All Hands on Deck

A Modern-Day High Seas Adventure to the Far Side of the World

De: Will Sofrin

Narrado por: Jonathan Todd Ross

A maritime adventure memoir that follows a crew of misfits hired to sail an eighteenth-century warship six thousand miles to Hollywood

In the late 1990s, Patrick O’Brian’s beloved, massively bestselling historical novel series was destined for film. With director Peter Weir and stars Russell Crowe and Paul Bettany signed on for Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World, 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.

All Hands on Deck 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.

This audiobook includes a supplemental PDF of maps, technical drawings, andphotographs.

This audiobook includes bonus downloadable content and an episode of The Lubber's Hole - A Patrick O'Brian Podcast featuring the author and Captain Bailey.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2023 Will Sofrin (P)2023 Recorded Books

Pleasantly surprised

I was recommended this book by a Patrick O’Brian enthusiast. Even for those, like myself, who are merely casual readers of the Master and Commander series, this was an enjoyable read. The author has a unique and compelling style. Typically such a style isn’t developed until the writer has a few books under their belt. So I was surprised to learn that this was Will Sofrin’s first book.

Enjoyed the story, no chance of living this dream

The stories of high winds, limited showers, and faulty bathrooms should be enough to discourage all. And then there the masts breaking...

Interesting sea story not very well performed.

Sofrin does a good job of weaving together his personal experiences, the events of the voyage, historical information on tall ships in general and life as a sailor in the old days. He also provides considerable background about acclaimed nautical author Patrick O’Brian, whose novels are the basis for the movie that needed this ship. Sofrin’s matter-of-fact descriptions of truly harrowing events at sea lets the reader appreciate the challenges. The narrator speaks distinctly but frequently fails to deliver emphasis in the proper places. Worse, the publisher apparently never had anyone with nautical background listen to the finished audiobook. The consistent mispronunciation of “bowsprit” as “bowSPIRIT” is a jarring poke in the ear each time it occurs throughout the book. The use of “t’gallant” is nautically accurate in context and is pronounced correctly.

Bowsprit and topgallant!

The story is ok. Does not include anything about the film, it ends with the Rose arriving at San Diego. The narrator mispronounced bowsprit as bow spirit and top gallant as tuh gallon.

An honest and fascinating tale of taking a leap of faith.

Only a couple quibbles about the reader’s occasional mispronunciation of nautical terminology and I would have preferred the author close the loop on some open questions raised in the narrative. Nonetheless, an informative and entertaining book. Well worth reading for any fan of nautical literature.