12-year-old Samuel 'Skiff' Beaman is a boy with incredible determination in the face of adversity. Since the death of his mother, his father has sunk into an alcoholic depression, and now Skiff's pride and joy, their boat the Mary Rose has sunk too. If only he can raise and fix Rose, Skiff is sure he'll be able to get the family business, and his dad, back on track. But to fix the boat he needs $5000. With his father penniless and hopeless, Skiff is determined to raise the money himself-by going out on the open ocean all alone, on a dangerous mission to harpoon a prize giant tuna.