SANTA BARBARA — The Santa Barbara Maritime Museum and the Anchor Rose Restauran will present a book signing with author Will Sofrin of the memoir “All Hands on Deck: A Modern-Day High Seas Adventure to the Far Side of the World” from 4:30 to 9:30 p.m. Saturday, April 28 at 113 Harbor Way, Santa Barbara.
The event will include an outdoor screening of the feature film Master and Commander.
This is a story about human relationships and survival as a crew of thirty men and women are pressed to quickly learn how to sail a replica of an old British warship 6,000 miles to Hollywood. The clock was ticking, tens of millions of dollars were on the line, they came close to sinking, and could have died, all while trying to deliver a movie prop.
“Fact stalks fiction in this epic tale. Huzzah!”
—Peter Weir, Academy Award–winning co-writer, producer, and director of Master and Commander: The Far
AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE: ALL HANDS ON DECK
CLICK HERE TO VIEW 90-second video trailer
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.
ADVANCE PRAISE
“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
“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.”
—MICHAEL TOUGIAS, New York Times bestselling author of
Extreme Survival and A Storm Too Soon
“A thrilling account. Readers needn’t have ever set foot on a boat to enjoy this story.”
—TRACY EDWARDS, trailblazing round-the-world sailor
“So you want to go to sea, do ya? Will Sofrin takes us aboard Rose as the vessel endures storms and near calamity. After a long delivery under the glare of Hollywood lights, Sofrin tells us what it was like to sail the seas on a tall ship. This intriguing tale will inspire you to head offshore.”
—GARY JOBSON, America’s Cup Hall of Fame sailor
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Will Sofrin is a master shipwright who has taught at MIT and has built boats for Billy Joel and Este?e 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.
SPEAKING EVENTS
Will Sofrin is booking speaking engagements for 2023-2024. Live events can include a 30-45 minute narrated presentation featuring a curated selection of film footage and photographs from the passage. The presentation is then followed by a Q&A opportunity for the audience. In 2023 he is booked to speak at venues such as the New York Yacht Club, Royal Thames Yacht Club, St Francis Yacht Club, New Bedford Whaling Museum, Chicago Maritime Museum, Houston Maritime Museum, Mariners Museum, etc.
Sofrin is also available to participate in Zoom presentations and panel events. Please send inquiries to ahodbook@gmail.com to schedule a presentation.