Someone gave me for Christmas
a novel by Jimmy Buffett and of course it's all about the sea, sailing, and the islands. It's actually better than I imagined with colorful characters and an imaginative story line but your writing style would blow him out of the water.
Now of course he has name recognition to get him in the door with publishers but you have that masterful talent with words. I say go for it.
Here's the deal. If you and I both publish our first novels, it's my treat for a boy's vacation cruise to celebrate. Our wives can go shopping together.
Art