Members' lecture: All Hands On Deck with Will Sofrin

In the late 1990s, Patrick O’Brian’s beloved Aubrey/Maturin nautical historical novels were heading for the big screen. With director Peter Weir at the helm, all was in place for the film Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World to set sail – except the most important element from the novels: HMS Surprise.

The Rose, the replica 18th-century warship bought for the production, was in Rhode Island, two oceans and thousands of miles from Hollywood.

Will Sofrin, author and, at the time, 21-year-old wooden boat builder and yacht racer, was part of the crew who sailed the Rose to the filming site.

To celebrate the release of his book All Hands on Deck: A Modern-Day High Seas Adventure to the Far Side of the World that documents the trip, Will Sofrin joined us to share stories of the journey, the challenges of 18th-century sailing, and video footage of some of the storms he faced.

This is a Members event first streamed live on 17 October 2023.

Watch the discussion