Will Sofrin is an accomplished author and writer whose work spans books and contributions to notable periodicals. His acclaimed book, All Hands on Deck, chronicles his extraordinary journey sailing a replica British warship from Newport to San Diego, to make the film Master and Commander: Far Side of the World. The account offers readers a gripping narrative of maritime adventure and resilience. Beyond his book, Will’s writings have appeared in respected publications, where he shares insights into history, craftsmanship, and seafaring life. He is currently working on an exciting new book about the USCGC Eagle, a storied vessel that was originally a Nazi training ship taken by the United States as a war reparation after World War II.
A maritime adventure memoir that follows a
crew of misfits hired to sail an eighteenth-century warship six thousand miles to Hollywood
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In the late 1990s, Patrick O’Brian’s beloved, massively bestselling historical novel series was destined for film, with Master & Commander: The Far Side of the World. With director Peter Weir and stars Russel Crowe and Paul Bettany signed on, there was only one problem: The Rose, the replica eighteenth-century warship that filmmakers bought for the production, was in Newport, Rhode Island, two oceans and thousands of miles away from Hollywood.
Enter a ragtag crew of thirty oddballs and tall-ship fanatics, including author Will Sofrin, at the time a twenty-one-year-old wooden-boat builder and yacht racer looking for some direction in his life. Together, the crew embarked on an epic adventure, racing a ticking clock and fighting against Mother Nature, and occasionally each other, to deliver the Rose, hopefully in one piece.
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“Will Sofrin’s thrilling account of the eventful, sometimes terrifying delivery of the tall ship that starred in Peter Weir’s adaptation of Patrick O’Brian’s The Far Side of the World is a must-read. Even if you haven’t seen the movie or read O’Brian’s novels, this is an adventure story of the highest order.”
—NATHANIEL PHILBRICK, author of the National Book Award–winning In the Heart of the Sea and Travels with George
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“Fact stalks fiction in this epic tale. Huzzah!”
—PETER WEIR, Academy Award–winning co-writer, producer, and director of Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World
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“High-spirited and finely detailed . . . Sofrin intersperses details of life aboard the Rose with tidbits of tall ship history and enlightening commentary on Patrick O’Brian’s Aubrey-Maturin novels . . . this adventure tale will delight sailors of all stripes.”
–PUBLISHER'S WEEKLY​​
“Enthralling . . . Experienced sailors and landlubbers alike will find Sofrin’s work a pleasure to read.”
–KIRKUS
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“Will Sofrin takes us on an unbelievable ride on the high seas . . . I have played pretend on the open ocean. Will Sofrin has lived the real experiences and survived to tell the tale.”
—DAN SHOTZ, executive producer of the Emmy Award–winning Starz series Black Sails
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“All Hands on Deck is a fascinating read: a combination of a travelogue to distant lands, maritime history, and adventures
and misadventures on the high seas. Through it all, author Will Sofrin is learning to live in tight and uncomfortable quarters
on a tall ship alongside crewmembers of very divergent personalities. They ultimately form into a team with the common goal of staying alive on an unforgiving and unpredictable ocean.”
—MICHAEL TOUGIAS, New York Times bestselling author of Extreme Survival and A Storm Too Soon
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