In the late 1990s, Patrick O’Brian’s bestselling historical novel series was destined for film with Master & Commander: The Far Side of the World. While director Peter Weir and stars Russell Crowe and Paul Bettany were signed on, there was only one problem: Rose, the replica 18th-century warship the filmmakers bought for the production, was in Newport, Rhode Island, two oceans and thousands of miles away from Hollywood.

Enter a ragtag crew of 30 oddballs and tall-ship fanatics, including author Will Sofrin. The crew embarked, racing a ticking clock and fighting against Mother Nature, and occasionally each other, to hopefully deliver Rose in one piece. All Hands on Deck is Sofrin’s account of this voyage – a story of reinvention, hard work on the high seas, love, and of survival.