Will Sofrin, sailor, author and presenter, will be giving us All Hands on Deck!
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. While director Peter Weir and stars Russel Crowe and Paul Bettany were signed on, there was only one problem: The Rose, the replica eighteenth-century warship that the filmmakers had 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 21-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.
All Hands on Deck: A Modern-Day High Seas Adventure to the Far Side of the World (Abrams Press; April 18, 2023 is Sofrin’s account of this unforgettable voyage. It’s a story of reinvention, of hard work on the high seas, of love, and of survival. The crew of the Rose effectively went back in time, brought to life the old ways of a forgotten world, and barely lived to tell the tale. All Hands on Deck is a gripping story and a must-read for fans of O’Brian’s novels and the Academy Award–winning film adaptation.
Will Sofrin is a master shipwright who has taught at MIT and has built boats for Billy Joel and Estée Lauder. As a former professional sailor and licensed captain, he has tracked more than 30,000 blue-water miles. Today, he is a freelance writer for numerous maritime periodicals such as: Classic Boat Magazine, Cruising World, Latitude 38, Ocean Navigator, Pacific Yachting, Points East Magazine, Sea History Journal, Soundings, and WoodenBoat.
In Person: Savin Hill Yacht Club doors open at 6:30pm. Optionally bring a snack to share.
Virtual: Zoom link sent via email after registration.
This even is free and is open to the public.