story)

[Phoenix of Hamble]

Have read Sea Lord and really enjoyed it....

[Pye_End]

Yes all these are thoroughly enjoyable, and I think it a shame that he seems to have stopped doing this sort of thing.

Have just read a couple of his Viking books which are also very good, but you miss the call of the sea that the others have.