All Hands on Deck: A Modern-Day High Seas Adventure to the Far Side of the World

A maritime adventure memoir that follows a crew of misfits hired by Hollywood to sail an 18th-century warship 5,000 miles for the making of a beloved blockbuster film,

"An unbelievable ride . . . Will Sofrin has lived the real experiences and survived to tell the tale."--Dan Shotz, Emmy Award-winning producer of Black Sails

In the late 1990s, Patrick O'Brian's multimillion-copy-selling historical novel series--the Aubrey-Maturin series, which was set during the Napoleonic Wars--seemed destined for film. With Russell Crowe as Jack Aubrey and Paul Bettany as Stephen Maturin, the production only needed a ship that could stand in for Lucky Jack's HMS Surprise, with historical accuracy paramount. The filmmakers found the Rose, a replica of an 18th-century ship that would work perfectly. Only there was one problem: the Rose was in Newport, Rhode Island, not in Southern California, where they would be filming. Enter a ragtag crew of thirty oddballs who stepped up for the task, including Will Sofrin, at the time a 21-year-old wooden boat builder and yacht racer, who joined as the ship's carpenter.

All Hands on Deck is Sofrin's memoir of the epic adventure delivering the Rose to Hollywood. It's a story of reinvention, of hard work on the high seas, of love, and of survival. The Rose was an example of the most cutting-edge technology of her era, but in the 21st century, barely anyone had experience sailing it. The crew effectively went back in time, brought to life the old ways of a forgotten world, and barely lived to tell the tale. Just a few days in, a terrifying hurricane-strength storm nearly sank the Rose, and later, a rogue wave caused a nearly fatal dismasting. And the ups and downs weren't limited to the waves--with the crew split into factions, making peace between warring camps became necessary, too, as did avoiding pirates and braving the temptations of shore leave. All Hands on Deck is a gripping story of an unforgettable journey and a must-read for fans who adore O'Brian's novels and the dramatic film adaptation of the Academy Award-nominated Master and Commander.

ISBN-13: 9781419767074

Media Type: Paperback

Publisher: Abrams Press

Publication Date: 04-09-2024

Pages: 272

Product Dimensions: 5.50(w) x 8.25(h) x 0.68(d)

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, continues to race sailboats, and explores the coast of California with his wife and seven-year-old daughter. All Hands on Deck is his first book.