Welcome Author Will Sofrin for a New Look at the Extraordinary Legacy of USCGC Eagle

Santa Barbara Maritime Museum Welcomes Author Will Sofrin for a New Look at the Extraordinary Legacy of USCGC Eagle November Maritime Distinguished Speaker Series explores the evolution of America’s Tall Ship—from captured war prize to Coast Guard flagship, training vessel, and international ambassador SBMM welcomes Santa Barbara author, designer, and sailor Will Sofrin back to its Maritime Distinguished Speaker Series on Thursday, November 19, 2026, at 7:00 p.m. for a newly developed presentation exploring the remarkable evolution of USCGC Eagle : America’s Ambassador and the role the legendary vessel continues to play in shaping generations of U.S. Coast Guard leaders.

SBMM members are invited to a pre-lecture reception from 6:15–6:45 p.m. Tickets: Free for Navigators Circle members, $10 for SBMM members, $20 for the general public, and $5 for students and educators with valid school ID or email.

For reservations, visit sbmm.org, email [email protected], or call (805) 456-8750. Register Today Sofrin first spoke about Eagle at SBMM in 2024.

That presentation ultimately helped inspire his newest book, USCG Cutter Eagle: The Legacy of the Coast Guard’s Flagship , published by Lyons Press in June 2026. Copies of Sofrin’s books will be available for purchase at the museum during the event.

His November return to SBMM will offer audiences a significantly expanded perspective. Rather than focusing primarily on the Coast Guard’s early history in California, Sofrin will trace the evolution of the service alongside the extraordinary transformation of Eagle —from her beginnings in prewar Germany to her nearly eight decades as the flagship of the United States Coast Guard.

From Horst Wessel to America’s Tall Ship Built at the Blohm & Voss shipyard in Hamburg, Germany, and launched in 1936 as Horst Wessel , the three-masted barque began life as a sail-training vessel for Nazi Germany. Following World War II, the ship was taken by the United States as a war reparation and commissioned into the U.S.

Coast Guard in 1946 as Eagle . What followed was one of the most remarkable transformations in modern maritime history.

Over the ensuing decades, Eagle became far more than a sailing vessel. Today, she serves as the Coast Guard’s flagship, a working classroom at sea, a platform for international diplomacy, and an enduring symbol of seamanship, service, and leadership.

Learning to Lead at Sea At 295 feet long with more than 23,000 square feet of sail, Eagle provides Coast Guard Academy cadets and officer candidates with an immersive environment unlike anything found in a traditional classroom. Under sail, cadets learn navigation, ship handling, teamwork, discipline, and leadership while confronting the physical and mental demands of life at sea.

Working aloft in the rigging, standing watch, handling lines, navigating changing weather, and operating as part of a ship’s company require young officers to learn quickly how individual actions affect the entire crew. For Sofrin, that is central to understanding why Eagle remains relevant in the modern Coast Guard.

His presentation will examine not only how the vessel has changed during her long career, but why a sailing ship built nearly a century ago continues to play such an important role in preparing future Coast Guard officers. A Firsthand Perspective Sofrin brings an unusual perspective to the story.

Having been a licensed captain, professional sailor, and wooden boat shipwright, he has logged more than 30,000 blue-water miles and has spent his career immersed in many aspects of the maritime industry. He has been invited aboard Eagle as a captain’s guest for multiple training exercises in the North Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, giving him the opportunity to experience firsthand the ship, her crew, and the demanding environment in which Coast Guard cadets learn.

Those experiences became part of a much larger journey of research that culminated in USCG Cutter Eagle: The Legacy of the Coast Guard’s Flagship . The book traces Eagle’s history through the experiences of the cadets, officers, commanders, and crews who have sailed aboard her and examines how the vessel evolved from a captured ship of war into an American symbol of leadership and international engagement.

Sofrin is also the author of All Hands on Deck: A Modern-Day High Seas Adventure to the Far Side of the World and his forthcoming book, Hands On: Build Skills, Gain Experience, and Create Opportunities That Matter , set to be published in March 2027. He has also contributed to numerous publications, including Classic Boat Magazine , Cruising World , and Yachting World . “ Eagle is much more than a historic ship,” said Sofrin. “She is a living laboratory where generations of young Coast Guard officers have learned what it means to lead, work as a team, and meet challenges at sea.

Her transformation and continued relevance make her story unlike that of any other vessel.” Guests will also have an opportunity to purchase Sofrin’s books at the event. Event Details Maritime Distinguished Speaker Series Will Sofrin: USCGC Eagle America’s Ambassador Thursday, November 19, 2026 7:00 p.m.

Santa Barbara Maritime Museum 113 Harbor Way, Santa Barbara The Maritime Distinguished Speaker Series is sponsored by Marie L Morrisroe