We Built a 44-Foot Steel Yacht to Escape the Rat Race.
Memoir, 2022
Between 1996 and 2001, we built a 44-foot steel sailing yacht while still working full-time. In 2002, we left the UK and sailed toward the Mediterranean to live differently. Getting Away is the true story of that decision, and the years of work that made it possible.
This didn’t start with a dramatic moment. It started with a quieter realisation…
What the book is about
- The decision to step away from the 9–5 pattern and design life deliberately.
- The reality of building a 44-foot steel sailing yacht from scratch while still working.
- The long, unglamorous years of persistence that nobody sees from the outside.
- The strain, humour, and strength of doing something difficult as a couple.
- The moment the boat stopped being a project and became our life.
- What freedom actually feels like when novelty fades and real life begins.
Meet Mitzie
One of the most loved parts of Getting Away is Mitzie, our observant, opinionated narrator. From floor level, she notices what humans often miss: the habits, tensions, humour, and small absurdities of everyday life. Her voice adds warmth and honesty to the story, while the bigger project, building a boat and leaving the UK, unfolds in the background.
About the Author
I’m Mike Ruffles. Between 1996 and 2001, my wife Ann and I built a 44-foot steel sailing yacht while working full-time. In 2002, my wife and I left the UK and sailed toward the Mediterranean to live aboard and live differently. Getting Away tells the story of that decision, and the years of work that made it possible.
