Will is the guy who didn’t follow any of the rules. Instead of attending college after high school, he became an apprentice shipwright to learn how to build and restore wooden yachts. As an apprentice, he studied the mechanics of wooden boats and naval architecture. He then became a professional sailor, predominantly working on luxury wooden sailing yachts and eventually becoming a licensed captain, all while tracking over 30,000 blue-water miles as he sailed throughout Europe, New England, the Caribbean, Central America, and the California coast. Will has sailed some of the most famous yachts in the world, and participated in numerous world-class sailing events such as the America’s Cup Jubilee, The Prada Classic Yacht Challenge, and the 12-meter World Championships.

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Will then used his specialized woodworking acumen to transition to working in luxury real estate development. He taught at MIT for ten years and completed two research projects: one was about the application of Photogrammetry, and the other was on using open-source software for building 3D models. He is also an accomplished maritime artist specializing in customizable prints of yachts.

 

In 2014, Will relocated to Los Angeles with his wife and launched a design firm that specializes in luxury residential ground-up architecture. He also designs and fabricates motorized furniture. Will's passion for yachting persists; presently, he is organizing a double-handed (2-person crew) race from Newport, Rhode Island to Bermuda in 2023. Will and his wife also have a sailboat they race and use to explore the California coast with their 6-year-old daughter.

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For more information on Will Sofrin's book All Hands on Deck: A Modern-Day High Seas Adventure to the Far Side of the World, see here.