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The Best Sailing Documentaries in 2024

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Updated 09 January 2024

Adventure is out there waiting — and if you’re after some sailing escapism or inspiration to get out there and give it a go — you’ve come to the right place. I’ve put together an extensive list of all of the best sailing documentaries for you to watch. From the early pioneer solo-sailors circumnavigating with 16mm film shot in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, to the crisp HD adventures of a lifeboat in the Arctic — I’ve got you covered.

Below you’ll discover 27 films with:

an overview of the themes

a short description of the film (no spoilers here!)

a heads up if it’s a pay-to-view (some are free!)

and where to watch them online or in theatres.

Grab your popcorn, a glass of red and enjoy!

Coming Spring 2024 — Melges: The Wizard of Zenda

Themes: Yacht race Pay to view: tbc Available on: tbc

Director Mark Honer has crafted a remarkable journey through the life and career of an extraordinary sailing icon Buddy Melges. For anyone wanting to inspire themselves to read the wind and waves to better their sailing, this one’s for you! With behind-the-scenes archival footage of the 1992 America’s Cup and a interviews with sailing greats Dennis Conner, John Bertrand, and Gary Jobson, this is an incredible insight into how a young boy from the mid-west who fell in love with sailing, became one of the most respected sailors of all time. Due for release in Spring 2024 — read my full Wizard of Zenda film review and mark this one on your calendar! Official site: Wizard of Zenda

Coming soon — Women & The Wind

Themes: Discovery Pay to view: tbc Available on: tbc

Women and The Wind is a female-led voyage spotlighting plastic pollution in the Atlantic, while shining light on the awe-inspiring capabilities of women. Based on the preliminary trailer this may well be Saltwater Journal’s documentary to watch for 2023.

Now in post-production phase, Women & The Wind have crowdfunded to help bring their film to life. Now we await the release! Experience the voyage of three women across the North Atlantic on Mara Noka, a 50-year-old wooden catamaran. Captured through the eyes and lens of filmmaker Alize Jireh who records the intensity of the voyage and the ocean, throughout 30 days of calms, storms, setbacks, and unimaginable scenery. The ever-changing state of the sea, in all its splendour, and duality—shifting between gentleness and rage—reflects our own humanity and opens us to contemplation on our relationship with the most unknown parts of ourselves and the planet.

New! — A Voyage of Discovery: The Ocean Race

Themes: Yacht race Pay to view: Yes Available on: Discovery+, Aired exclusively in three parts across Europe at 21:00-22:00 CET on Friday 3, Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 November 2023 on Eurosport’s channels. Streaming of all three episodes will also be available on discovery+ and the Eurosport App in Europe, and Eurosport Extra in Poland. Will also be available on Max in the USA at a future date.

This riveting three-part documentary A Voyage of Discovery: The Ocean Race from Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) offers an intimate portrayal of the grueling six-month-long competition. Experience the exhilarating highs and heart-wrenching lows as onboard cameras penetrate the exclusive realms of both sea and shore, capturing the relentless challenges and triumphs faced by the intrepid sailors, including the acclaimed Charlie Enright, skipper of the triumphant 11th Hour Racing Team. This immersive exploration unveils the unseen drama behind the scenes, granting viewers an all-access pass to watch the finest seafarers on the planet tackle the formidable tides of this iconic offshore odyssey, showcasing the resilience, camaraderie, and unwavering pursuit of glory.

The Voyage of Madmen

Themes: Yacht race Pay to view: Yes Available on: Vimeo (Note: Vimeo is the only place to order the special LONG PLAY 112 minute version for sailors – all others are 90 minutes.)

Once dubbed a journey for the insane, this remarkable expedition altered lives in unimaginable ways: yachts met their watery graves, a tragic suicide unfolded, and out of the initial nine participants, only one man emerged victorious. Sir Robin Knox-Johnston etched his name in history as the first individual to conquer the daunting feat of sailing solo, nonstop, and unassisted around the globe. For half a century, no other competition has mirrored its audacity. The Voyage of Madmen chronicles Don McIntyre's recreation of this legendary race on its 50th anniversary, as he embarks on a mission to entice amateur sailors to brave the treacherous seas, defying all odds aboard small boats.

True Spirit

Themes: Circumnavigation Pay to view: Yes Available on: Netflix

Many of you will have read Jessica Watson’s book True Spirit , about her remarkable attempt to be the youngest person to sail solo, non-stop and unassisted around the world. At the time, many expected her to fail as she navigated some of the world’s most challenging stretches of ocean over the course of 210 days. Now Watson’s story as a determined teen has been brought to life onscreen. Watch True Spirit — as she doggedly follows her dreams and proves age is no barrier to epic sailing adventures.

The Race to Alaska

The Race to Alaska is now available to watch online!

Themes: Yacht race Pay to view: Yes Available on: Amazon , Vimeo, YouTube, and more

Described as ‘the hardest race you’ve never seen’, This is the story of the Race to Alaska . A race that has changed the lives of hundreds of people. Through one of the most complex waterways in the world. 15 knot currents, gale force winds, cold water, deep water, logs, bears, cold, fatigue, and endless unknowns. First prize: $10,000. Second prize: a set of steak knives. This feature length documentary explores the extreme and impressive individuals who accepted this utterly unique challenge.

Untie The Lines

Themes: Discovery Pay to view: Yes Available on: Projektor

You might be familiar already with Nike (of White Spot Pirates on YouTube) — now you can see the full feature documentary of her journey. Watch Berenike (Nike) Steiger transform from a landlubber into a salty sailing woman, who adapted her needs and skills to the rules of the ocean, forming a beautiful unity between her and her boat “Karl”. A raw, honest account of the realities of buying a project boat, and setting off to sail the Western Caribbean.

Untold: The Race of the Century

Themes: Yacht race Pay to view: Yes Available on: Netflix

A chronicle of the thrilling 1983 America’s Cup, “The Race of the Century” is a classic underdog story. It tells the tale of the scrappy group of Australians who band together to dethrone the New York Yacht Club, and break the longest-running win streak in history— 132 years!— in the most prestigious sailing competition in the world. Key members of the 1983 U.S. and Australian crews sit down for interviews sharing their experience of this ultimate race to victory.

Themes: Discovery Pay to view: Free Available on: WaterBear

Slovak director Lucia Kašová tells an intimate biographical story of Paul Earling Johnson — respected pioneering sailor, free spirit and renowned boat designer in his twilight years. We spend time with Johnson as he faces the frailty of age, reminises on his life choices and contemplates his final days on the sea. The Sailor is an incredibly moving and poetic experience about a man’s relationship with chasing freedom and living life on his own terms.

The Art of Slowing Down Time: 164 Days Alone at Sea

Themes: Discovery Pay to view: Free Available on: YouTube

Emma Ringqvist leaves the stress of modern life behind and spends 164 days alone on the Atlantic Ocean in a small sail boat. This film includes poetry from Stephen Jenkinson, recorded and arranged by Gregory Hoskins. It also features artwork from Daniel Beerstecher's Land Sailor project, filmed by Erik Schimschar. Also: photography from the remote island Tristan Da Cunha by renowned travel photographer Andy Isaacson. The Art of Slowing Down Time a film by Mattias Olsson for Campfire Stories.

The Real Deal: A Tribute to Larry Pardey

Themes: Circumnavigation, Discovery Pay to view: Yes Available on: Vimeo

There’s not much that Larry Pardey hasn’t done in the world of sailing, and this epic documentary is a tribute to the man who paved the way for world cruising; sailing more than 200,000 miles and circumnavigating both east-about and west-about in engine-free boats. The Real Deal: Larry Pardey, Legendary Sailor and Adventurer is a must-see for anyone wanting inspiration to set sail around the world

Themes: Discovery, Music Pay to view: Yes Available on: Vimeo

Blown Away is an authentic and inspiring film about the adventurous journey of two friends by boat and bus around the world and almost without money, and a moving soundtrack. Follow Ben and Hannes as they travel 31 countries over four years, recording 130 songs with 200 musicians. 

Themes: Circumnavigation, Yacht race Pay to view: Yes Available on: Amazon , Netflix

Maiden is the captivating story of sailing pioneer Tracy Edwards and her all-female crew in the Whitbread Round the World Race. Theirs is a story and a race that inspired millions worldwide.

Coyote: The Mike Plant Story

Themes: Circumnavigation, Solo-sailor, Yacht race Pay to view: Yes Available on: Google Play, Apple, Vimeo, Amazon Prime

The story of Mike Plant , legendary single-handed racer, will inspire you to live life on your own terms and with dogged determination. 

Themes: Circumnavigation, Solo-sailor, Discovery Pay to view: Yes Available on: Amazon Prime

Maidentrip tells the epic journey of Laura Dekker, a New Zealand-born Dutch teen, who sets out in 2011 to become the world's youngest solo circumnavigator.

Red Dot on the Ocean: The Matt Rutherford Story

Themes: Circumnavigation, Solo-sailor, Discovery Pay to view: Free Available on: YouTube, Amazon

Matt Rutherford buys a yacht off the internet without knowing how to sail, and at 21years old, sets out to become the first person to solo sail and non-stop around North and South America.

Robin Knox-Johnston: A Force of Nature

Themes: Circumnavigation, Solo-sailor Pay to view: Free Available on: YouTube

Sir Robin Knox-Johnston: A Force of Nature is a fantastic BBC short documentary with interviews and original footage about one of the most legendary British sailors of all times.

Sir Robin Knox-Johnston: Sailing Legend

From battling through monster waves, to being ‘lost at sea’ after losing his radio, and fighting off a shark, Sir Robin relieves the journey and shares never before seen photographs and diary entries. Sir Robin Knox-Johnson: Sailing Legend looks back on his remarkable life, career, legacy and his astonishing influence on the sport.

Jean Du Sud Around The World

Themes: Circumnavigation, Solo-sailor, Discovery Pay to view: Free Available on: YouTube

Jean Du Sud Around the World tells the story of sailor Yves Gélinas’s solo 28,000 miles circumnavigation aboard his Alberg 30 sloop, Jean-du-Sud. Shot in original 16mm film, this 1984 adventure filled documentary has been re-released in HD.

Sea Gypsies

Themes: Discovery Pay to view: Yes Available on: Amazon

Sea Gypsies follows the epic sailing adventures aboard a non-ice-reinforced hand built 1970’s boat, that sets out on an 8000mile Pacific crossing from New Zealand to Patagonia, stopped in Antarctica on the way. Crewed by a band of wandering miscreants, with no permits or insurance and an almost non-existent budget, they battle the most extreme sailing elements.

The Tales of Vienna

Themes: Discovery, Short-film Pay to view: Free Available on: Vimeo

The Tales of Vienna is a short film about five men who embark on a journey aboard sailing vessel Vienna in search of rough seas and secluded mountainous areas. Tacking their way up the coast, they are in for more than sailing and skiing. A fictional story based on true events.

Hard Ship is a fearless tale of three paralyzed men take up one of sailing’s most gruelling challenges—a 750 mile race to Alaska through some of the most treacherous and remote waters on the planet.

Between Home

Themes: Solo-sailor, Discovery Pay to view: Yes Available on: Vimeo

Between Home: Odyssey of an Unusual Sea Bandit follows the journey of amateur sailor Nick Jaffe, who decides to sail solo from the UK to Australia, negotiating the treacherous waters of the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.

Themes: Discovery, Short-film Pay to view: Free Available on: YouTube

Kekoa is a heartwarming story about two sailors, brothers and best friends who teach themselves to build a beautiful, luxury wooden catamaran from scratch, and create a life they love.

The Weekend Sailor

Themes: Circumnavigation, Discovery, Yacht-race Pay to view: Free Available on: Amazon Prime

The Weekend Sailor is an inspirational film about Ramón Carlín — a Mexican captain who enters the deadly 9-month Whitbread Round the World Race in 1973 with almost no experience in an unforgettable journey.

Chasing Bubbles

Chasing Bubbles follows the journey and spirit of Alex Rust, a farm boy turned day trader from Indiana who, at 25, abandoned his life in Chicago, bought a modest sailboat (called Bubbles) and set out to sail around the world.

STØDIG is a marine survival lifeboat converted into a home and self-sufficient exploration vessel by two young architects Guylee Simmonds and David Schnabel. Follow their four voyage from the UK to Tromsø, far north in the Norwegian Fjords, as they explore the breathtaking scenery of the wild and isolated landscape of the Arctic.

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Top 10 must-see sailing documentaries

• Stef Bottinelli

From Deep Water to Maidentrip, these must-see sailing documentaries will keep you glued to the screen. Watch the trailers here

Released in 2008 and nominated for a prestigious Cesar Award for Best Documentary Film, Tabarly is based on the life of  French yachtsman Eric Tabarly who lost his life after falling overboard from his Pen Duick boat off the coast of Wales in June 1998. He was en route to the Fife regatta in Scotland.

Released in 2013, Maidentrip tells the story of New Zealand-born Dutch teen Laura Dekker, who set out to become the youngest person to sail around the world single-handedly. Dekker had to fight a Dutch court to be allowed to pursue her dream at such a young age. Finally, in August 2010, she set sail on her epic journey onboard her two-masted ketch and arrived, 5,600 nautical miles later, at Simpson Bay on St Maarten in January 2012 – breaking the world record. She was only 16 years and four months of age.

Racing Around the World Alone

This exhilarating 2010 documentary follows 30 hopeful skippers who take part in the 2008/2009 Vendée Globe race, the single-handed, non stop race around the world without assistance.

Red Dot on the Ocean: The Matt Rutherford Story

This inspiring 2014 documentary tells the story of Matt Rutherford, once a rebellious youth, who bought a sailing boat on the internet without inspecting it first, learnt to sail by himself and at the age of 21 attempted the dangerous voyage to become the first person to sail alone and nonstop around North and South America. Matt’s adventure started in Annapolis, Maryland, where he returned having achieved his goal 309 days later. The documentary is available to buy on Amazon Prime, Vimeo and Apple iTunes.

Robin Knox-Johnston: A Force of Nature

This BBC documentary was broadcast in June 2018 to mark 50 years since  Sir Robin Knox-Johnston set sail from Falmouth to win the original Golden Globe Race thus becoming the first person to sail single-handed and non-stop around the world half a century before. With interviews and original footage, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston: A Force of Nature is a fantastic documentary about one of the most legendary British sailors of all times. 

Jean Du Sud Around The World

1984 film Jean Du Sud Around the World tells the story of sailor Yves Gélinas’s solo 28,000 miles circumnavigation aboard his Alberg 30 sloop, Jean-du-Sud. He sails from France to Quebec via the Roaring Forties of the Southern Ocean and Cape Horn.Gélinas shot the 16 mm film in order to share his experience with fellow sailors, especially the use of his self-steering gear. The film was awarded the Palme D’Or twice and has now been re-released in HD.

Taking Flight: Britain’s America’s Cup Challenge

Sir Ben Ainslie wants to bring the America’s Cup to Britain. Credit: Lloyd Images

The documentary, shown on the BBC on 23 July 2016, follows Sir Ben Ainslie and his Land Rover BAR team as they prepare to try and win sport’s oldest international trophy – the America’s Cup . Narrated by presenter Clare Balding, the screening of the documentary coincided with the America’s Cup World Series Portsmouth on 22-24 July.

Narrated by Tilda Swinton and using original 16mm footage, tape recordings and interviews this brilliant 2006 documentary recounts the story of Donald Crowhurst and his fatal attempt to win the first Golden Globe Race in 1968.

Not a skilled yachtsman, Crowhurst entered the race with his boat Teignmouth Electron,  intending to use the prize money to support his failing business. As the weeks went on, he eventually abandoned the race and reported false positions to race organisers, leading everyone to believe he was winning the race, when really he was in last place. His yacht   was later found drifting and recovered logbooks indicate that he’d suffered a mental breakdown due to the pressure and the sailor had jumped overboard. The race was eventually won by Robin Knox-Johnston who donated the prize money to Crowhurst’s widow. Available on YouTube and Amazon Prime.

School teacher Dee Caffari and Spanish veterinarian Anna Corbella join forces in fulfilling the dream of a lifetime: becoming professional sailors. Beyond 360 documents their story as they team up to compete in the Barcelona World Race 2010. Available on Amazon Prime.

Released on 8 March 2019 to coincide with International Women’s Day, Maiden  is a feature length documentary on Tracy Edwards.

The film tells the story of 24 year-old Edwards, a cook on charter boats, who became the skipper of the first ever all-female crew to enter the Whitbread Round the World Race in 1989.

Tracy Edwards had her first Whitbread Round the World Race experience working in the galley of the boat Atlantic Privateer. She enjoyed the experience so much that she decided to take part as a skipper and three years later she bought the 58ft yacht Maiden. Edwards put together an all – and first – female crew and entered the race. The crew went on to win two of the Whitbread legs and came second in class overall.

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CNN Originals

Cnn’s alisyn camerota reports on “superyachts and the super rich” for the whole story with anderson cooper.

EPISODE PREMIERES SUNDAY, JANUARY 28 AT 8PM ET/PT

Promo:   https://youtu.be/z1VKpHkq054

NEW YORK, NY – (January 22, 2024) – The Whole Story with Anderson Cooper , a CNN Original, returns with an inside look into the exclusive and luxurious world of the ultra-wealthy at sea. “Superyachts and the Super Rich” premieres on Sunday, January 28 at 8pm ET/PT.

CNN Anchor/Correspondent Alisyn Camerota journeys to Monaco, the richest country in the world per capita, during the annual Monaco Yacht Show, one of the greatest concentrations of wealth in the world and a major annual event for the ten billion dollar a year yachting industry. Camerota tours some of the largest superyachts in existence and speaks to owners, captains, crew and industry leaders to examine the appeal of these floating islands, what it takes to build and maintain these symbols of extreme wealth, their environmental impact and the symbolism it holds for the world’s economic divide.

“Before this assignment, I couldn’t imagine the level of opulence and wealth we’d find – I’d never seen floors made of wood from a 16th Century monastery or wallpaper made of Italian leather,” said Camerota. “But what most surprised me was the universal desire for more – bigger, newer, more extravagant yachts – from the richest people in the world, telling us that even huge superyachts aren’t enough.”

In this episode, Camerota also reports on how superyachts are now a matter of geopolitical concern. As the U.S. and European countries seized more than a dozen vessels allegedly belonging to Russian oligarchs, leaving American taxpayers on the hook to shell out millions of dollars in maintenance and upkeep.

The Whole Story with Anderson Cooper is executive produced by Susan Chun.

The Whole Story with Anderson Cooper will stream live for pay TV subscribers via CNN.com, CNN connected TV and mobile apps on Sunday, January 28. “Superyachts and the Super Rich” will also be available on demand beginning Monday, January 29 to pay TV subscribers via CNN.com, CNN connected TV and mobile apps, and Cable Operator Platforms. Past episodes of The Whole Story are available to stream on demand now on Max.

The Whole Story is also available as a CNN Audio showcast. Visit CNN.com/audio or listen wherever you get your podcasts.

About CNN Worldwide

CNN Worldwide is the most honored brand in cable news, reaching more individuals through television, streamingand online than any other cable news organization in the United States. Globally, people across the world can watch CNN International, which is widely distributed in over 200 countries and territories. CNN Digital is the #1 online news destination, with more unique visitors than any other news source. Max, Warner Bros. Discovery’s streaming platform, features CNN Max, a 24/7 streaming news offering available to subscribers alongside expanded access to News content and CNN Originals. CNN’s award-winning portfolio includes non-scripted programming from CNN Original Series and CNN Films for broadcast, streaming and distribution across multiple platforms. CNN programming can be found on CNN, CNN International and CNN en Español channels, via CNN Max and the CNN Originals hub on discovery+ and via pay TV subscription on CNN.com, CNN apps and cable operator platforms. Additionally, CNN Newsource is the world’s most extensively utilized news service partnering with over 1,000 local and international news organizations around the world. CNN is a division of Warner Bros. Discovery.

About Warner Bros. Discovery

Warner Bros. Discovery (NASDAQ: WBD) is a leading global media and entertainment company that creates and distributes the world’s most differentiated and complete portfolio of content and brands across television, film and streaming. Available in more than 220 countries and territories and 50 languages, Warner Bros. Discovery inspires, informs and entertains audiences worldwide through its iconic brands and products including: Discovery Channel, discovery+, CNN, DC, Eurosport, HBO, HGTV, Food Network, OWN, Investigation Discovery, TLC, Magnolia Network, TNT, TBS, truTV, Travel Channel, Max, MotorTrend, Animal Planet, Science Channel, Warner Bros. Film Group, Warner Bros. Television Group, Warner Bros. Games, New Line Cinema, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Turner Classic Movies, Discovery en Español, Hogar de HGTV and others. For more information, please visit http://www.wbd.com .

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Yachting Monthly

• Digital edition

The best sailing films and documentaries chosen by the YM team

• Katy Stickland
• March 24, 2020

The Yachting Monthly editorial team reveal their pick of the best sailing films and documentaries to keep you entertained in the weeks to come. Feel free to share your favourites at [email protected]

Like many, we understand and accept the need to stay at home although we do feel frustrated that we can’t get out on our boats right now, so we tried to come up with the next best thing – watching films about sailing!

Here are our choices to keep you entertained in the weeks to come.

Hopefully these sailing films and documentaries will offer you a world of cruising escapism – just like Yachting Monthly does every month.

Remember, you can always get Yachting Monthly delivered direct to your door with a subscription or stay in touch via our Facebook , Twitter , Instagram or YouTube channels.

Theo Stocker – Editor chooses his favourite sailing films

*yachting monthly is not paid by manufacturers for our recommendations. if you click through and buy an item, we may receive a small amount of money from the retailer, at no cost to you.*.

Cross 1980s America’s Cup sailing with Top Gun , and you get an idea of what Wind is about.

Cheesey it may be, but fast boats, high drama, preening egos and the obligatory love interest match genuinely well-filmed sailing sequences for one of the most quotable sailing films of all time.

Wind follows one sailor’s dream to reclaim the greatest sailing trophy of them all – the America’s Cup.

After Will Parker (Matthew Modine) fails to lead his American crew to victory against challengers, Australia, he convinces his millionaire backer, Morgan Weld (Cliff Robertson) to finance an experimental yacht.

The boat has been designed by Joe Heisler (Stellan Skarsgard), the new partner of Will’s ex-girlfriend Kate, played by Jennifer Grey.

The film has some fantastic cinematography.

Buy the DVD now on Amazon (UK)

As sailors we are often faced with having to solve problems, sometimes miles from home.

Just think of Jeanne Socrates and how she overcame endless equipment failure to sail solo around the world non-stop without assistance.

All of it makes good fodder for films.

Adrift is based on the book Red Sky in Mourning – Tami Oldham Ashcraft’s true account of sailing into a Pacific hurricane, dismasting, and then sailing solo under jury rig for 41 days alone to Hawaii.

Admittedly the film plays fast and lose with the true story’s facts but it is still hugely entertaining.

You feel the terror of the extreme conditions and marvel as Tami manages to solve the catalogue of near voyage-ending disasters – no matter how implausible some of it might seem.

Pure escapism, and a reminder that when the chips are down there is usually a way out.

Watch it now on Amazon prime video (UK)

White Squall

Based on the 1961 sinking of the schooner, Albatross in the Gulf of Mexico, the Ridley Scott-directed film follows Captain Christopher Sheldon, played by Jeff Bridges, at the helm as he tries to teach fortitude and discipline to his youthful crew of Chuck Gieg (Scott Wolf), Frank Beaumont (Jeremy Sisto), Gil Martin (Ryan Phillippe) and Dean Preston (Eric Michael Cole).

When caught in a white squall, the boys use what they’ve been taught to survive. It is a bit like the Robin Williams’ classic Dead Poet’s Society , but at sea.

Jeff Bridges is solid as ‘Skipper’ who tries to make the boys men through life afloat, but some of the special effects are dodgy (At one point you can see some of them standing on the bottom of the tank).

The best part about this film (and the reason I think you should watch it) is the ship itself. The brigantine rigged Eye of the Wind , which is the Albatross in the film, is spectacular to see on the screen and it is easy to transport yourself out of your living room and almost feel the wind in the sails.

Katy Stickland – Deputy Editor chooses her favourite sailing films

En solitaire.

Also released under the title Turning Tide , this French film follows one man’s Vendée Globe race which gets turned upside down when he stops to make repairs in the Canary Islands and lands up with a stowaway on board.

Threatened with disqualification if his stowaway is discovered, weathered skipper Yann Kermadec struggles with his emotions, having to deceive his shore team as well as handling the pressures of the race.

Yes, it is a bit predictable but it is a heartwarming tale of how two very different people become friends.

I really liked the sequence at the start of the race and how the film captures the intensity of a solo round the world yacht race. The soundtrack is pretty good too.

What is more inspiring than watching Tracy Edwards and her ground breaking all-female crew in the 1989-90 Whitbread Round the World Race?

I have watched Maiden four times now and it still leaves me with a lump in my throat as Maiden makes her way back into Portsmouth, and punching the air when Tracy lifts up her well deserved Yachtsman of the Year Award.

Read the full review of Maiden here: ‘Powerful and inspirational’ Maiden documentary

The onboard footage is fascinating to watch, especially their second leg through the Southern Ocean which they won. You celebrate with them ( Maiden won Leg 2 and 3 in their class) and feel their pain when gear failure leaves them third in Leg 5 to Fort Lauderdale.

This footage is beautifully spliced with interviews with the crew members reflecting on their race. The brutal honesty still takes my breath away. One wonders if their male rivals would be equally as honest.

And yes, the disparaging expectations of some of the male sailing journalists still grates. Attitudes are changing thankfully, although more needs to be done!

Donald Crowhurst’s tragic 1968 Golden Globe Race aboard Teignmouth Electron brought to the big screen.

This still remains one of the best sailing films I have ever seen (and being married to a sailor and Whitbread/Golden Globe Race devotee I’ve seen nearly all of them, from films like Wind and The Old Man and the Sea to documentaries including Round the World with Ridgeway and Drum ).

The sailing is authentic for a Hollywood film, and yes there are some modern boats in some of the scenes shot in Teignmouth Harbour, but overall the sailing is true to life.

Read the full review here: The Mercy: ‘One of the best sailing films I’ve ever seen’

Colin Firth is standout as Crowhurst, who almost sleep walks to his fate, clinging on to the hope that he can prove the cynics wrong and win the race.

The film certainly got Sir Robin Knox-Johnston’s approval who described it as ‘a great film’. What more of an endorsement do you need?

Toby Heppell – Sailing Editor chooses his favourite sailing films

There is no denying this is an absolutely bonkers film.

I’m no film connoisseur but it’s well known this film absolutely tanked at the box office and was famous for losing quite a substantial amount of money – though when you finally factor in video sales apparently it just about saw a profit.

That being said, I absolutely adored this film when it came out. I was in my early teens at the time and racing dinghies at the weekend. Even then I remember feeling like someone behind the scenes actually knew about sailing.

Sure there are moments – as in many films featuring sailing – that sails are flapping or backed and the boat is happily making way forwards as if by magic. But the key sailing scenes remain impressive to this day.

The two 60ft trimarans that where used to shoot it were still look pretty modern even now. I remember watching Kevin Costner in full silent hero mode high-tailing it from the baddies, setting off downwind and firing a kite into the sky to help him speed away.

Not a spinnaker, mind, an actual kite. It felt like an inside joke about sailing slang put there just for me. Even now, I still return to it on the odd occasion.

It’s rare to see Hollywood doing sailing. It’s rare to see this much money thrown in the direction of sailing on the screen. If you can ignore the plot, the dialogue and much of the acting it remains a solid watch.

Morning Light

This was a real revelation when it came out and remains a solid documentary.

Fifteen young sailors embark on six months of training with the ultimate aim to sail a TP52 across the Pacific Ocean taking part in the TRANSPAC.

The premise is that this young, inexperienced crew (made up of 18-23 year olds) sailing Morning Light race the 2,300 miles against some of sailing’s top professionals.

The whole thing was funded by Roy Disney and remains a stunning testament to the rigours of racing and sailing offshore, and how much can be achieved by young sailors give a chance.

The Perfect Storm

As with Waterworld , The Perfect Storm is objectively pretty trashy. It’s made all the worse by the fact that there is no sailing at all in the film.

That it is loosely (very, very loosely) based on a true story of a fishing boat that heads out into the titular perfect storm with… consequences. It’s what keeps me coming back.

I grew up in a small town in Essex with a proud fishing tradition. The fishermen of the town would head out into the north sea on Smacks and other craft to ply their trade and, all too often, never return.

The walls of our local church are literally lined with memorials to those brave, lost men – the descendants of who still live there now.

So, The Perfect Storm may be about a fishing boat, in America, without sails, but it also serves to remind us what the sea can be capable of.

And it conjures thoughts for me, of those countless numbers who lost their lives at sea and under sail to keep the country and their families fed.

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Atlas & Boots

The UK's most popular outdoor travel blog

25 sailing movies for when you’re knot shore what to watch

We share some of our favourite best sailing movies, from Hollywood blockbusters and indie films to illuminating documentaries

I still hang on to the rather fanciful notion of sailing in the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race . Until I pluck up the courage (and the funds), I’ve been busying myself with more realistic nautical escapades.

From  tall ship sailing off the west coast of Scotland  to  sailing the Whitsunday Islands  in Australia , more and more of our travels have taken place on the water.

However, until I make the leap from weekend warrior to blue water sailor, I’ll have to make do with films, books and daydreams.

With that in mind, I’ve put together a list of the best sailing movies I’ve seen. What follows is a broad mix of modern and classic, indie and feature, drama and documentary film. Whatever their style, these flicks are thoroughly wet and wonderful.

And, I’m sorry about the pun, but you know, ship happens.

best sailing movies

Listed in no particular order, these nautical movies include terrifying ordeals of tragedy, inconceivable stories of survival, turbulent tales of adventure and wild journeys of discovery – perfect for a night in on a dry and comfy sofa.

1. Kon-Tiki (1950) Let’s start with one of the best sailing movies ever made. In 1947, Heyerdahl and five others sailed from Peru on a balsa wood raft. This is the classic Academy Award winning documentary of their astonishing journey across 4,300 miles of the Pacific Ocean.

Watch on Amazon Rotten Tomatoes IMDB

2. Red Dot on the Ocean (2014) Once labelled a ‘youth-at-risk’, 30-year old Matt Rutherford risked it all in an attempt to become the first person to sail solo non-stop around North and South America. Red Dot on the Ocean is the story of Matt’s death-defying voyage and the childhood odyssey that shaped him.

3. The Dove (1974) Produced by Gregory Peck, this coming-of-age adventure is based on the true story of Robin Lee Graham . At 16, he set sail in a 23ft sloop determined to be the youngest person to sail around the world.

4. Wind (1992) In over 140 years of competition, the US has lost the America’s Cup just once. This is a fictional story of the American challengers intent on winning back sailing’s top prize. A tale of money, power, love and ambition follows… oh, and some sailing.

5. Morning Light (2008) A riveting true-life adventure aboard the high-tech sloop Morning Light. Fifteen rookie sailors have one goal in mind: to be part of her crew, racing in one of the most revered sailing competitions in the world, the Transpac Yacht Race .

6. Between Home – Odyssey of an Unusual Sea Bandit (2012) An independent filmmaker’s account of his solo voyage from the UK to Australia, negotiating the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans en route. A trip that eventually takes over two years to complete.

Watch on Amazon IMDB

7. Styx (2019) When a lone yachtswoman comes across a sinking ship of refugees, she is torn away from her idyllic trip and tasked with a momentous decision. Should she act when authorities tell her to sail away?

8. Captain Ron (1992) After inheriting a yacht, a Chicago businessman enlists long-haired, one-eyed low-life Captain Ron to pilot the yacht from the Caribbean to Miami. During the voyage, the sailor frequently loses his way while becoming a hit with the businessman’s family. Goofy comedy starring Kurt Russell and Martin Short widely recognised as one of the funniest sailing movies ever made.

9. Maidentrip (2013) This riveting documentary chronicles the life and adventures of 14-year-old Laura Dekker who set out on a two-year voyage in pursuit of her dream to be the youngest person ever to sail solo around the world.

10. Kon-Tiki (2012) A well-crafted retelling of the epic original and one of the best sailing movies ever made. This dramatised version is a throwback to old-school adventure filmmaking that’s exciting and entertaining in spite of its by-the-book plotting.

“But you can’t navigate a raft,” he added. “It goes sideways and backwards and round as the wind takes it.” – Thor Heyerdahl, Kon-Tiki

11. Abandoned (2015) Four men set sail on the trimaran yacht Rose Noelle . It capsizes in a storm, trapping the crew in a space the size of a double bed. After 119 days adrift, the yacht washes ashore. The crew’s story is extraordinary, but doubt is cast on their claims and they face hostility from the media and authorities.

12. Adrift (2019) There are far better films on this list, but Adrift is just about worth a watch. Based on true events, a young couple embark on an adventure of a lifetime that brings them face to face with one of the worst hurricanes in recorded history.

13. The Perfect Storm (2000) A skipper insists that his crew go out on a final fishing trip before winter sets in. Unknown to them, a brutal storm is on its way. While the special effects are excellent for the time, the film falls a little  short on characterisation.

14. Sea Gypsies: The Far Side of the World (2016) The vessel is Infinity, a 120ft hand-built sailboat, crewed by a band of miscreants. The journey, an 8,000-mile Pacific crossing from New Zealand to Patagonia with a stop in Antarctica .

15. Turning Tide / En Solitaire (2013) Franck Drevil is a star skipper, having won the latest Vendée Globe , the most prestigious round-the-world single-handed yacht race. However, with this year’s race approaching, a sudden accident forces Franck to withdraw.

16. Knife in the Water (1962) When a young hitchhiker joins a couple on a weekend yacht trip, psychological warfare breaks out as the two men compete for the woman’s attention. A storm forces the small crew below deck and tension builds to a violent climax.

17. Dead Calm (1989) This tense thriller tells the story of an Australian couple (Nicole Kidman and Sam Neill) whose yacht cruise is violently interrupted by the mysterious lone survivor (Billy Zane) of a ship whose crew has perished.

18. The Riddle of the Sands (1979) A classic British swashbuckling yarn based on the early English spy novel of the same name. In 1901, two British yachtsmen visit Germany’s Frisian Islands and accidentally discover a German plot to invade England.

19. Maiden (2019) The story of Tracy Edwards, a 24-year-old cook on charter boats, who became the skipper of the first-ever all-female crew to enter the Whitbread Round the World Race in 1989.

20. White Squall (1996) Based on a true incident from 1960, White Squall is the story of the tragic sinking of the Albatross , a prep school educational two-masted schooner, during a Caribbean storm. Starring Jeff Bridges.

21. The Mercy (2017) Starring Colin Firth and Rachel Weisz, this is certainly no heroic tale. Instead, it’s the dramatisation of the bizarre story of amateur sailor Donald Crowhurst and his attempt to pull off one of the greatest hoaxes of our time: pretending to be the first to sail singlehandedly around the world!

22. Deep Water (2006) Following on from the above, Deep Water is a British documentary about the remarkable story of the first Golden Globe round the world yacht race , focusing on the psychological toll it took on its competitors – particularly one Donald Crowhurst.

23. Captains Courageous (1937) A spoiled brat who falls overboard from a steamship gets picked up by a fishing boat, where he’s made to earn his keep by joining the crew in their work. Based on the 1897 novel by Rudyard Kipling.

24. Open Water 2: Adrift (2006) A silly premise, but entertaining nonetheless. Six friends jump off a yacht without lowering the ladder first. With no way to climb aboard, it’s only a matter of time before bickering turns to terror.

25. Master and Commander – The Far Side of the World (2003) During the Napoleonic Wars, a brash British captain (Russell Crowe) pushes his ship and crew to their limits in pursuit of a formidable French war vessel.

“Do you not know that in the service one must always choose the lesser of two weevils?” – Capt. Jack Aubrey, Master and Commander

Readers’ suggestions

Here’s what our readers have added to the list of the best sailing movies.

• Masquerade (1988)
• Violets are Blue (1986)
• Kill Cruise (1992)
• Message in a Bottle (1999)
• High wind in Jamaica (1965)
• Caddyshack (1980)
• O Mundo em Duas Voltas (The World in Two Round Trips) (2007)
• One Crazy Summer (1986)
• Coyote: The Mike Plant Story (2018)
• The Weekend Sailor (2017)
• Harpoon (2019)
• Waterworld (1995)
• Around Cape Horn (1929)
• Mutiny on the Bounty (1935)
• Mutiny on the Bounty (1962)
• The Bounty (1984)
• All Is Lost (2013)

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Sailing Documentaries and Movies

A Collection of Sailing Documentaries and Movies for Educational Purposes. Commentary from the worlds top yacht designers and builders, with coverage from the years past Classic Regatta’s. Watch DORADE in her quest to repeat all of the major ocean races she won in the 1930s. Sailing documentaries and movie trailers, that showcase classic yachts and a lot more!

Classic Boat Builders | Classic Yachts | Classic Yacht Regattas | Cultural and Humanitarian Awareness | Documentaries | Electric Propulsion | General Interest | Marine Photography | Maritime Museums | Ports of Call | Sailmakers | Yacht Designers | Yacht Design Schools

Classic Boat Builders:

ASPOYA BOATS: INFORMATIONAL BRISTOL BOAT COMPANY, RHODE ISLAND: 1919 Herreshoff S-Boat Reconstruction INFORMATIONAL BROOKLIN BOAT YARD, MAINE: INFORMATIONAL CLAASEN SHIPYARDS, NETHERLANDS: INFORMATIONAL FAIRLIE RESTORATIONS LTD: INFORMATIONAL GANNON AND BENJAMIN MARINE RAILWAY: INFORMATIONAL HAROLD A. BURNHAM – 11th Generation Wooden-Boat Builder: INFORMATIONAL HUNT YACHTS – HISTORICAL – INFORMATIONAL LATITUDE CLASSIC YACHTS (Tofinou): INFORMATIONAL LYMAN MORSE: INFORMATIONAL PENDENNIS SHIPYARD LTD: INFORMATIONAL ROCKPORT MARINE, MAINE: INFORMATIONAL SHIP BUILDING IN ESSEX, MASSACHUSETTS: DOCUMENTARY SPAULDING WOODEN BOAT CENTER: DOCUMENTARY SPIRIT YACHTS, UK: INFORMATIONAL SPIRIT YACHTS: 2006 Venice Boat Scene from Casino Royale TRAILER THE LITTLE SHIPS OF ENGLAND: EDUCATIONAL VITTERS SHIPYARD: EDUCATIONAL

Classic Yachts:

BURGESS W. STARLING “COLUMBIA” – DOCUMENTARY BURGESS W. STARLING/STEPHENS OLIN “LIONHEART” – DOCUMENTARY BURGESS W. STARLING/DYKSTRA “RAINBOW” – DOCUMENTARY BURGESS W. STARLING/STEPHENS OLIN “RANGER” – DOCUMENTARY DAHLSTROM G.”RHAPSODY RESOLUTE” – INFORMATIONAL DYKSRA & PARTNERS NAVAL ARCHITECTS “ANNAGINE” – INFORMATIONAL ESTLANDER GUSTAF “LA MORENA” INFORMATIONAL ESTLANDER GUSTAF “LA MORENA” (part 2) INFORMATIONAL FIFE III WILLIAM “ADVENTURESS” – TOUR FIFE III WILLIAM “CAMBRIA” – INFORMATIONAL FIFE III WILLIAM “EILEAN” – PROMOTIONAL (DURAN DURAN RIO) “EILEAN” – MUSIC VIDEO FIFE III WILLIAM “MARIQUITA” – INFORMATIONAL FIFE III WILLIAM “MARISKA” – INFORMATIONAL FIFE III WILLIAM 6 Metre “NADA” – RESTORATION PREVIEW FIFE III WILLIAM 6 Metre “SASKIA II” – DELIVERY FIFE III WILLIAM 15 Metre Class “TUIGA” – SAILING DOCUMENTARY FOX UFFA Flying 15 “COWESLIP” – REGATTA FOX UFFA 22 Square Metre “VIGILANT” – SAILING FRANK W. C. “PASHA” – PROMOTIONAL FRERS GERMAN “REBECCA” – REGATTA GOELLER FRED “ADAMANT” – INFORMATIONAL HERBERT WILLIAM WHITE “LULWORTH” – DOCUMENTARY HERRESHOFF L.F. “QUIET TUNE” – INFORMATIONAL HERRESHOFF N.G. New York 30 “ALERA” – SAILING HERRESHOFF N.G. New York 30 “AMORITA” – Amorita’s Unlucky Day – TRAILER HERRESHOFF N.G. New York 30 “IBIS” – DOCUMENTARY HERRESHOFF N.G. “ELENA” – DOCUMENTARY HERRESHOFF N.G. “MARILEE” – INFORMATIONAL HERRESHOFF N.G. S-Class – RACING HERRESHOFF N.G. Buzzards Bay 18 “UNCAS” INFORMATIONAL HOEK ANDRE – “THE EAGLE 54” – PROMOTIONAL HOLM TORE “BEATRICE AURORE” – PROMOTIONAL LANGAN “HUCKLEBERRY” – INFORMATIONAL MYLNE ALFRED “MINGARY” – LAUNCHING MYLNE ALFRED “THE BLUE PETER” – INFORMATIONAL NICHOLSON CHARLES E. “ENDEAVOUR” – INFORMATIONAL NICHOLSON CHARLES E. “NYRIA” – INFORMATIONAL NICHOLSON CHARLES E. “SHAMROCK V” – INFORMATIONAL NICHOLSON CHARLES E. “VELSHEDA” – INFORMATIONAL NICHOLSON CHARLES E./DYKSTRA “HANUMAN” – INFORMATIONAL PAINE FRANK C.”ATLANTIS” – INFORMATIONAL PLYN AUGUST “MIGNON” – INFORMATIONAL REIMERS KNUD “BACCHANT” – INFORMATIONAL SORVIK TORSTEN “TEJST” – INFORMATIONAL SPARKMAN & STEPHENS “BUZZY III” – LAUNCHING SPARKMAN & STEPHENS “BUZZY III” – NEW BOTTOM PAINT SPARKMAN & STEPHENS “CHEROKEE” – LAUNCHING SPARKMAN & STEPHENS Design No.7 “DORADE” – RACING SPARKMAN & STEPHENS “SKYLARK OF 1937” – CHRISTENING STIRLING WILL INTEGRITY – INFORMATIONAL TOWNSEND WILLIAM “CORONET” – INFORMATIONAL ROBB ARTHUR “THE DARING” – PROMOTIONAL WARING & WHITE W-37 Class “RACE HORSE” – SAILING

Classic Yacht Regattas:

Classic Boat Meet:

2012 CLASSIC BOAT MEET: REGATTA

Class Regattas:

8 Metre Class:

2014 WORLD CUP: REGATTA 2010 WORLD CUP: REGATTA

6 Metre Class:

2011 WORLD CUP: REGATTA 2007 WORLD CUP: REGATTA

2015 St. Francis Invitational Regatta: REGATTA

International Star Class:

2014 WORLD CHAMPIOSHIPS: REGATTA 2012 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: REGATTA

Cowes Week:

1968 COWES WEEK: REGATTA 1968 COWES WEEK (XODs): REGATTA 1965 COWES WEEK: REGATTA 1962 COWES WEEK: REGATTA 1961 COWES WEEK: REGATTA 1960 COWES WEEK: REGATTA 1957 COWES WEEK: REGATTA 1955 COWES WEEK: REGATTA 1954 COWES WEEK: REGATTA 1952 COWES WEEK: REGATTA 1935 COWES WEEK: REGATTA 1920 COWES WEEK: REGATTA

Les Dames de Saint-Tropez:

2015 LES DAMES de SAINT-TROPEZ: REGATTA

Les Voiles de Saint Tropez

2014 LES VOILES de SAINT-TROPEZ – Day 7: REGATTA 2014 LES VOILES de SAINT-TROPEZ – Day 6: REGATTA 2014 LES VOILES de SAINT-TROPEZ – Day 5: REGATTA 2014 LES VOILES de SAINT-TROPEZ – Day 4: REGATTA 2014 LES VOILES de SAINT-TROPEZ – Day 3: REGATTA 2014 LES VOILES de SAINT-TROPEZ – Day 2: REGATTA 2014 LES VOILES de SAINT-TROPEZ – Day 1: REGATTA 2013 LES VOILES de SAINT-TROPEZ: REGATTA 2012 LES VOILES de SAINT-TROPEZ: REGATTA

Monaco Classic Week:

2015 MONACO CLASSIC WEEK – Circuito 15 Metros – Potofino Rolex Trophy: REGATTA 2015 MONACO CLASSIC WEEK – La Belle Classe: REGATTA 2015 MONACO CLASSIC WEEK – DAY 3: REGATTA 2015 MONACO CLASSIC WEEK – DAY 2: REGATTA 2015 MONACO CLASSIC WEEK – DAY 1: REGATTA 2012 MONACO CLASSIC WEEK – La Belle Classe: REGATTA 2011 MONACO CLASSIC WEEK – Tuiga: REGATTA

New York Yacht Club:

2015 NEW YORK YACHT CLUB RACE WEEK AT NEWPORT RHODE ISLAND: REGATTA 2014 NEW YORK YACHT CLUB RACE WEEK AT NEWPORT RHODE ISLAND: REGATTA 2013 NEW YORK YACHT CLUB RACE WEEK AT NEWPORT RHODE ISLAND: REGATTA 2012 NEW YORK YACHT CLUB RACE WEEK AT NEWPORT RHODE ISLAND: REGATTA

Panerai Classic Yacht Challenge:

2015 ANTIGUA CLASSIC YACHT REGATTA: REGATTA 2014 ANTIGUA CLASSIC YACHT REGATTA: REGATTA 2013 ANTIGUA CLASSIC YACHT REGATTA: REGATTA

2015 LES VOILES D’ANTIBES: REGATTA 2014 LES VOILES D’ANTIBES: REGATTA 2013 LES VOILES D’ANTIBES: REGATTA 2012 LES VOILES D’ANTIBES: REGATTA

2015 ARGENTARIO SAILING WEEK: REGATTA 2014 ARGENTARIO SAILING WEEK: REGATTA 2013 ARGENTARIO SAILING WEEK: REGATTA 2012 ARGENTARIO SAILING WEEK: REGATTA

2015 LE VELE D’EPOCA A NAPOLI: REGATTA 2014 LE VELE D’EPOCA A NAPOLI: REGATTA 2013 LE VELE D’EPOCA A NAPOLI: REGATTA 2012 LE VELE D’EPOCA A NAPOLI: REGATTA

2015 BRITISH CLASSIC WEEK: TRAILER 2014 BRITISH CLASSIC WEEK: REGATTA 2013 BRITISH CLASSIC WEEK: REGATTA 2012 BRITISH CLASSIC WEEK: REGATTA

2014 CORINTHIAN CLASSIC YACHT REGATTA: REGATTA 2013 CORINTHIAN CLASSIC YACHT REGATTA: REGATTA

2015 MUSEUM OF YACHTING REGATTA DAY 1: REGATTA 2015 MUSEUM OF YACHTING REGATTA DAY 2: REGATTA 2013 MUSEUM OF YACHTING REGATTA DAY 1: REGATTA 2013 MUSEUM OF YACHTING REGATTA DAY 2: REGATTA 2011 MUSEUM OF YACHTING REGATTA: REGATTA

2014 OPERA HOUSE CUP RACE: REGATTA 2013 OPERA HOUSE CUP RACE: REGATTA 2012 OPERA HOUSE CUP RACE: REGATTA

2015 XI COPA DEL REY BARCOS ÉPOCA : REGATTA 2014 XI COPA DEL REY BARCOS ÉPOCA : REGATTA 2013 XI COPA DEL REY BARCOS ÉPOCA : REGATTA 2012 XI COPA DEL REY BARCOS ÉPOCA : REGATTA

2014 VELE D’EPOCA DI IMPERIA : REGATTA 2012 VELE D’EPOCA DI IMPERIA : REGATTA

2014 CANNES REGATES ROYALES: REGATTA 2013 CANNES REGATES ROYALES: REGATTA 2012 CANNES REGATES ROYALES: REGATTA

WoodenBoat Regatta Series:

2015 EGGEMOGGIN REACH REGATTA: REGATTA 2015 THE HERRESHOFF CLASSIC YACHT REGATTA: REGATTA

Kettenburg Classic Regatta, San Diego Yacht Club:

2014 KETTENBURG CLASSIC REGATTA: REGATTA

Cultural and Humanitarian Awareness:

CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE PACIFIC – DOCUMENTARY DR.SYLVIA EARLE ON THE OCEANS – INFORMATIONAL GREAT FUTURES START HERE – BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OF AMERICA PSA – DOCUMENTARY GROWING UNDERGROUND – FOOD TO THE CITY FROM UNDER THE CITY – DOCUMENTARY NEWPORT MUSIC FESTIVAL 2015 – Eric Lu at Breakers INFORMATIONAL NEWPORT MUSIC FESTIVAL – SILVER ANNIVERSARY INFORMATIONAL PRISTINE SEAS – PROTECTION OF UNTOUCHED REEFS – INFORMATIONAL

Documentary:

1954 HURRICANE CAROL – INFORMATIONAL 1939 HURRICANE: THE HURRICANE OF 1939 – DOCUMENTARY 1938 HURRICANE: A WIND TO SHAKE THE WORLD – DOCUMENTARY 1936 AROUND THE HORN ON WANDERBIRD – DOCUMENTARY A COWES IN MINIATURE (1932) – TRAILER AHTO – CHASING A DREAM – TRAILER ALONE ON THE WAVES – Sám ve Vlnách – DOCUMENTARY A SUMMER REGATTA IN MAINE 1934 – INFORMATIONAL BARGE SAILING (The Voice of the Water) – TRAILER BLESMA ULTIMATE CHALLENGE – (viewer discretion is advised) – TRAILER BUILDING OF BRILLIANT – DOCUMENTARY CAPTAINS COURAGEOUS (1937) – TRAILER CAPTAIN LIZ CLARK – DOCUMENTARY CHARLOTTE: A WOODEN BOAT STORY – DOCUMENTARY CLASSIC YACHTS: at Helsingfors Segelsällskap – DOCUMENTARY COWES WEEK (1961) – REGATTA CROSSING THE NARROW SEA – A story about ocean, wind and friendship – DOCUMENTARY CRUISE OF THE ZACA – Errol Flynn Documentary (Part 1/2) – DOCUMENTARY CRUISING HAS NO LIMITS: SAILING CHANNEL THEATRE – DOCUMENTARY DINGHY POLAR EXPEDITION 2012 – DOCUMENTARY DORADE DISCUSSION WITH HARKEN ENGINEER – INFORMATIONAL DORADE TRANS ATLANTIC RACE 1931 Part 1 of 5 – DOCUMENTARY DORADE PREPARING FOR TRANSPAC – DOCUMENTARY DORADE TRANSPAC DAY 9 – DOCUMENTARY DORADE TRANSPAC DAY 7 – DOCUMENTARY DORADE TRANSPAC DAY 5 – DOCUMENTARY DORADE TRANSPAC DAY 3 – DOCUMENTARY DRAGESEJLADS (ca. 1940-1945) – DOCUMENTARY DRUM: An Extraordinary Adventure – DOCUMENTARY EFFIE M. MORRISEY (ERNESTINA) COASTAL SCHOONER – DOCUMENTARY FAME – DOCUMENTARY FASNET YACHT RACE TRAGEDY (1979) – TRAILER FLASH II – INTERNATIONAL STAR CLASS- INFORMATIONAL FLYING DUTCHMAN – DOCUMENTARY FROM TIMBER TO TIDE – DOCUMENTARY FULL SPEED AHEAD! SAILING TO VICTORY (RT Documentary) – TRAILER HISTORY OF HUNT YACHTS – DOCUMENTARY IN THE WAKE OF ZACA- SAILING CHANNEL THEATER – DOCUMENTARY JEANIE JOHNSTON – The Replica Famine Ship – DOCUMENTARY MAIDENTRIP – TRAILER NEW YORK 30s – DOCUMENTARY NORFOLK BROADS – 2013 3RR – DOCUMENTARY NORFOLK BROADS – THREE RIVER RACE – DOCUMENTARY OPERA HOUSE CUP: A Story of Wooden Sailboats – DOCUMENTARY PEQUOT YACHT CLUB (Circa 1956) – INFORMATIONAL P-LINER TALL SHIPS – DOCUMENTARY RACING WITH THE COMPETITION: On board NY40 CHINOOK – DOCUMENTARY ROYAL SWEDISH YACHT CLUB: Centenary Races (1930) – DOCUMENTARY SAILING ACROSS THE ATLANTIC – PART 1/5 – DOCUMENTARY SAILING ACROSS THE ATLANTIC – PART 5/5 – DOCUMENTARY SAILING AND WALKING ON SCOTLAND’S WEST COAST – DOCUMENTARY SAILING BABY BLUE: EPISODE 1 – MAINE TO FLORIDA – DOCUMENTARY SAILING BABY BLUE: EPISODE 2 – BAHAMAS TO BVI – DOCUMENTARY SAILING BABY BLUE: EPISODE 3 – THE LEEWARDS – DOCUMENTARY SAILING BABY BLUE: EPISODE 4 – THE WINDWARDS – DOCUMENTARY SAILING BABY BLUE: EPISODE 5 – CAMP GRENADA – DOCUMENTARY SAILING SCHOOL ( Newton Ferrers School of Yachting) – DOCUMENTARY SAILING THE NORFOLK BROADS – THREE EASY STEPS – DOCUMENTARY SAIL MARTHA’S VINEYARD – DOCUMENTARY SAINT PETERSBURG YACHT CLUB – Classic Week Trailer – DOCUMENTARY SEA CLOUD – LUXURY SAILING SHIP – DOCUMENTARY SCHOONER MARTHA – 2015 TRANSPAC – DOCUMENTARY SHACKLETON’S EPIC VOYAGE REVISITED – DOCUMENTARY STAR: A LEGENDARY CLASSIC BOAT – INFORMATIONAL SURVIVAL – THE SHACKLETON STORY – DOCUMENTARY SYDNEY HOBART YACHT RACE 50 GOLDEN YEARS – DOCUMENTARY TED TURNERS GREATEST RACE – THE 1979 FASTNET – DOCUMENTARY THE BOAT PEOPLE – DOCUMENTARY THE BRISTOL BAY SAILBOAT DAYS – DOCUMENTARY THE EDNA FRANDSEN ADVENTURE – DOCUMENTARY THE FINEST HOURS – OFFICIAL TRAILER – Chris Pine, Eric Bana Movie DOCUMENTARY THE GREAT STAR FLEET – DOCUMENTARY THE LAST CAPE HORNERS – The End of the Great Sailing Ship Era – DOCUMENTARY THE MIGHTY TI: MARION-BERMUDA – DOCUMENTARY The RACING TENDER – DOCUMENTARY The LEGEND OF CAPTAIN CHARLIE BARR – DOCUMENTARY THE RIME OF THE ANCIENT MARINER – POEM THE TRUE STORY OF MOBY DICK – DOCUMENTARY THE WATERWAYS OF IRELAND LOUGH ERNE – DOCUMENTARY THE WOODEN BOAT STORY – DOCUMENTARY TANGAROA EXPEDITION – DOCUMENTARY UNTIE THE LINES – DOCUMENTARY VANISHING SAIL – DOCUMENTARY WHALING SHIP THE “CHARLES W. MORGAN” – DOCUMENTARY WOOD, SAILS, DREAMS – TRAILER YOU HAVE TO GO OUT – TRAILER

Electric Propulsion:

ALERION EXPRESS 33 – ELECTRIC PROPULSION – INFORMATIONAL TORQEEDO TRAVEL 1003 – DOCUMENTARY TORQEEDO TRAVEL 1003 – ALERION EXPRESS 33 – INFORMATIONAL MASTERVOLT – THE LABORATORY BOAT – INFORMATIONAL MASTERVOLT ON TOUR – TRAINING MADE EASY – INFORMATIONAL PLANETSOLAR – AROUND THE WORLD – INFORMATIONAL WHICH MOTOR IS RIGHT FOR YOU – ELECTRIC PROPULSION – INFORMATIONAL

General Interest:

BAHAMAS SAILING – SEA OF ABACO – DOCUMENTARY BBC COAST – EDDYSTONE LIGHTHOUSE – DOCUMENTARY BILL NYE’S GLOBAL MELTDOWN – NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC – DOCUMENTARY CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE PACIFIC – DOCUMENTARY DOCUMENTARY DRAIN THE BERMUDA TRIANGLE – DOCUMENTARY EARTH UNDER WATER IN NEXT 20 YEARS – NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC – DOCUMENTARY EUROPEAN SAILING REGATTA (1930) – DOCUMENTARY GROWING UNDERGROUND – FOOD TO THE CITY FROM UNDER THE CITY – DOCUMENTARY HOW THINGS USED TO BE – LIFE IN MAINE – DOCUMENTARY INSIDE THE TITANTIC II – DOCUMENTARY JOHN TRUMPY ESTATE FOR SALE – INFORMATIONAL INNSIFAIL REBORN – DOCUMENTARY LIGHTHOUSE OF “LA JUMENT” – PHARE de “LA JUMENT” – DOCUMENTARY MINUET – AWARD-WINNING SHORT FILM – SHORT-FILM NEW YORK THE WAY IT WAS – SHORT-FILM ONE OF THE FUNNIEST COMEDY SKETCHES OF ALL TIME – SHORT-FILM PADDLE STEAMER WAVERLEY – DOCUMENTARY PORTOLA – CLASSIC 1929 YACHT – INFORMATIONAL PRISTINE SEAS – PROTECTION OF UNTOUCHED REEFS – INFORMATIONAL RUSSIAN TITANIC – SOVIET FLEETS GREATEST DISASTER – DOCUMENTARY SEQUOIA ON THE HISTORY CHANNEL – DOCUMENTARY SCOURGE OF THE LIONFISH – SAVING THE OCEAN – DOCUMENTARY SIDECAR BOAT- DOCUMENTARY STRANDBEEST: THE DREAM MACHINES OF THEO JANSEN – DOCUMENTARY TRADITIONAL SAILING IN CROTIA – DOCUMENTARY TAKE TO THE BOATS – BRITAIN’S INLAND WATERWAYS (1962) – DOCUMENTARY THE CAPE LIGHT: AWAY FROM THE EDGE – DOCUMENTARY THE DA VINCI CODE – THE TRUE STORY – DOCUMENTARY THE DEEPEST PLACE ON EARTH MARIANA TRENCH HD DOCUMENTARY – DISCOVERY CHANNEL – DOCUMENTARY

Marine Photography:

ARRIGO KURT PHOTOGRAPHY – PROMOTIONAL BLACK BILLY PHOTOGRAPHY – Front Street Shipyard Promo: PROMOTIONAL LANGLEY ALISON PHOTOGRAPHY – 2015 Promo Reel: PROMOTIONAL RENEDO JESUS PHOTOGRAPHY – PROMOTIONAL ROSENFELD & SONS MORRIS – INFORMATIONAL TAYLOR JAMES R. – Cambria Photos: PROMOTIONAL

Maritime Museums:

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Music Reviews

'maiden': groundbreaking 1989 sailing race for all-female crew.

Kenneth Turan

A new documentary tells the story of the first all-female crew to enter the Whitbread Round the World sailing race in 1989. The crew was led by a 24-year-old and the boat was called Maiden.

NOEL KING, HOST:

It is called the longest race on Earth - 33,000 miles around the globe by yacht. It's grueling. A new documentary called "Maiden" tells the story of the 1989 Whitbread round-the-world race.

(SOUNDBITE OF DOCUMENTARY, "MAIDEN")

UNIDENTIFIED ANNOUNCER: It was the most extreme, debilitating temperatures you've ever lived in; -20 with the windchill. That is really hard.

KING: MORNING EDITION and Los Angeles Times film critic Kenneth Turan has seen it. He's with me now.

Good morning, Ken.

KENNETH TURAN, BYLINE: Good morning.

KING: So sailing - not the...

TURAN: (Laughter).

KING: ...Most popular sport in the world. Yachting is probably even more niche, and yet you found this movie really appealing.

TURAN: Yeah. Well, you know, I grew up in Brooklyn. You know, yachting is not in my past...

KING: (Laughter).

TURAN: ...You know? But this is a great, great human story. I mean, this was the first all-women's crew to go in this around-the-world race. The film shows how they put it together and what happened during the race. I've seen it more than once, and I was on the edge of my seat both times.

KING: You've seen it with more than once.

TURAN: Yeah. So I - you know, I know the ending, but I didn't - it didn't matter. I wanted to see it again.

KING: So great story is what you're saying. How is it told? This is a fairly conventional, standard-style documentary or does the filmmaker do something a little different?

TURAN: It's - it uses the conventional techniques of documentary but raised to the highest level imaginable. There's footage taken on the boat at the time by one of the crew members, so you can actually see these women running the boat. But the best part is that today, they interview almost everyone who was on the boat, including Tracy Edwards, who was the skipper. Now we see them decades later looking back, telling what the experience was like. We see the men who were disbelieving, who were scoffers. They look back on what they were thinking then. It's amazing to see people reflecting today on the reality we also see.

KING: Ken, one of the really interesting things about this race was not just that it was led by a woman skipper with an all-female crew but that everyone else was a man. They seemed to be fine looking down on these women.

TURAN: The only word I can use about the sexism of the men is that it was just so primitive. It just infuriated the women that they were not taken seriously, that the media only asked them questions about their makeup. They never got asked sailing questions. I mean, the whole thing is just kind of beyond belief, but it just kind of made them more determined. They said, we love this. We are doing this not to prove a point. We're doing it because we love sailing. We want to be able to do it. Get out of our way.

KING: I was watching the trailer earlier. And some of the footage really is incredible - just the flinty look in the women's...

KING: ...Eyes back in 1989 - like, it is extraordinary to see them. You know, this race took place in 1989, so we're 30 years out from it. Does it still feel relevant?

TURAN: Oh, absolutely. You know, first of all, you know, as - doesn't even need to be said. There are constant workplace issues, women not taken seriously. This is still an issue around the world. But, really, I mean, the thing about this film is that it transcends any way of looking at it as kind of relevance because it's such an amazing story. It transports you so much. You know, there's a way that this film reminds me about "RBG," which was a documentary about Ruth Bader Ginsburg, which was extremely popular. And it was popular in red states as well as blue states because this was not just a portrait of a liberal justice. This was a great human story - a story of achievement, of humanity, just a kind of story that you really want to watch because it involves you so greatly and so deeply. I mean, you will be flattened by the time it ends. You will just be floored.

KING: The movie is called "Maiden," and it's in theaters today. Kenneth Turan reviews movies for MORNING EDITION and the Los Angeles Times.

Ken, thanks so much.

TURAN: Oh, thank you.

(SOUNDBITE OF BON JOVI SONG, "WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE")

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10 Best Boat Movies of All Time

Top 10 Best Boat Movies to Binge-Watch

• Captain Ron (1992)
• Maiden (2019)
• Adrift (2018)
• The Mercy (2017)
• White Squall (1996)
• Wind (1992)
• Dead Calm (1989)
• Jaws (1975)
• Captain Phillips (2013)
• Lifeboat (1944)

Find a Boat for Your Next Adventure

Captain Ron

Mandatory watching for any sailor, Captain Ron with Kurt Russell is remarkably accurate from a technical standpoint except for one glaring piece of silliness as it relates to sailboats. See if you can spot it. Any sailor worth his/her salt has most of the key lines memorized and despite its goofiness, there are a few scenes in this film that will ring remarkably true for anyone who’s spent time on an old boat.

A fascinating 2019 documentary about Tracy Edwards and her all-woman crew in the 1989 Whitbread Round the World Race. You can’t beat this true story for sheer grit and an important history lesson. There’s a bit of humor as well if just in the great fashions and bad mustaches of the times.

Loosely based on a true story from 1983, Adrift is the tale of a young couple on a yacht delivery. They become dismasted when they sail into the path of a hurricane and the rest is the story of the sheer will to survive. Shailene Woodley does an impressive acting job in this tale with a twist. Watch this one alone if you ever want your significant other to go distance cruising.

A fictionalized tale of the very real and very disturbed Donald Crowhurst, this 2017 film centers on the 1968 Golden Globe Race, the first singlehanded, non-stop circumnavigating competition. Colin Firth captures the misery of impending failure and the film puts the rigors of sailing in context as Crowhurst faces the open ocean and an uncertain future alone.

White Squall

Not exactly a chuckle fest, White Squall is based on a real tragedy from the 1960s. Jeff Bridges as the stalwart captain in charge of a training vessel and a bunch of wealthy newbie sailors relies on discipline to keep an orderly ship. When disaster strikes, it’s an uncomfortable study of what it means to be a captain.

A mixed cast of real America’s Cup racers and thespians like Mathew Modine and Jennifer Grey act their hearts out in this tale of competitive drama. The plot is thin, the dialogue is stilted and the acting is at times cringe-worthy, but the cinematography is phenomenal. You can’t beat this movie for sheer beauty.

More in the horror genre is Dead Calm with Nicole Kidman and Sam Neill cruising a remote stretch of the South Pacific when they come across the evil Billy Zane. This one’s full of completely improbably scenarios, sailing inaccuracies and a young Kidman’s bizarre perm, but it’s a bit of twisted fun that will put the Academy Awards in perspective.

Spielberg’s major directorial debut couldn’t be more iconic and quotes from Jaws can be entertaining at any happy hour. If you get a chance, watch the two-hour making of this film as well to appreciate the end product. Not everyone sees this movie as a comedy but if you watch closely, you’ll see a bit of humor.

Captain Phillips

In 2009, the US-flagged container ship Maersk Alabama was taken over by Somali pirates. Tom Hanks convincingly plays the captain during this hostage drama that was made into an award-winning feature film in 2013. This is a portrayal of leadership during its most taught moments.

Finally, a classic thriller from Alfred Hitchcock based on a John Steinbeck novel. After a German U-boat sinks a passenger ship, the survivors crowd into a lifeboat along with a German officer they pull from the water. You’ll not find a more convincing study of group dynamics and human nature than this well-crafted 1944 award winner.

There are probably 50 other nautical films that are well worth watching, so start with these and you may soon become a seafaring movie buff.

Read Next: Boat Songs: The Ultimate Boating Playlist

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‘Maiden’: The must-see documentary about women who “rocked the boat”

• Post author By Megan Hobson
• Post date 7 April, 2022

The documentary Maiden captures the story of yacht skipper Tracey Edwards and her female crew that dared to face a storm of sexism and make the world’s ocean their stage.

This inspirational film, produced by New Black Films and available on Netflix, transports viewers to 1989 using original footage taken on board the yacht “Maiden” and media coverage of the Whitbread Round the World Race.

Many of the challenges for these sportswomen coupled with gender equality discussions, subtly invite the viewer to question whether much has really changed since the 80s.

The 2018 documentary directed by Alex Holmes begins with a deep dive into Tracey Edwards’ early childhood, using home movies of her family overlaid with Edwards’ direct and reflective commentary. At age 10, following her father’s sudden death, Edwards’ idyllic childhood crashes around her.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by dogwoof (@dogwoof)

Her mother, a former rally car driver, dancer and go-kart racer, under pressure from the industry is forced to sell the family’s hi-fi business. This moment in Edwards’ life exposes her to the harsh realities for women who are working in what was considered a male-dominated industry.

Holmes continues this foreshadowing, exploring Edwards’ anger fuelled teenage years, exacerbated by her abusive stepfather, and her experience running away to Greece working on charter boats.

These early experiences of frustration and loneliness, alongside her passion for freedom, adventure and belonging, create a powerful foundation as the documentary unravels Edwards’ life and imperfect personality.

The film quickly gains momentum after Tracey secures a position as a cook onboard one of the British racing yachts. She describes begging the skippers at the dock to take her on and facing rejection, they didn’t want a female on board because “girls are for screwing when you get into port.”

Out of 230 crew members, Edwards became one of four women in the race. Media footage of Edwards’ discussing her responsibilities harshly juxtaposes the race montage of men working manual winches, yachts crashing through waves and interviews with fired-up commentators and skippers, all to an 80’s electronic dance soundtrack.

Edwards’ reflections have a melancholy edge, such as describing the time her male crewmates wrote “for sale, one case of beer,” on the back of her underwear. However, her determination shines in her memories of being out in the open water and her desire to ‘fit in’ with the chauvinistic sailing fraternity around her.

After the race, Edwards was determined to gather an all-female crew. Even in this plight, she was plagued by the sexist attitudes of the sport with no sponsorship support. In an ode to the huge risks many women must take to participate in male-dominated industries and sports, Edwards remortgages her house. Her future is on the line.

The film then takes her story up a notch, introducing interviews with Edwards’ crew as they race around the world over nine months.

Conditions on board the yacht reflect the endurance and perseverance of these sportsmen and women, working in four-hour shifts in temperatures down to -20 degrees, strapped to the boat in fear of being thrown overboard, sailing between icebergs in fog with skin flaking off their faces. Not all competitors make it to port alive.

The extreme conditions of the open-water show all teams no mercy, and no partiality to gender. Yet onshore, the “Maiden” crew are doubted by critics and the media based on their sex, a narrative that undermines the success and tenacity of many pioneering women reported on today.

Perpetuating the belief that the “Maiden” would not finish the first leg, that any victory was down to luck, Bob Fisher from the Guardian described the “Maiden” as a “tin full of tarts.” And while the journalists reflect on how their views have changed since then, questions prying into women’s relationships and sexuality and digging for a story about female “squabbling” are still evident in contemporary discourse.

“The things that used to get talked about, the expectation of how we’d be, that we’d be a bunch of bitches or we’d be, you know, pulling each other’s hair out and arguing all the time, just wasn’t a true reflection at all.

“Actually, we were a great team,” says Jane Goodes, the childhood friend of Edwards and the Maiden’s cook.

With disinterest in the crew’s skills, expectations for the Maiden to fail, and an eagerness to paint the team as a “sideshow” from the main race, the media’s pressure grows throughout the documentary.

Holmes also includes a controversial moment for the Maiden crew, especially as their story was shaping them into feminist trailblazers.

“Gripped by fear” of the media fallout if they failed, the crew agrees to wear their swimsuits as they cross the finish line on one of the legs.

This picture became the most syndicated sports photograph of the year. A distinct contrast to the hundreds of boats sailing beside the Maiden as they cross the final finish line to the cheers of thousands, arguably, the most inspiring image from the documentary.

While the film could focus entirely on Edwards’ adventurous and courageous spirit, Holmes incorporates an important underlying message throughout the documentary.

Tracey Edwards was not a perfect skipper, leader or crewmate. Under the pressure to fulfill her dream, she was plagued by imposter syndrome, and at times was described by her crew as incredibly difficult to work with.

In this way, the documentary breaks waves itself through a realistic exploration of the dark underbelly of a tenacious leader, determined to achieve their dream. Women, in particular, carry a fear that exposing imperfections will override their accomplishments.

The documentary “Maiden,” showcases a sophisticated sense of reflecting on the past and encourages the audience to respect the entirety of Edward’s character, including unvarnished accounts about her.

Through the story of Tracey Edwards making history racing around the world with the “Maiden” crew, Holmes’ film offers viewers the chance to consider the standards for women today.

In exploring the life of a woman who made history, the film critiques the way women are represented and celebrates the feminists who are taking on the world.

Jeni Mundy, one of the Maiden crew encapsulates the crews’ courage, vision and attitude.

“If you believe in everything people tell you you can’t do, what would humankind have achieved?”

The 14 Best TV Shows About Cruise Ships and Yachts

Top cruise ship reality, scripted, documentary, and travel series.

One of my favorite family vacations to this day will always be the 3-day cruise we took from Singapore to Malaysia on the SuperStar Virgo. Even though it was some 20 years ago, I still remember the excitement I felt walking up the grand staircase that wrapped around the Christmas tree, the inordinate amount of time I spent in the arcade room (one the jet skiing game in particular), running down the carpeted hallways to find our room, and the awe I felt at just how huge the entire ship looked from the outside.

My tiny, eight-year-old brain had a hard time processing how something so big could stay afloat, but I had no worries that it wouldn’t. I also remember thinking how cool it was that there was a swimming pool on the top deck, asking myself “how can there be water on top of water?”

It was, without a doubt, a memorable experience and one that I’d like to have again as an adult. I definitely recommend going on a cruise at least once in your life! However, since our collective 2020-2021 reality has put our travel plans to a grinding halt, the only way to do that is vicariously through our TV screens.

So we’ve put together a comprehensive list of TV shows about cruise ships for all you sea-lovers to get the travel bug somewhat out of your system. Whether the format you’re looking for is reality, travel, scripted, or documentary – we’ve got it! So put on your best cruise outfit, grab that poolside cocktail, and settle down onto your couch to binge these TV shows about cruise ships!

CRUISE SHIP REALITY SHOWS

Below deck, brave (2013 – present).

As passengers, we only ever see the surface of what happens on a cruise. We’re the consumers in this entertainment and service industry, after all. Bravo’s reality series Below Deck literally brings us below the ship’s deck – to behind the scenes of the luxurious experience of a ship.

Each season of Below Deck follows the young crew of a superyacht during the ever-busy charter season, chronicling their lives both working and living aboard the vessel.

Some of the yachties, as the crew members are also called, have a prior yachting background while others are there to personify the “work hard, party harder” attitude and bring little to no experience to the table, which always makes for an interesting team dynamic.

One thing is for sure though: there’s nothing these guys wouldn’t do to make sure their clients have the best experience possible.

Below Deck also gives a great view into the perks of working on a yacht, one of which is traveling to places like Sint Maarten, the British Virgin Islands, the Mediterranean Sea, the Bahamas, Tahiti, and most recently, Phuket!

Below Deck Mediterranean, Bravo (2016 – present)

Below Deck was so popular and successful that in March 2015, Bravo announced the arrival of its first spin-off show: Below Deck Mediterranean .

The premise of this spin-off reality show is similar to the original in that it documents the personal and professional lives of the crew on board a superyacht, this time 150-feet in length!

While the regular yachties take a break, the cast of Below Deck takes over for roughly 6 weeks and sail through all sorts of beautiful locations.

Each season features a myriad of colorful guests and customers, ranging from executives on business trips and millionaires on vacation to groups of friends looking for a good time and a sea-bound party.

Here, Chef Ben Robinson from four seasons of the original Below Deck joins the Mediterranean crew as they visit Greece, Croatia, Italy, France, and Spain!

Below Deck Sailing Yacht, Bravo (2020 – present)

News of a second Below Deck Spin-off first came in March 2019 and it wasn’t until December that year that fans got confirmation of a premiere date: for February 2020.

Entitled Below Deck Sailing Yacht , it follows the same format as its predecessors but this time, for the crew on a 180-foot luxury sailing yacht called the Parsifal III as it sails through Greece during charter season.

In a crew mixed with vastly different members, there’s bound to be some tension when certain attitudes and job ethics come to clash – and that’s what reality shows are all about, especially when you’re in a country so beautiful, surrounded by equally beautiful people!

Old relationships are tested while new ones are formed (often to the chagrin of others), but there’s never a dull day on Parsifal III.

Chef Adam Glick, who was on two seasons of Below Deck Mediterranean , joins the Sailing Yacht crew this year. However, with the second season lined up to air in March 2021, it looks like Adam will be bowing out of this new crew.

The Cruise, ITV (2016 – 2018)

It’s not glaringly obvious what the difference is between a yacht and a cruise ship, especially when there are some yachts that are the same length as a cruise!

One difference is that yachts are privately owned and directly chartered while cruise ships are owned by corporations. However, the main difference really lies in the guest experience.

On a cruise ship, you have access to amenities like a gym, pool, spa, arcade room, restaurants, what have you. Renting a yacht, though, provides a more personal and luxurious experience.

ITV’s The Cruise takes us from the yacht setting of the previous shows to an actual cruise ship, though this series does primarily follow the ship’s crew as well.

The Regal Princess ship is over 1,080 feet long and has a whopping 19 decks, so it makes sense that there are more than 1400 crew members manning operations.

The Cruise shows us the hustle and bustle of maintaining their five-star service as they go from Copenhagen to St. Petersburg, the Mediterranean, and even Alaska throughout its five seasons.

DOCUMENTARY TV SHOWS ABOUT CRUISE SHIPS

Mighty ships, discovery channel canada (2008 – 2016).

After a successful one-off special entitled Inside Queen Mary 2 , the Discovery Channel commissioned an entire series exploring the workings of the world’s mightiest ships!

What’s great about Mighty Ships is that while we do get to learn about a few cruise ships along the way, the show actually covers all types of sea vessels – probably some that you never even knew existed!

Mighty Ships lets you in on all the secrets these vessels hold throughout their voyages; from preparations made for the journey to the voyage itself, and ending when their job has been successfully delivered.

While the previous shows primarily display the crew’s interactions with each other and the guests, Mighty Ships focuses heavily on the operational and technical side of running the ships.

It even goes so far as to computer-generated animations in order to better explain to its audience certain aspects of the ship that cannot be seen or visited in person. Interlaced with that are interviews with the crew as they provide more information about the ship as well as what life is like aboard it.

Mighty Cruise Ships, Discovery Channel Canada (2014 – 2022)

Mighty Ships evolved into two spin-offs; the first was Mighty Planes that aired for four seasons and employed the same format while following various types of aircrafts. The second premiered in 2014 and was a more direct spin-off of the parent series: Mighty Cruise Ships .

Everyone wants to know what happens on these huge, extravagant, cruise ships and Mighty Cruise Ships definitely lets us witness the lavish life without having to pay the thousands of dollars that come with a cruise ship ticket.

Each episode brings us aboard a brand new ship – each with its own features, amenities, and cutting-edge technology that only seems to get better as the episodes progress.

These ships are built for their destinations, whether intended to endure the harsh cold temperatures and narrow passageways of the Nordic fjords or to breeze through the coastlines of Scotland.

On board, the ships cater to every aesthetic too – interested in Viking history? The Viking Sea is the boat for you. Looking for an adrenaline rush at sea? Check out Carnival Vista and their suspended bike loop and waterpark! Mighty Cruise Ships truly lets us see the best cruises there are to offer.

Cruise Ship Killers, Justice Network (2020 – 2022)

This next show takes a much darker turn than those that came before – if you couldn’t tell right away from the title Cruise Ship Killers . If you’ve got an interest in true crime, you’re definitely going to want to add this show to your list.

However, if that’s not your thing and you’re the kind to get paranoid pretty quickly, maybe you should skip this one. I say that because one thing’s for sure: Cruise Ship Killers might make you second guess your desire to go on a cruise – ever.

This true-crime documentary series tells the stories of people who got on a cruise expecting to have the vacation of a lifetime – only to never return or be heard from again.

Each episode will keep you guessing right from the get-go: was the businessman’s death foul play? Was the young woman kidnapped? Did he fall overboard? Did the missing woman just get off at one port and decide to stay to start a new life? There’s just no telling where each episode of Cruise Ship Killers will take us.

* Side note: if you want to look into cruise ship crimes even more, check out the Cruise Ship Disappearances episode of the Wine and Crime podcast . It’s very informative, and the hosts are also really funny!

The Cruise, BBC One (1998)

Not to be confused with the ITV reality show of the same name previously mentioned, BBC One’s The Cruise is an observational documentary series that followed the crew of the luxury cruise ship named Galaxy as it set off on its maiden voyage through the Caribbean – including a pit stop in Jamaica on Christmas Day!

While we have a chance to witness the personal lives of the crew onboard Galaxy, we also get a glimpse into how the crew handles the pressures of everyday operations on the luxury cruise. From dealing with a confrontational passenger at the ship’s casino to facing a whole congregation of born-again Christians, you truly never know what challenges a new day will bring. Not to mention the preparations for their new entertainment show!

Most notably, The Cruise is what paved the way for singer Jane McDonald, who was then an entertainer for Galaxy. After the show, she went on to become a recording artist, actress, media personality, and TV presenter. The Cruise even released two additional specials with Jane in the spotlight!

CRUISE SHIP TRAVEL SHOWS

Cruising with jane mcdonald, channel 5 (2017 – 2020).

I have always thought that hosts of these lifestyle-type shows have the best job in the world – those that get to do food and restaurant reviews, explore different countries and cultures, and now, even experience cruise ships!

Remember Jane McDonald from the previous show, The Cruise ? Well, she’s back for more sea-worthy adventures on the Channel 5 travel series, Cruising with Jane McDonald , where she films a travelogue showcasing the very best aspects of the ship, both in terms of service and aesthetics.

Right off the bat, she starts off with a mega-cruise ship called the MSC Divina through the Caribbean, where over 4000 passengers make the most of their holidays on the ship and at the port.

Throughout its six seasons, Jane travels the world one cruise ship at a time, truly living the best life.

The Voyager With Josh Garcia, NBC (2016 – 2019)

NBC’s The Voyager with Josh Garcia also follows the travelogue format through the eyes of traveler and host, Josh Garcia. However, instead of focusing solely on the experience with cruise ships, The Voyager provides a wider perspective of the world as a whole.

Josh takes his viewers with him as he travels the globe by ocean, disembarking at every port with the intention of discovering the nooks and crannies of each culture he encounters.

Each episode is a learning experience not just for Josh, but for us as well. He speaks with the locals, learns about native and regional traditions from cultural experts, and fearlessly tries the local cuisine every chance he gets.

Through The Voyager with Josh Garcia , our global wanderlust is ignited, and our traveling bucket list just keeps getting longer and longer!

SCRIPTED CRUISE SHIP TV SHOWS

High seas, netflix (2019 – 2020).

High Seas , also known as Alta Mar in its original Spanish, is a Netflix original series that aired for three seasons beginning in 2019.

Unlike the modern cruise ship settings that we’ve seen so far, High Seas takes place on a luxury ocean liner in the 1940s!

Sisters Eva and Carolina Villanueva climb aboard the Barbara de Braganza liner as it voyages from Spain to Brazil. Unbeknownst to the other passengers and crew, they’ve smuggled a mysterious woman onboard after she pleaded for their help.

Things go terribly awry when the woman is thrown overboard and Eva, a curious and headstrong writer, launches an investigation into the mysterious goings-on on the ship.

Eventually, both she and her sister discover shocking secrets that tie into their family’s dark past. Who are they supposed to believe?

Sadly, the fourth season of High Seas was originally planned to continue the series but was subsequently canceled in mid-2020.

Wreck, BBC Three (2022 – present)

One of the newest shows on this list of top cruise ship shows is BBC Three’s horror-comedy series Wreck .

The series follows Jamie Walsh, a nineteen-year-old who takes a job on a board cruise ship called The Sacramentum to figure out what happened to his sister, who went missing from the same ship three months ago.

As Jamie learns the ins and outs of living and working on a ship, he befriends other crew members in order to help with his investigation into the disappearance of his sister and how a recent attack on a crew member could be connected to it.

The Love Boat, ABC (1977 – 1986)

The Love Boat is a scripted rom-com/drama series that aired on ABC more than 30 years ago! However, when watching this series you’ll find that a lot of the scenarios portrayed are still reflected, to some extent, in the reality shows on this list as well.

The show takes us on board the MS Pacific Princess, a luxury passenger cruise ship. Captain Merrill Stubing is at the helm, guiding not only the ship himself but his crew members as they attempt to deal with a new passenger’s antics in each episode.

These crew members included the cruise directors, photographer, purser, bartender, doctor, and eventually, even a troupe of dancers!

The Love Boat was based on the original made-for-TV movie of the same name, which in turn was based on the non-fiction book Love Boats.

The reason the scenarios in this show seem so true to life is because the book was written by Jeraldine Saunders, a real-life passenger cruise ship director !

Avenue 5, HBO (2020 – 2022)

Science fiction and dark comedy collide in this HBO original, bringing cruise ships to a place you never could have imagined: space. Yup, you read that right! Titled Avenue 5 , this is also the name of the interplanetary cruise ship owned by Herman Judd (played by Josh Gad) and captained by Ryan Clark (played by Hugh Laurie).

While setting off on an eight-week-long cruise, Avenue 5 experiences technical difficulties that set off a devastating chain of events: a temporary loss of gravity and the Chief Engineer’s accidental death, causing the ship to veer off-course.

When it’s estimated to take three years for them to return to Earth, Captain Clark and his crew need to figure out how to keep their passengers calm, collected, and safe – even as mishaps are happening left and right. Will they ever be able to make it back home?

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• Best Boat and Nautical Themed Movies

From the classic film “Moby Dick” to the modern movie franchise “Pirates of the Caribbean,” boat movies have long been a staple of American culture. The stories of brave sea captains, fierce storms and mutinous first mates captivate and entertain us. We dream about joining the crew aboard the  Black Pearl  or searching for the great white whale alongside Captain Ahab. Thrilling movies about boats and sailing remind us of our love of the water and inspire us to head out on our own boating adventures.

Watching sailing movies is the perfect activity for a rainy day or when the sun sets on a long day of sailing. With your boat safely anchored for the evening, you can sit back and enjoy a swashbuckling tale with your friends and family. The next time bad weather sends you below deck, pop in one of these best nautical movies to keep you entertained until the storm passes.

1. Master and Commander

Set in the Napoleonic Wars of the early 19th century, “Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World” tells the story of British Captain Jack Aubrey and his crew as they pursue a French ship around the coast of South America. Aubrey is ordered to apprehend the French privateer ship Acheron in his vessel named  Surprise . Despite Aubrey’s determination and steadfast will, Acheron continually avoids capture and ambushes  Surprise  several times as they travel to the Galapagos Islands.

“Master and Commander” is an adaptation of the first two novels in the Aubrey-Maturin series by Patrick O’Brian. Released in 2003, the film stars Russell Crowe as Captain Aubrey and Paul Bettany as the ship’s surgeon Dr. Stephen Maturin, who is Aubrey’s closest companion. The film was received well by critics and  earned several significant awards . At the 76th Academy Awards, “Master and Commander” was nominated for 10 Oscars and won in two categories. A mix of thrilling maritime battles and gripping dialogue, “Master and Commander” will keep you on the edge of your seat.

2. The Perfect Storm

Based on the  real-life Perfect Storm of 1991 , this disaster drama movie follows the crew of the  Andrea Gail  as they attempt to sail through a powerful storm building in the North Atlantic. After an unsuccessful fishing trip, Captain Billy Tyne takes his crew out for one final trip late in the season. They set sail from Gloucester, Mass., and find favorable fishing waters in the Flemish Cap.

With a bountiful catch on board, the ship’s ice machine suddenly breaks, and the crew must hasten back to shore before their catch spoils. Unfortunately, the  Andrea Gail  now faces a much more serious problem — a tropical storm brewing between the ship and the shore. Underestimating the strength of the storm, the crew decides to sail on towards Gloucester and is met with fierce winds and pounding waves that eventually take the boat under.

The Perfect Storm depicts the  Andrea Gail’s  fateful last journey and how the crew fought without avail to survive the Perfect Storm. Starring George Clooney and Mark Wahlberg, “The Perfect Storm” will make you grateful to be watching from the comfort of your cabin on a calm night.

3. Hunt for Red October

Set in the Cold War era, “Hunt for Red October” traces a rogue Soviet submarine captain who violates orders and sets course for the U.S. in one of the Soviet Navy’s newest and most advanced submarines. The submarine, named  Red October , is a nuclear missile submarine equipped with a newly developed stealth drive that renders the vessel undetectable by passive sonar.

Captain Marko Ramius is given command of  Red October  and sent out with another Soviet attack submarine to conduct exercises. However, once at sea, Ramius murders the captain of his companion submarine and heads towards the U.S. The plot thickens as American forces must determine if Ramius is trying to defect or instigate a war before things get ugly.

Starring Sean Connery and Alec Baldwin, “Hunt for Red October” is a thrilling spy movie full of action and intrigue. The 1990 film is an adaptation of the 1984 bestselling novel of the same name by Tom Clancy.

4. Das Boot

Another exhilarating film about war and submarines, “Das Boot” is a 1981 German film set during World War II. “Das Boot” follows the crew of  U-96 , a German U-boat on a patrol during the Battle of the Atlantic. The film captures the reality of life on a U-boat — depicting days of boredom, exciting battles and the relationships built among the men on the submarine. Offering a new perspective of WWII, “Das Boot” shows the crew of  U-96  as ordinary men seeking to serve their country.

“Das Boot” was originally produced in German, with an English dubbed version available in the U.S. The film received positive reviews and received  several awards and nominations , both in the U.S. and abroad. “Das Boot” is among the best nautical movies for a cozy night spent below deck.

5. Captain Ron

This 1992 American comedy begins when a Chicago family inherits a yacht that was once owned by Clark Gable. The father, Martin Harvey, played by Martin Short, decides to take his whole family to the fictional Caribbean island of St. Pomme de Terre to retrieve the boat and sail it back to Miami. When they arrive, they realize that the boat is in terrible condition. Instead of sending a professional captain to escort the Harvey family, the yacht broker instead hires a local sailor named Captain Ron Rico.

Captain Ron, played by Kurt Russell, is a one-eyed Navy veteran with a colorful personality and equally colorful past. As they cross the Caribbean together, the Harveys experience various mishaps caused by Captain Ron and encounter a little more adventure than they bargained for. This hilarious ship movie will have the whole family laughing — and feeling grateful that you have a steady captain at the helm.

No list of the best nautical movies would be complete without the famous Steven Spielberg film “Jaws.” Based on the 1974 novel of the same name by Peter Benchley, “Jaws” was released in the summer of 1975 and quickly became a blockbuster hit. Since then, the “Jaws” franchise has expanded to include three sequels that continue to scare beachgoers out of the ocean the minute they see that ominous fin.

In this classic thriller, a great white shark begins terrorizing the fictional summer resort town of Amity Island. Rather than closing the beaches and ruining the local tourist economy, the town council decides to hunt and kill the vicious shark instead. To complete this mission, Amity Island police chief Martin Brody recruits a local shark hunter named Quint and a marine biologist named Matt Hooper.

The three men set sail in Quint’s boat  Orca  to track down the shark. After a grueling battle at sea, the shark kills Quint, and the  Orca  begins to sink. Hooper and Brody finally manage to kill the shark by wedging a pressurized scuba tank into its mouth and shooting the tank with a rifle. The victorious men are seen swimming back to shore just before the final credits roll.

7. Moby Dick

Another classic seafaring movie, “Moby Dick” tells the tale of Captain Ahab and his hunt for the white whale Moby Dick. Based on the 1851 novel by Herman Melville, “Moby Dick” captures the epic journey of a man dead-set on revenge. After a massive white whale almost kills Ahab and bites off most of his left leg, Ahab gathers a crew and sets sail to kill the whale.

Driven by his obsession to defeat Moby Dick, Ahab cannot turn back even when the chance of success seems dangerously slim. The hunt for revenge eventually becomes fatal for Ahab and nearly all of his crew. The lone survivor is Ishmael, who serves as the story’s narrator.

8. Pirates of the Caribbean

If you share your love of boating with your kids, this film is a perfect sailing movie to watch during your next family movie night. The “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise traces the adventures of the pirate Captain Jack Sparrow and his infamous ship the  Black Pearl . In the original film, released in 2003, Sparrow teams up with a blacksmith named Will Turner and an ill-fated adventure ensues. Turner aims to rescue a woman he loves who was captured by Sparrow’s mutinous former first mate Barbossa, while Sparrow seeks revenge against Barbossa.

When boating with children, the “Pirates of the Caribbean” movies are perfect to carry onboard in case the weather turns sour. With five films in the series so far, you can stay entertained no matter how long the storm endures. Your family will stay in the nautical mood while enjoying rip-roaring adventures, daring sea battles and a hefty dose of humor.

9. The African Queen

Set during World War I in Africa, “The African Queen” tells the story of riverboat captain Charlie Allnut, who is persuaded by a missionary named Rose Sayer to destroy an enemy gunboat. After the war breaks out between Britain and Germany, German soldiers burn down the village where Rose is living and kill her brother. Charlie, who delivers their supplies in the eponymous riverboat, offers to transport Rose out of the region safely. Rose instead convinces Charlie to seek revenge by attacking the gunboat  Königin Luise  with improvised torpedos.

Starring Katharine Hepburn as Rose and Humphrey Bogart as Charlie, the 1951 film was well-received and remains a classic boat movie. In 1994, “The African Queen” was added to  the National Film Registry  of the U.S. Library of Congress due to its cultural and historical significance.

10. Titanic

One of the most well-known movies about boats, “Titanic” recounts the true story of the  R.M.S. Titanic  that sank during its maiden voyage in 1912. The  Titanic  set sail from England on April 10th and sank just five days later when it struck an iceberg off the coast of Canada. More than 1,500 lives were lost when the  Titanic  sank, and the sunken vessel still remains at the bottom of the ocean.

The film adaptation of the famous shipwreck spins a fictional tale of romance, betrayal and disaster. A wealthy young woman named Rose Bukater meets a poor artist named Jack Dawson while on a cruise with her equally wealthy fiance Cal Hockley. Rose and Jack meet when Rose is contemplating suicide to escape her unhappy engagement. The two begin to spend time together and soon fall in love. However, fate is not on their side, and Cal discovers the affair just before the  Titanic  starts to sink.

11. Dead Calm

This 1989 psychological thriller is not for the faint-hearted. Set on two boats in the middle of the Pacific, “Dead Calm” tells the chilling tale of an innocent couple caught in a deadly situation with a not-so-innocent man.

After the death of their son, Rae and John Ingram take a vacation on their yacht to help process their grief. While cruising across the Pacific, they discover a damaged boat that appears to be sinking. A man named Hughie Warriner rows over to the Ingrams’ yacht for help, claiming that his crew had died from food poisoning. However, when John investigates the ship, he discovers bloody carnage that tells a different story.

John rushes back to warn Rae, but Hughie is already piloting their yacht away with Rae on board. With his wife now in the hands of a killer, John must attempt to stay afloat to rescue her while Rae fights to stay alive.

12. All Is Lost

An epic story of survival, “All Is Lost” tells the tale of a man lost at sea with his boat taking on water. The man, played by Robert Redford, takes every measure to repair his damaged vessel and broken marine radio to regain communications. Instead, he is greeted by a tropical storm that tears apart his vessel. Left on a small inflatable life raft, the man struggles to survive as his minimal supplies dwindle and there is no sign of rescue.

This 2013 sailing movie has only one cast member and almost no dialogue. The film relies on carefully crafted music and sound effects along with striking visuals to capture the terror and despair of being lost at sea. “All Is Lost”  won a Golden Globe  for Best Original Score for a Motion Picture in 2014 and was nominated for an Oscar for sound editing the same year.

13. Jungle Cruise

Strap in for an adventure down the Amazon with Disney’s “Jungle Cruise,” starring Emily Blunt and Dwayne Johnson. Watch the characters on their journey in a boat down the river and all of the situations they face on their journey for an ancient tree. The “Jungle Cruise” movie is based on the well-known Disney Parks ride and came out in 2021.

The 2016 Disney animated movie “Moana” is a fan favorite and a wonderful maritime movie to watch on your boat. The story follows Moana and the people on her island. When the fishermen aren’t catching any fish, and the crops fail, Moana sets off on a journey sailing through the ocean to find the heart of Te Fiti, a goddess from Polynesian mythology. You can watch Moana and her new friends sail on their adventure while relaxing on your boat.

The 2018 survival drama “Adrift” is a boating story that will keep your attention throughout the entire film. Starring Shailene Woodley and Sam Claflin, this movie shows the journey between their two characters meeting, falling in love and setting sail on the journey of a lifetime. Their journey takes a sharp turn when they sail directly into one of the worst hurricanes ever recorded.

16. Charlie St. Cloud

The 2010 movie “Charlie St. Cloud” starring Zac Efron is based on the Ben Sherwood novel “The Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud.” The movie follows the story of a boy named Charlie St. Cloud as he loses his brother and continues to visit him every day after his passing. The sailing, setting and boats throughout the story make this one of the best nautical films.

17. Life of Pi

Another seafaring film that is great for your next movie night on the boat is the 2012 movie “Life of Pi,” which is based on the Canadian novel by Yann Martel. Pi Patel and his family make their way from India to Canada with some of their zoo animals on a cargo ship. When they encounter a bad storm, there are only two survivors —  Pi Patel and a Bengal tiger.

18. Overboard

If you want to enjoy a funny romantic comedy on your boat movie night, watch the 2018 remake of “Overboard” with Anna Faris and Eugenio Derbez. The story follows single mom Kate Sullivan working on a yacht for Leonardo “Leo” Montenegro. After an accident causes Leo to have amnesia, Kate pretends to be his wife and teaches him how to work on the yacht.

Live Your Ship Movie Fantasy on Your Formula Boat

Whether you want to race across the ocean like the crew of  Surprise  or enjoy a romantic evening on your yacht like Rose and Jack, your boat movie fantasy can come true with a Formula boat. Our line of luxury powerboats includes popular day boats like the  fast and powerful Sun Sport , as well as spacious yachts and cruisers for overnight expeditions, so you can find the perfect boat for you at Formula Boats. When you  build the boat of your dreams  with Formula Boats, you can even customize nearly every feature to suit your boating style.

Formula Boats strives to build the very best boats on the water — right down to the durable deck flooring and stylish cabin curtains. With advanced engineering and aesthetically pleasing designs, Formula boats provide a thrilling, entertaining and relaxing recreational boating experience. When you choose Formula Boats, you will enjoy a comfortable and roomy seating area that is perfect for watching your favorite boat movies with your whole family. Some of our powerboats are even available with an onboard television and satellite TV system for an even better viewing experience.

If you are ready to hit the water in a powerboat that is worthy of the silver screen,  contact Formula Boats today .

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Top 30 Favourite Ship/Boat Movies

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• IMDb Rating
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• Release Year

1. The Poseidon Adventure (1972)

PG | 117 min | Action, Adventure, Drama

A group of passengers must embark on a harrowing struggle for survival after a rogue wave capsizes their cruise ship at sea.

Director: Ronald Neame | Stars: Gene Hackman , Ernest Borgnine , Shelley Winters , Red Buttons

Votes: 49,000 | Gross: $84.56M

2. A Night to Remember (1958)

Not Rated | 123 min | Drama, History

On her maiden voyage in April 1912, the supposedly unsinkable RMS Titanic strikes an iceberg in the Atlantic Ocean.

Director: Roy Ward Baker | Stars: Kenneth More , Ronald Allen , Robert Ayres , Honor Blackman

Votes: 17,055

3. Ghost Ship (2002)

R | 91 min | Horror, Mystery, Thriller

A salvage crew discovers a long-lost 1962 passenger ship floating lifeless in a remote region of the Bering Sea, and soon notices that its long-dead inhabitants may still be on board.

Director: Steve Beck | Stars: Julianna Margulies , Gabriel Byrne , Ron Eldard , Desmond Harrington

Votes: 108,627 | Gross: $30.11M

4. Greyhound (2020)

PG-13 | 91 min | Action, Drama, History

Several months after the U.S. entry into World War II, an inexperienced U.S. Navy commander must lead an Allied convoy being stalked by a German submarine wolf pack.

Director: Aaron Schneider | Stars: Tom Hanks , Elisabeth Shue , Stephen Graham , Matt Helm

Votes: 113,670

5. Titanic (1997)

PG-13 | 194 min | Drama, Romance

A seventeen-year-old aristocrat falls in love with a kind but poor artist aboard the luxurious, ill-fated R.M.S. Titanic.

Director: James Cameron | Stars: Leonardo DiCaprio , Kate Winslet , Billy Zane , Kathy Bates

Votes: 1,273,648 | Gross: $659.33M

6. In the Heart of the Sea (2015)

PG-13 | 122 min | Action, Adventure, Biography

A recounting of a New England whaling ship's sinking by a giant whale in 1820, an experience that later inspired the great novel Moby-Dick.

Director: Ron Howard | Stars: Chris Hemsworth , Cillian Murphy , Brendan Gleeson , Ben Whishaw

Votes: 148,217 | Gross: $25.02M

7. Mutiny on the Bounty (1962)

Not Rated | 178 min | Adventure, Drama, History

In 1787, British ship Bounty leaves Portsmouth to bring a cargo of bread-fruit from Tahiti but the savage on-board conditions imposed by Captain Bligh trigger a mutiny led by officer Fletcher Christian.

Directors: Lewis Milestone , Carol Reed , George Seaton | Stars: Marlon Brando , Trevor Howard , Richard Harris , Hugh Griffith

Votes: 17,740 | Gross: $13.68M

8. Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003)

PG-13 | 138 min | Action, Adventure, Drama

During the Napoleonic Wars, a brash British captain pushes his ship and crew to their limits in pursuit of a formidable French war vessel around South America.

Director: Peter Weir | Stars: Russell Crowe , Paul Bettany , Billy Boyd , James D'Arcy

Votes: 236,849 | Gross: $93.93M

9. Captain Horatio Hornblower (1951)

Not Rated | 117 min | Action, Adventure, Drama

During the Napoleonic wars, a British Navy Captain has adventures in Central American waters.

Director: Raoul Walsh | Stars: Gregory Peck , Virginia Mayo , Robert Beatty , Moultrie Kelsall

Votes: 7,472

10. Mutiny on the Bounty (1935)

Passed | 132 min | Adventure, Biography, Drama

First mate Fletcher Christian leads a revolt against his sadistic commander, Captain Bligh, in this classic seafaring adventure, based on the real-life 1789 mutiny.

Director: Frank Lloyd | Stars: Charles Laughton , Clark Gable , Franchot Tone , Herbert Mundin

Votes: 24,726

11. Poseidon (2006)

PG-13 | 98 min | Action, Adventure, Thriller

On New Year's Eve, the luxury ocean liner Poseidon capsizes after being swamped by a rogue wave. The survivors are left to fight for their lives as they attempt to escape the sinking ship.

Director: Wolfgang Petersen | Stars: Richard Dreyfuss , Kurt Russell , Emmy Rossum , Josh Lucas

Votes: 110,059 | Gross: $60.67M

12. Sink the Bismarck! (1960)

Approved | 97 min | Action, Drama, History

The World War II story of the Royal Navy's effort to defeat Nazi Germany's most powerful warship.

Director: Lewis Gilbert | Stars: Kenneth More , Dana Wynter , Carl Möhner , Laurence Naismith

Votes: 8,274 | Gross: $6.54M

13. In Which We Serve (1942)

Not Rated | 115 min | Drama, War

This "story of a ship", the British destroyer H.M.S. Torrin, is told in flashbacks by survivors as they cling to a life raft.

Directors: Noël Coward , David Lean | Stars: Noël Coward , John Mills , Bernard Miles , Celia Johnson

Votes: 6,396 | Gross: $0.45M

14. Captain Phillips (2013)

PG-13 | 134 min | Action, Biography, Crime

The true story of Captain Richard Phillips and the 2009 hijacking by Somali pirates of the U.S.-flagged MV Maersk Alabama, the first American cargo ship to be hijacked in two hundred years.

Director: Paul Greengrass | Stars: Tom Hanks , Barkhad Abdi , Barkhad Abdirahman , Catherine Keener

Votes: 490,320 | Gross: $107.10M

15. The Boat That Rocked (2009)

R | 117 min | Comedy, Drama, Music

A band of rogue DJs that captivated Britain, playing the music that defined a generation and standing up to a government that wanted classical music, and nothing else, on the airwaves.

Director: Richard Curtis | Stars: Philip Seymour Hoffman , Bill Nighy , Nick Frost , Michael Hadley

Votes: 115,816 | Gross: $7.99M

16. The Bounty (1984)

PG | 132 min | Adventure, Drama, History

Fed up with their Captain's harsh discipline, a sailing ship's crew decides to take action.

Director: Roger Donaldson | Stars: Mel Gibson , Anthony Hopkins , Laurence Olivier , Edward Fox

Votes: 30,132 | Gross: $8.60M

17. Jason and the Argonauts (1963)

G | 104 min | Action, Adventure, Family

The legendary Greek hero leads a team of intrepid adventurers in a perilous quest for the legendary Golden Fleece.

Director: Don Chaffey | Stars: Todd Armstrong , Nancy Kovack , Gary Raymond , Laurence Naismith

Votes: 30,817 | Gross: $4.58M

18. Moby Dick (1956)

Not Rated | 116 min | Adventure, Drama

The sole survivor of a lost whaling ship relates the tale of his captain's self-destructive obsession to hunt the white whale, Moby Dick.

Director: John Huston | Stars: Gregory Peck , Richard Basehart , Leo Genn , James Robertson Justice

Votes: 21,722 | Gross: $10.40M

19. Kon-Tiki (2012)

PG-13 | 118 min | Adventure, Biography, Drama

Legendary explorer Thor Heyerdahl's epic 4,300-mile crossing of the Pacific on a balsawood raft in 1947, in an effort to prove that it was possible for South Americans to settle in Polynesia in pre-Columbian times.

Directors: Joachim Rønning , Espen Sandberg | Stars: Pål Sverre Hagen , Anders Baasmo , Gustaf Skarsgård , Odd-Magnus Williamson

Votes: 51,793 | Gross: $1.52M

20. All Is Lost (2013)

PG-13 | 106 min | Action, Adventure, Drama

After a collision with a shipping container at sea, a resourceful sailor finds himself, despite all efforts to the contrary, staring his mortality in the face.

Director: J.C. Chandor | Star: Robert Redford

Votes: 83,637 | Gross: $6.26M

21. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)

PG-13 | 143 min | Action, Adventure, Fantasy

Blacksmith Will Turner teams up with eccentric pirate "Captain" Jack Sparrow to save his love, the governor's daughter, from Jack's former pirate allies, who are now undead.

Director: Gore Verbinski | Stars: Johnny Depp , Geoffrey Rush , Orlando Bloom , Keira Knightley

Votes: 1,203,494 | Gross: $305.41M

22. The Perfect Storm (2000)

PG-13 | 130 min | Action, Adventure, Drama

An unusually intense storm pattern catches some commercial fishermen unaware and puts them in mortal danger.

Director: Wolfgang Petersen | Stars: George Clooney , Mark Wahlberg , John C. Reilly , Diane Lane

Votes: 177,322 | Gross: $182.62M

23. Jaws (1975)

PG | 124 min | Adventure, Mystery, Thriller

When a killer shark unleashes chaos on a beach community off Cape Cod, it's up to a local sheriff, a marine biologist, and an old seafarer to hunt the beast down.

Director: Steven Spielberg | Stars: Roy Scheider , Robert Shaw , Richard Dreyfuss , Lorraine Gary

Votes: 655,950 | Gross: $260.00M

24. Captain Ron (1992)

PG-13 | 100 min | Adventure, Comedy

A Chicagoan inherits an old yacht. He, his wife, daughter and son fly to a Caribbean island and hire a dubious Captain Ron to sail them on an adventure to Miami.

Director: Thom Eberhardt | Stars: Kurt Russell , Martin Short , Mary Kay Place , Benjamin Salisbury

Votes: 22,835 | Gross: $22.52M

25. Dead Calm (1989)

R | 96 min | Horror, Thriller

After a tragedy, John Ingram and his wife Rae are spending some time isolated at sea, when they come across a stranger who has abandoned a sinking ship.

Director: Phillip Noyce | Stars: Nicole Kidman , Sam Neill , Billy Zane , Rod Mullinar

Votes: 43,500 | Gross: $7.83M

26. Lifeboat (1944)

Not Rated | 97 min | Drama, War

Several survivors of a torpedoed merchant ship in World War II find themselves in the same lifeboat with one of the crew members of the U-boat that sank their ship.

Director: Alfred Hitchcock | Stars: Tallulah Bankhead , John Hodiak , Walter Slezak , William Bendix

Votes: 31,058

27. The African Queen (1951)

PG | 105 min | Adventure, Drama, Romance

In WWI East Africa, a gin-swilling Canadian riverboat captain is persuaded by a strait-laced English missionary to undertake a trip up a treacherous river and use his boat to attack a German gunship.

Director: John Huston | Stars: Humphrey Bogart , Katharine Hepburn , Robert Morley , Peter Bull

Votes: 84,002 | Gross: $0.54M

28. 1492: Conquest of Paradise (1992)

PG-13 | 154 min | Adventure, Biography, Drama

Christopher Columbus' discovery of the Americas and the effect this has on the indigenous people.

Director: Ridley Scott | Stars: Gérard Depardieu , Armand Assante , Sigourney Weaver , Loren Dean

Votes: 32,670 | Gross: $7.19M

29. The Sea Hawk (1940)

Approved | 127 min | Action, Adventure, History

Geoffrey Thorpe, a buccaneer, is hired by Queen Elizabeth I to nag the Spanish Armada. The Armada is waiting for the attack on England and Thorpe surprises them with attacks on their galleons where he shows his skills on the sword.

Director: Michael Curtiz | Stars: Errol Flynn , Brenda Marshall , Claude Rains , Donald Crisp

Votes: 10,651

30. The Sea Wolves (1980)

PG | 120 min | Action, History, War

During World War II, British Intelligence brings a crew of ex-soldiers out of retirement, using their age as cover, to take to the seas and pull off an unlikely undercover mission in neutral Goa.

Director: Andrew V. McLaglen | Stars: Gregory Peck , Roger Moore , David Niven , Trevor Howard

Votes: 5,244

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10 Best Documentaries About Whales To Watch

• by Jonny Duncan
• October 29, 2023 November 5, 2023

Documentaries about whales have long been a source of fascination and wonder, offering you a captivating glimpse into the world of these majestic marine creatures.

These are some of the most compelling and enlightening documentaries about whales that have shed light on the enigmatic lives of whales, delving into their biology, behaviours, and the pressing conservation issues that surround them.

Documentaries About Whales

Whether you’re a seasoned marine enthusiast or a casual nature lover, these documentaries about whales offer an opportunity to connect with these gentle giants and gain a deeper understanding of the crucial role they play in our planet’s ecosystem.

Ocean Giants (2011)

Ocean Giants is a three-part BBC television documentary series about whales that is narrated by actor Stephen Fry and provides you with an in-depth look into the world of the ocean’s largest creatures, particularly focusing on whales.

The series is divided into three episodes, each exploring a different aspect of these remarkable marine mammals.

Giant Lives : This episode delves into the biology, evolution, and the incredible size of some of the ocean’s giants, including the blue whale, the largest animal to have ever existed on Earth.

You gain insight into the feeding habits, migratory patterns, and unique adaptations that allow these creatures to thrive in the world’s oceans.

Deep Thinkers : The second episode examines the complex and intelligent behaviour of whales, such as their communication, social structures, and problem-solving abilities.

It particularly highlights the remarkable intelligence of the sperm whale, which has the largest brain of any animal on the planet.

Voices of the Sea : The final episode of Ocean Giants focuses on the communication and vocalizations of whales. It explores how these magnificent creatures use sound to navigate, locate prey, and communicate with one another, shedding light on the mystery of whale songs.

Throughout the series, you are treated to stunning underwater footage and breathtaking visuals, showcasing the awe-inspiring nature of these ocean giants.

Clip from the show:

Secrets of the Whales (2021)

Secrets of the Whales is a documentary series produced by National Geographic and is narrated by actress and environmental activist Sigourney Weaver.

It offers a captivating and in-depth exploration of the lives and behaviours of different whale species. Secrets of the Whales is comprised of four episodes, each focusing on a specific aspect of whale life.

Orca Dynasty : This episode delves into the social and familial dynamics of orcas (killer whales) and the unique cultures they develop within their pods.

Humpback Songs : The episode is centred around humpback whales and their complex and mesmerizing songs, exploring how these songs are used for communication and the role they play in the lives of these whales.

Beluga Kingdom : Beluga Kingdom provides insights into the lives of beluga whales in the Arctic and the remarkable ways they adapt to their harsh environment.

Ocean Giants : The final episode looks at the extraordinary physical adaptations of the largest whales, such as blue whales and sperm whales, and their roles in ocean ecosystems.

Throughout the series, you are treated to breathtaking underwater footage, cutting-edge technology, and the work of scientists and researchers who are dedicated to unravelling the mysteries of whale behaviour.

This is easily one of the best documentary series about whales you can watch.

Humpback Whales (2015)

Humpback Whales is an IMAX documentary narrated by actor Ewan McGregor and the film takes you on a captivating journey into the world of humpback whales, exploring their incredible behaviours, migrations, and the challenges they face in their marine environment.

The documentary features breathtaking footage of humpback whales in their natural habitat, including their acrobatic displays, songs, and interactions.

Humpback Whales showcases the epic migrations of these marine giants. It follows their journey from their feeding grounds in the cold waters of Alaska to their breeding and calving grounds in the warm waters of Hawaii.

The film explores the complex behaviours of humpback whales, such as breaching, tail slapping, and bubble net feeding. It also delves into the fascinating world of their intricate songs and the role of these vocalizations in their social lives.

Humpback Whales addresses the conservation challenges faced by these magnificent creatures, including threats like habitat degradation, entanglement in fishing gear, and collisions with ships.

The Whale (2011)

The Whale is a heartwarming and inspirational film that tells the remarkable story of a young orca whale named Luna, also known as L98, who became separated from his family and formed an unexpected and unique bond with humans in Nootka Sound, Canada.

Luna’s separation from his family and his decision to seek companionship with humans captured the hearts and attention of local residents and the world. The film follows Luna’s interactions with people, boats, and other marine life.

The Whale explores the emotional and ethical dilemmas faced by the people of Gold River as they grapple with the desire to protect Luna and his growing bond with the community while acknowledging the need for his reintegration into the wild.

The film raises important questions about the ethics of human intervention in the lives of wild animals and the challenges of balancing conservation efforts with the best interests of the animal and human communities involved.

Whale Wars (2008-2015)

Whale Wars is a documentary series that follows the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society , an international non-profit organization dedicated to marine wildlife conservation and the protection of ocean ecosystems.

Whale Wars focuses on their daring and often dangerous missions to confront and intervene against illegal whaling operations in the Southern Ocean.

The series is known for its high-stakes, dramatic, and often confrontational confrontations between the Sea Shepherd crew and the whaling vessels, primarily those of the Japanese whaling fleet.

The show captures the Sea Shepherd’s direct-action tactics, which involve approaches like obstructing whaling vessels, using non-lethal methods to disrupt whaling operations, and documenting their activities.

The show raises important ethical and legal questions about the pursuit of conservation goals through direct action and the clashes between environmental activism and the interests of whaling nations.

Throughout the series, you are taken on a journey through multiple campaigns over the years, including confrontations with Japanese whalers, documenting their practices, and striving to disrupt their operations.

Whale Wars is not only an exciting and action-packed series but also serves as a platform for raising awareness about the critical issue of whaling and the broader challenges faced by marine wildlife and their conservation.

There are several seasons of this to watch and you can find some of the episodes on YouTube. Here’s a trailer for season 4:

Blackfish (2013)

Blackfish is a critically acclaimed documentary about whales that primarily focuses on the controversial practice of keeping orcas (killer whales) in captivity and tells the story of Tilikum, a captive orca involved in several tragic incidents.

The documentary traces the life of Tilikum, an orca captured in the wild and later held in captivity at SeaWorld, a popular marine theme park.

It highlights his involvement in a series of attacks on trainers, including the death of experienced trainer Dawn Brancheau.

Blackfish delves into the physical and psychological toll of captivity on orcas, raising questions about the ethics of keeping such intelligent and social animals in confined spaces for human entertainment.

The film explores the complexities of orca behaviour in the wild and how captivity can lead to aggression and stress in these animals.

Blackfish features interviews with former SeaWorld trainers, experts, and activists who provide insight into the issues surrounding captive orcas and the dangers faced by trainers.

Blackfish had a significant impact on public perception and awareness of the ethics and safety of keeping orcas in captivity for entertainment purposes.

It also led to increased scrutiny of marine theme parks, particularly SeaWorld, and contributed to changes in the way these facilities house and manage their marine animals.

A Life Among Whales (2005)

A Life Among Whales follows the life and work of marine biologist and conservationist Roger Payne.

Roger Payne is known for his pioneering research on the vocalizations of whales, particularly his groundbreaking work on the songs of humpback whales.

The film delves into the world of humpback whales, showcasing their remarkable songs and the ongoing efforts to understand their purpose and significance in the lives of these marine mammals.

A Life Among Whales explores Roger Payne’s dedication to whale conservation and his advocacy for the protection of these creatures. It touches on issues related to whaling, habitat preservation, and the importance of raising awareness about the conservation of marine life.

The film serves as a tribute to Roger Payne’s lifelong passion for whales and his tireless efforts to protect these majestic creatures.

It also sheds light on the critical role that scientific research and advocacy play in preserving the world’s oceans and the incredible life they contain.

You can watch A Life Among Whales on Amazon .

Sonic Sea (2016)

Sonic Sea is a unique one out of these documentaries about whales as it focuses on the issue of ocean noise pollution and its impact on marine life, particularly on marine mammals like whales and dolphins.

It’s not exclusively about whales but they are predominant throughout the documentary.

The documentary explores how human activities, such as shipping, naval exercises, and underwater construction, generate loud and pervasive underwater noise.

This noise can disrupt the communication and navigation abilities of marine animals, leading to various negative consequences, including strandings and even death.

Sonic Sea features interviews with scientists, environmental activists, and experts in the field, as well as stunning underwater footage.

The film also highlights efforts to mitigate the impact of underwater noise and protect marine life, such as the implementation of quieter shipping technologies and the establishment of marine protected areas.

Sperm Whales – Titans of the Deep

This is a great documentary about whales that focuses on sperm whales in the North Sea.

It sheds new light on the behaviours of sperm whales and how the possibility of man-made noises in the ocean is driving sperm whales out of their natural habitat.

It explores how in the 1990s the number of sperm whales stranded in the North Sea increased by 1000% while at the same time, oil exploration in the North Sea was going on.

Killer Whales: Up Close and Personal

This documentary is set in the cool waters that surround the volcanic archipelago of the Crozet Islands (between Africa and Antarctica), which follows the trials of Delphine, a young female adolescent killer whale.

It shows her living and growing within her group of killer whales as she gradually learns how to find her bearings, how to hunt king penguins or Minke rorquals and how to get stranded in order to catch sea elephants.

A fascinating documentary about killer whales.

These documentaries about whales not only showcase the beauty and wonder of these giants but also shed light on the challenges they face due to environmental changes and human activities.

They serve as a call to action for the conservation of these incredible creatures and the preservation of our oceans.

There are many other documentaries about whales that you can watch but these are 10 of the best, so choose a few that appeal to you and see these majestic giants.

For more wildlife from the seas take a look at the 10 best documentaries about dolphins .

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