This is a true story about escaping the rat race… and what happens after you do.
We Built a 44-Foot Steel Yacht, and sailed away.
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 story of that decision, and the years it took to make it happen.
Start the journey:
Getting Away (Book 1)
Continue the story:
Getting Back (Book 2 – 1st May)
And the story doesn’t end there:
Getting There (Book 3 – 1st December)
Over 20 years later, this journey is still unfolding.
This is where the story begins.
This didn’t start with a dramatic moment. It started with a quieter realisation…
What followed
- The decision to step away from the 9–5 pattern and live differently.
- The reality of building a 44-foot steel sailing yacht from scratch while still working full-time.
- The long, unglamorous years of persistence that nobody sees from the outside.
- The strain, humour, and resilience of doing something difficult together.
- The moment the boat stopped being a project and became our life.
- What freedom actually feels like when novelty fades and real life begins.
What matters more is everything that leads up to it… and everything that comes after.
This is where the story begins.
Start with Book 1 – Getting Away
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.
