Captain Richard Martin Woodman LVO (10 March 1944 – 2 October 2024) was an English novelist and naval historian who retired in 1997 from a 37-year nautical career, mainly working for Trinity House, to write full-time.
[3][2] His main work is 14 novels about the career of Nathaniel Drinkwater,[4] and shorter series about James Dunbar and William Kite, but he also has written a range of factual books about 18th century and WW2 history.
[5] His experience ranged from cargo-liners to ocean weather ships and specialist support vessels as well as yachts, square-riggers, and trawlers.
[5] Woodman was a regular correspondent for the shipping newspaper Lloyd's List and continued his close association with the sea as a keen yachtsman.
[1] Woodman was appointed Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order (LVO) in the 2014 New Year Honours for his services to Trinity House.