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41 Days Stranded at Sea: The Harrowing, Heartbreaking Real-Life Story Behind New Movie 'Adrift'

"It's amazing what you can do when you have to survive," says shipwreck survivor Tami Oldham Ashcraft

Spoiler Alert! This story contains major spoilers about the plot of the new movie Adrift .

The summer of 1983 started out like a fairytale adventure for 23-year-old globetrotter Tami Oldham Ashcraft.

The California native got engaged to her British boyfriend, Richard Sharp, and several months later the two experienced sailors set out on a dream trip from Tahiti to San Diego on a luxurious 44-foot sailboat. Less than two weeks into their trek, the pair — played by Shailene Woodley and Sam Claflin in the new movie Adrift — were trapped in a devastatingly strong hurricane that changed their lives forever.

Ashcraft, who originally detailed her ordeal in a 1998 self-published memoir Red Sky in Mourning , says that although she and Sharp received radio warnings about the developing storm, which started out as a tropical depression and quickly gained in intensity and speed, they were unable to outrun it.

“We ran from it for three days trying to figure it out, because it kept changing direction,” Ashcraft recalls to PEOPLE. “The storms are going twice your speed. We couldn’t make that kind of time with the boat to get out of the way.”

When the hurricane fully descended upon them on Oct. 12, Sharp had sent Ashcraft below deck to rest. The last thing she remembers before the boat capsized and she was knocked unconscious is her fiancé screaming.

“When I woke up from being knocked out for 27 hours, I didn’t know where I was,” she recalls. “I was like, ‘Where am I?’ The boat’s half-full of water at that point, I couldn’t even really remember anything. Then I started moving and unlatching myself [from her safety suit and various debris], looking around going, ‘Oh my God. Richard. Where’s Richard?'”

All she could find of Sharp in the midst of the wreckage was his broken safety tether hanging lifelessly over the boat. While the reality of her grave situation swept over her, so did the awareness that she was badly injured — her head was split open behind her hairline and she had a serious gash on her leg — and drifting aimlessly somewhere in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.

“They were both bad. My head injury I could keep clean somewhat, keep bandages on it,” says Ashcraft. “Thank goodness it’s underneath my hairline so you can’t see it. It splayed my head wide open, and I just bled. My leg I kept hitting on everything, and then there was so much water in the boat. It would just stay wet all the time. I was super worried about my leg. Then I started ripping up t-shirts and stuff when I ran out of bandages.”

After she self-administered first aid, Ashcraft’s next key survival move was crafting a makeshift sail from some of the debris on the boat and setting course for Hawaii — 1,500 miles away — which she was able to do via her navigation skills.

“What saved my life was knowing celestial navigation, that I could navigate by the sun and get myself somewhere,” Ashcraft says. “You have to do three sights a day, and sometimes I would have to do four. Doing all the mathematics required for that really helped me to focus.”

RELATED VIDEO: Two American Women and Their Dogs Rescued After Five ‘Hopeless’ Months Lost At Sea

It also helped keep her mind off her grief over losing her fiancé in such a tragic way.

“I had to tell myself onboard that I couldn’t cry anymore, because I was losing way too much water,” Ashcraft says. “My water supply was very limited. I just had a big talk with myself. That inner strength to survive is so strong. You just don’t realize it, until you’re put in a really crucial time that you have to survive. It’s amazing what you can do. That just comes from within really. Then keeping your mind active.”

Ashcraft survived 41 days adrift in the Pacific, subsisting on peanut butter and willpower, before she approached Hilo, Hawaii and was picked up by a Japanese research vessel after sending up a flare around 4 o’clock in the morning.

The ship’s crew members “were shocked,” she recalls. “I was exhausted. I was way underweight — I’m 5’8″-5’9″ and I weighed about 100 lbs. I didn’t even go to the hospital. Can you believe that? I can’t believe nobody sent me to the hospital.”

When Ashcraft returned home to San Diego, the weight of her near-death experience and the loss of her first love fully set in, and she face a long recovery from her injuries, physically and mentally.

“I had the head injury and I couldn’t even read a book for nearly five years. I couldn’t finish sentences, my short term memory was really bad,” she says. “Seeing couples together, that sort of thing, was hard. I had nightmares. I was consumed for years and years with thinking about it. I then realized after five or six years that I could choose when to start thinking about him and the experience. I started realizing, ‘Oh, I’m not consumed by this all day now.'”

Although Ashcraft says her physical injuries healed well enough that she never went to a hospital for medical attention, she regrets not seeking out help from a therapist or counselor.

“I wish I had gotten some professional mental help. I think I could have sped up my recovery a little bit more,” she says. “Not so much the grieving but the mental recovery of reading and that kind of thing. They can give you projects to work on and things, and also just make sure that you’re going around the right track.”

Ashcraft says it took her a full five years before she was able to come out of her mental fog and feel joy again. She returned to the water almost immediately — only these days she prefers power boating to sailing when she navigates near Washington’s San Juan Islands, where she lives with her family, husband Ed, a contractor, and her two daughters.

“We’ve been a boating family,” she says. “I think it teaches the children so much more about life.”

Ashcraft still speaks publicly about her incredible survival story to groups like the Navy Survival School. “I’m glad to help, although I’m sorry I was in that situation. Now I choose when I want to think about it. For many years I was consumed by it and a lot of that had to do with just moving on in life,” she says. “It’s still in your heart. It’s just in a different way.”

Adrift is now playing in theaters.

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The Real Survival Story Behind ‘Adrift’

Tami Oldham Ashcraft, the subject of the new Hollywood lost-at-sea film, describes what her 41-day ordeal was like in real life and how the movie compares

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On October 12, 1983, Tami Oldham Ashcraft and her fiancé, Richard Sharp, found themselves in the path of Hurricane Raymond as they sailed a 44-foot yacht across the Pacific Ocean. The experienced sailors were delivering the luxury boat Hazana from Tahiti’s Papeete Harbor to San Diego on what was supposed to be a routine passage. Instead, the Category 4 storm whipped up violent waves and catastrophic winds that eventually capsized the small craft. In the ensuing chaos, Ashcraft suffered a serious head injury that rendered her unconscious for 27 hours. When she awoke, Sharp was gone.

Alone at sea and awash with grief and shock, Ashcraft mustered the courage to guide the battered Hazana toward the nearest landfall—1,500 miles away, in Hilo, Hawaii. She worked furiously to rig the one remaining sail and a partial spinnaker pole to gain steerage for the boat. Since the electronics were shot in the flooded vessel, Ashcraft had to rely on a sextant and a watch to navigate across the open ocean. “I ran the risk of being off the latitude of Hawaii, so that was always really heavy on my mind,” she says. “If I did not get to Hawaii, I would die.”

Despite scarce rations and serious injuries, Ashcraft made it to Hilo Harbor 41 days later. Nearly a decade after, she began writing a memoir, Red Sky in Mourning , which, after she self-published it, was released by a Hachette imprint in 2002. (Dey Street recently reissued the book under the title Adrift ). Among the book’s admirers were screenwriters Aaron and Jordan Kandell. They turned it into a screenplay that became Adrift , a $35 million film adaptation of her story. The movie, directed by Baltasar Kormákur ( Everest , The Deep ) and starring Shailene Woodley as Ashcraft and Sam Claflin as Sharp, hits theaters this month.

We spoke with Ashcraft about what it was really like to endure those days at sea, her reaction to the film, and the surprising way she began healing from her ordeal.

On How She Learned the Skills to Prepare Her for Survival at Sea: “It was hands-on, just by what I call ‘jumping off the continent.’ I learned first on my dad’s Hobie Cat and then during my first Pacific crossing in 1979. I was always interested in plotting the course on the chart and seeing where we were. I wasn’t a master navigator by any means, but I enjoyed it. Once it became a life-and-death situation, I got real good, real quick.”

On Finding Hope During the Darkest Moments: “First of all, having that half of a spinnaker pole. I still had one little sail left, even though all the other sails went overboard. Once I got that up and I had steerage, I could actually move the boat. Then all these little things started being put in place. Finding that I had a quarter of a tank of water, that was a huge turning point. Finding my watch in the bilge so that I could find out exactly where I was on the chart instead of just sailing by latitude. There were a lot of little things that kept me going.”

On One Surprisingly Emotional Moment From Adrift : “The one scene that kind of really threw me is when Shailene is leaning over the side, putting the duct tape on the hull. Just seeing her alone, with no land in sight, with that wrecked boat—oh my gosh, it just brought me right back. It was just so surreal. It was like, God, that was me. I just wept.”

On What She Thought About During Her 41 Days at Sea: “I thought about Richard all the time. I thought about our life together, I thought about my family. Your mind just races and runs around. I would think, ‘Have I completed the things I wanted to do in my life?’ Then there’s the whole shout out to the universe: ‘If I live, I promise I won’t ever do this or that or whatever!’ I mean, you’re just making promises to the universe. It’s very humbling, and it really puts you in your place.”

On Dealing with Grief and Survival at the Same Time: “I had to talk to myself and tell myself, ‘I have to quit crying.’ I had to quit crying because I was losing so much water, and I didn’t have a lot of water. A lot of the grief was really muted, really shoved back because of the survival and having to keep pushing forward. It really wasn’t until I was back on land, and I could relax and not have to worry about dying, that the grief started surfacing. It was really, really difficult.”

On What People Should Know About Richard Sharp: “He had a very good sense of humor, and people were drawn to him. He was a people person. I’m a little bit more reserved, so we made a good couple in that way. He was very well read, he was a pretty smart guy, and he was an adventurer. That’s what drew us together: quenching our adventurous spirit. Being a sailor, it’s hard to find a compatible relationship with someone. I mean, when you’re sailing with someone, you’re with them 24/7. He was just a very genuine, beautiful person.”

On What She Did After Surviving: “I just kept myself distracted and kept moving forward. I went back to sea for many years. I think it was cathartic for me to get back to sea, to get back to what I loved to do. That was kind of my therapy, I guess. My first trip was about six months of sailing through Fiji’s islands on a crew. After we got in a little bit of a gale, the owner of the boat goes, ‘You’re not afraid, are you?’ I said ‘Afraid? I’ve seen the worst! I’m not afraid of this. This is nothing compared to what I just experienced.’”

On What She Hopes Viewers Take Away from Adrift: “I’m just very pleased that it’s being told at a time when there’s such an empowerment of women. Like Balt [Baltasar Kormákur] says, it’s always these survival stories of man against wolves or man against the sea. I think it’s a time to show some of the strengths that women have, that they can overcome all kinds of obstacles in their lives. I’m hoping the movie shows that no matter what’s thrown your way, you just gotta dig deep. If you can just hang on, get through it, be strong, and have perseverance, then on the other end you’re gonna come out of it OK.”

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Heartbreaking true story behind Adrift the movie - the real-life tale is far more harrowing than the film

Shailene Woodley and Sam Claflin star in Adrift, the harrowing and heartbreaking real story based on Tami Oldham Ashcraft's book

• 14:50, 29 Jun 2018
• Updated 13:14, 28 May 2020

In September 1983, the future seemed bright for Tami Oldham Ashcraft. She and her fiancé, Richard Sharp, had been sailing for the past six months.

They had decided to take a break from pleasure sailing in Sharp’s 36-foot sailboat and instead take a job delivering a 44-foot yacht from Tahiti to San Diego.

What at first seemed like a good business decision for a couple as much in love with sailing as they were with each other soon became a nightmare.

23-year-old Tami, played by Shailene Woodley in the film, was left alone after one of the worst hurricanes in history hit three weeks into their trip and took her fiancé from her.

Ambushed by the weather, a late-season storm, the yacht “pitchpoled” and “flipped end over end.”

Along with her fiancé Sharp, played by Sam Claflin, Ashcraft fought to keep the yacht from sinking. They battled 40 foot waves and 140 knot winds as they tried to run north of Hurricane Raymond.

While they desperately battled against the category four hurricane, it showed no signs of abating.

Then Hurricane Raymond changed direction, stalking them like prey.

The key difference between the movie and real life

The trailer for the movie, the aptly re-named Adrift, shows all of this.

It shows the yacht capsizing after Hurricane Raymond hits, it shows Sharp injured, and it shows Ashcraft in charge of getting them home.

The movie is based on the true story - taken from the book Oldham wrote years afterwards called Red Sky in Mourning: A True Story of Love, Loss and Survival at Sea. But real life, as it often is, was much more harrowing.

When the hurricane hit, Sharp insisted Ashcraft get down below deck as he secured himself with the safety harness.

There were screams, Ashcraft heard Sharp shout “Oh my God!” - and then there was darkness.

Ashcraft was knocked out when the boat capsized, throwing her against the cabin wall.

When she woke up 27 hours later, she ventured above deck to find the storm was over but that wasn’t the end of her suffering.

Scrambling onto the deck, she saw Sharp’s safety line dangling off the boat - her husband-to-be was gone.

Ashcraft believes the wind and waves were too powerful for her fiancé, yanking him from the tether and sweeping him overboard.

She was left alone, scared and grappling with her heartbreak and loss.

“Definitely the hardest part was dealing with Richard being gone,” she said years later to the Chicago Tribune . “There were times I didn't even want to live anymore because I didn't know how I was going to go on. I was never going to fall in love again.”

This isn’t the same as the Adrift trailer. When Ashcraft wakes up in the movie she finds Sharp injured but still alive and in the water.

While he’s unable to help his fiancé navigate their way home, he does remain by her side.

As the movie isn’t out yet it’s unclear whether Sharp is actually there or a figment of Ashcraft’s imagination.

In real life everything was broken, smashed and scattered, the cabin was half-full of water, the masts were broken clear off and the sails were waterlogged and floated useless nearby.

Ashcraft investigated further and found the navigation system, and the emergency position-indicating radio device, were broken.

Alone, scared and injured, she didn’t have time to grieve. What happened in the next 41 days was equally inspirational and heartbreaking.

Mental breakdown and the "inner voice"

Ashcraft rigged a makeshift sail from a broken pole and fashioned a pump to keep the cabin from flooding.

Left with only a sextant, a navigational instrument, and a watch to help her navigate the 1,500 miles to Hilo, Hawaii she suffered not just from hunger but also a head injury and a severely damaged boat.

To this day, she wears a triangular-shaped sextant, encrusted with a diamond, as a pendant as “it reminds [her] of how [she] got home.”

“It saved my life,” she said.

In a 2003 interview with Chicago Tribune, Ashcraft explained how she survived on peanut butter and canned food - from fruit cocktail to sardines - for 41 days after the hurricane hit.

She had no time to grieve, intent and focused on her survival and getting home.

Ashcraft sailed the wreck to land using the sextant, her hair matted with salt water and only her own thoughts to keep her going.

She was on a verge of a mental breakdown - the body can endure far more than the mind.

Mourning her fiance and weak from her own blood loss, she was catatonic for two days. She didn’t eat, she didn’t move.

Then the “inner voice” in her head demanded she get up, that she get to work.

“Being on that boat was like solitary confinement,” she recalled. “The voice kept me on track. I just followed it.”

For the next few days she got her bearings and rigged her sail to get herself in position so she could use currents she hoped would take her to Hawaii.

“While I was in the survival mode, the grief was fairly low,” she told the Tribune later. “It wasn't as intense as when I got to shore and the survival was over, and I could see people together and everything kept reminding me of him. I just really had a hard time. But that survival instinct [while at sea] just kicked in. It helped me to focus, to keep myself on track.”

Every day at midday, she look through the sextant’s telescope and adjusted it to measure the sun’s angle above the horizon. She worked out her ship’s latitude using nautical maps - she became her own captain. She had a plan.

That’s not to say her journey was without trial.

Ashcraft wrote: "On the horizon I saw an isolated cloudlike shape . . . the mass became a granite-colored smudge in front of me. Could it be Hawaii? . . . I was afraid to see people again, get back into society. What was going on?”

The next day it seemed her mind had played tricks on her. There was no island. The plane she thought she saw above her didn’t see her.

She heard a voice.

“I was mentally fried. I needed guidance and the voice was a real phenomenon. Three times it was audible externally. I've asked the voice to come back, but I never heard from it again.”

Drained and unsure if she’d ever see land, Ashcraft began to consider doing the unthinkable.

She took a rifle that was on board, loaded it and put it in her mouth but the voice she had been hearing convinced her to stop. While some have questioned whether it was God, Ashcraft believes it was her inner strength, her own “inner voice”.

Days later, a 300-foot Japanese research ship saw her boat near the entrance of the harbour.

More than 40 days later from when the hurricane had struck, she finally pulled into the Big Island’s Hilo Harbour.

She cried tears of joy.

Her mother's premonition

Back home something strange was happening. After the hurricane had hit Ashcraft’s mother Zonna Pennell, home in San Diego, thousands of miles away, began having weird dreams.

She told the San Diego Union Tribune she saw “a guy outside on a boat looking through a porthole...It was blurry. I saw Tami and she had something red on her head - a gash.”

Whether it was mother’s intuition or something else, Pennell immediately felt something was wrong with her daughter.

She began visiting the Coast Guard office every day, asking about where her daughter was. She heard nothing about the hurricane, she only heard from Ashcraft two months after she had set sail.

Life after the hurricane

Amazingly, Ashcraft still loves to sail and “is a 100-ton licensed captain with more than 50,000 offshore miles” under her belt.

Part of her ability to ‘move on’ was thanks to writing her story down. She never underwent counselling saying “no one ever suggested it” though she was left wishing someone had. “I definitely had some severe post-traumatic stress syndrome,” she said. “I really wish I had taken the time to do that”.

For six years afterwards, she couldn’t read a book thanks to the head trauma. She couldn’t focus on the words, they leapt off the page at her.

She suffered from nightmares too, and she developed a fear of flying.

“I had nightmares about being back out at sea, lost,” she told the San Diego Union Tribune years later. She dreamt about Richard so she kept moving, trying to forget.

Eight years after the accident she began to heal.

It’s clear Ashcraft has never forgotten Sharp but he doesn’t haunt her and instead reminds her that life is worth living. Years after her accident, she took the ring he had given her in Tahiti, attached it to a rose and put it out to sea.

She began to read again and then, encouraged by her mother, began to write down what happened. Ashcraft jotted it all down, on napkins, legal tablets, anything she could get her hands on. She went on to pen the book that inspired Adrift the movie.

Ten years on, she met another man with ‘captivating blue eyes’ at a dance. She went on to marry him and have two children. The family live on San Juan Island, where Ashcraft can be at peace with what she went through.

Her children didn’t read the book when it was released, they were too young, but they knew “Mommy was in a hurricane.” It’s in the past.

After the hurricane hit, after Oldham tries to drag herself from the pit of despair, plagued with thoughts of suicide, there’s a point where she steels herself for what’s to come.

“If I was going to live, let’s get to living” that inner voice told her. It’s an adage she continues to live by.

Adrift is out in cinemas in June.

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Shailene Woodley on "Adrift," the true-life story of survival at sea

By David Morgan

May 28, 2018 / 2:51 PM EDT / CBS News

After earning Golden Globe nominations for her performances opposite George Clooney in "The Descendants," and with Nicole Kidman and Reese Witherspoon in the HBO series "Big Little Lies," Shailene Woodley now stars opposite an even more formidable force: the Pacific Ocean.

Her new film, "Adrift" (which opens in theatres on Friday), is based on the true story of Tami Oldham Ashcraft, who endured Hurricane Raymond in the Pacific Ocean in 1983. She battled 40-foot waves and survived at sea for 41 days before being rescued.

Woodley did her own stunts on the film, ninety percent of which was shot on the open ocean off Fiji.  "It was remarkable – being in the open seas and being in the open element is so rare because we're used to soundstages and green screens," Woodley told "CBS This Morning" on Monday. 

"Every day we just put into perspective what this woman went through in her life.  It wasn't easy. But it's worth it. We got lucky. I love the water and am a strong swimmer, and [co-star] Sam Claflin as well. The whole crew was willing to play ball."

Woodley also had to learn to sail for the film. "I knew nothing about sailing beforehand. I don't know that I'd ever choose to go out on a sailboat alone, but if I had to, [I could]!"

"Adift" was based on Ashcraft's 2002 book, originally titled "Red Sky at Mourning," and now republished by HarperCollins. Despite the trauma of her ordeal, Ashcraft continues to sail to this day.

"A lot of women say, 'Oh, it's a woman versus nature story.' I like to say it's a woman working with nature," Woodley said. "That which caused her the most pain in her life, which is the ocean, is also that which helped her with her life. That forgiveness, that she's been able to reconcile or work with in her own mind and thought and heart, is what has allowed her to sail today."

Woodley said it was the love story component that grabbed her. "And also, when it's real, it raises the stakes. As an audience member you watch it, and I think in this day and age of big movies and a lot of fantastic things that aren't real, it's hard to grasp a relatability factor. And for me when I watch something that's real, it just immediately reminds me of my own life and how lucky we are to be alive, and [it] puts everything in perspective."

She said there was a lot of "self-inflicted pressure" upon her for playing a real-life character. "Not because Tami put any pressure on me at all," she said. "But we really wanted to make this for her. We wanted to pay tribute to her story, their story. …

"For me what was so powerful [about the story], I'm just such a sucker for love. It was the love that aided the survival. And without that love, survival may have not existed. And so I think this film does a beautiful job of explaining how that occurs. Yeah, who doesn't love love, and who can't relate to love?"

Woodley was also asked about her HBO series "Big Little Lies," which is currently in production on its second season, expected to premiere next year. When asked what audience could expected to see, she demurred, but said, "I think they'll respond to the second season because the producers and writers and everyone in the show aren't afraid to go there and talk about domestic violence and talk about things that happen to most people on this planet and yet very rarely get told in mainstream media and in cinemas and in shows. So, I think people just continue to feel like they're not alone in their stories."

To watch a trailer for "Adrift" click on the video player below.

       See more:

• "Adrift" (STX Entertainment) opens in theatres Friday, June 1
• "Adrift: A True Story of Love, Loss, and Survival at Sea" by Tami Oldham Ashcraft (HarperCollins), available via Amazon
• "Big Little Lies" (HBO)

David Morgan is a senior editor at CBSNews.com and cbssundaymorning.com.

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• What Is Cinema?

Review: In Adrift, Shailene Woodley Proves a Worthy Anchor

By K. Austin Collins

If you’re an actor looking to prove that you have what it takes to carry an entire movie alone, it appears you’ve got two reliable options: get untethered in space, à la Sandra Bullock, or get lost at sea, like Tom Hanks in Castaway or Robert Redford in All Is Lost . Such is the case in Adrift, a new Shailene Woodley vehicle with a title that’s more revealing than it seems.

It’s a film about a shipwreck first and foremost, based on the true story of Tami Oldham (Woodley) and her fiancé, Richard Sharp (played by The Hunger Games ’s Sam Claflin ), whose sailboat got knocked off course by a devastating hurricane in 1983. What began as a hired journey from Tahiti to San Diego quickly became a tale of survival at sea on a boat in ruins. Injured and defeated, with little drinkable water or food supply to speak of and little to protect them from the elements, their boat spends 2 days adrift, then 5 days, then 15. . . 41, all told.

But as the movie tells it, Tami was already, willingly, a little at sea—which must be why Woodley is so good. I mean that as a compliment. Woodley, like Claflin, is a Y.A.-franchise alum whose career, while not undernourished, could use a boost like this—a project that ably utilizes her easygoing naturalism and de facto openness in a big, flattering, movie star–ready role.

It’s a pretty good fit, and a pretty good movie. A 23-year-old drifting from here to there, picking up jobs along the way, Tami appears to lack a natural anchor of her own. Chalk that up to a troubled home life, maybe, or an insatiable wanderlust; the movie doesn’t lean too hard on the reasoning. Working the docks in Tahiti and living among the other ex-pats, she meets and is charmed by Richard, a sailor who quickly falls for her in return. Their honeymoon period is at sea, of course, and it’s beautiful in the way movie romances are supposed to be beautiful: mutually adoring, with a cascade of sunsets, sweet talk, and warm-and-fuzzy feelings. Even then, Tami makes clear, she’s on her own journey.

That theme—independence—matters more to Adrift than most of the other specifics regarding Tami’s or even Richard’s character. You need to believe that when the boat nearly capsizes in the storm, Tami will know how to handle herself; Richard, who gets thrown from the boat, is too mangled up, with a shattered leg and a rib cage in complete disarray, to be of much use. And so, for much of Adrift, we see Tami going to work: gathering food, fixing the mast, spear-fishing, navigating a tricky new course to Hawaii with almost no guidance, and all-in-all getting the job done.

In another movie, this would seem an unforgivably improbable turn of events for a nomad who claims to not really know her way around a ship, as Tami does. You wonder if the movie only had her claim as much to lower our expectations, to make her persistence seem especially heroic—as if surviving 41 days at sea alone, no matter the method, isn't heroic enough. But Adrift ’s director, Baltasar Kormákur, shoots it all with a flattering, efficient professionalism. The movie makes you swoon (as when the couple endearingly sweet-talks their way through a cutesy patch of dialogue about the sunset) and gasp (as when Richard’s shattered leg begins to rot) when it needs to. And the bifurcated script, which balances present-tense disaster with flashbacks to Richard and Tami’s budding romance, is occasionally even thrilling—the whole movie barrels toward the twin endings of the disastrous storm, in one timeline, and the subsequent rescue, in another. The ideas behind that structure are minimal—but they make for an entertaining film.

There is a late sour point—one particularly grating reveal that is both obvious, in retrospect, and ultimately unnecessary. A story like this doesn’t need a gimmick, really; survival tales are so pure in their motivation—the characters have one job!—that psychological trickery isn’t really called for. And the overt sentimentality of the ending is a minor letdown, too, for a movie that’s otherwise filmed with just enough restraint to stave off eye-rolls. Adrift never gives the impression that it’s re-inventing the wheel. But save for the film’s conclusion, it justifies your sense that it doesn’t have to.

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• The Horrifying Tale of the ...

The Real-Life Story Behind The Shipwreck Movie 'Adrift' Is Almost Unbelievable

The film  Adrift  (2018), starring Shailene Woodley and Sam Claflin, tells the story of two sailors who manage to survive some incredible odds. A seemingly standard harrowing Hollywood premise, the film is actually based on the true story of Tami Oldham. At only 23 years old, Tami Oldham Ashcraft survived being  lost at sea  for 41 days after a hurricane ravaged her boat and killed her fiancé, Richard Sharp. She sailed 1,500 miles in a battered yacht, somehow keeping herself alive after the devastating hurricane by repairing the boat and setting a course for land. Oldham faced 41 days of unimaginable physical and emotional turmoil, at some points even hallucinating and hearing voices. But her tenacity and sailing experience allow her to make it to Hawaii alive, against the odds.

The film adaptation of the Tami Oldham and Richard Sharp story stays pretty faithful to their ordeal – but, of course, with some Hollywood license taken that suggests it may not be entirely as somber. The Tami Oldham Ashcraft survival story is one of sheer grit and determination to live – a struggle that continued long after the ordeal itself.

In The Movie, Oldham Finds Sharp – But In Real Life, He Was Gone

The major difference between the movie and real life appears in the trailer:  Richard Sharp survives the storm . In real life, he was torn from his safety harness by the waves and Tami Oldham never saw him again. But in the movie, she finds him in the water the next day, clinging to a life boat, badly injured but alive.

While this looks like a huge departure from the true story, subtle hints tell viewers that things may not be as they seem. In the trailer, Sharp mentions how hallucinations are common when you sail alone. So it remains open to possibility that Oldham simply imagines Sharp is still there with her.

Their Sailing Experiences Led Them To A Fateful Job Offer To Transport A Yacht

• Tami Oldham Ashcraft
• Hachette Books

Twenty-three-year-old Tami Oldham and her fiancé, Richard Sharp, had been sailing together around the South Pacific Islands for about six months when they received a job offer in September 1983. The owners of the Hazana , a 44-foot yacht, wanted Oldham and Sharp to sail it from Tahiti to San Diego , a journey of 4,000 miles.

As avid sailors, the couple agreed to take on the delivery of the boat – a decision that would permanently change the course of their lives.

They Unexpectedly Encountered A Late-Season Storm, Hurricane Raymond

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In October 1983, Hurricane Raymond thrashed the Pacific Ocean. The Category 4 storm produced 140-knot winds and 40-foot high waves, an extremely dangerous situation for a 44-foot yacht to sail into. Tami Oldham and Richard Sharp underestimated the severity of the storm, and after initially trying to outrun it , they tried to swing north to avoid its path.

As hard as the couple fought against the hurricane, it simply overwhelmed them and their boat.

Oldham Last Heard Sharp Scream Before She Was Knocked Unconscious

With the storm worsening, Richard Sharp told Tami Oldham to go below deck. As she went below, she heard Sharp scream before the boat pitched forward . She smacked against the wall and fell unconscious for 27 hours, waking up to find the storm over. But when she went looking for Sharp, she only found his safety tether hanging over the side of the boat. 

Oldham was heartbroken, but didn't have time to properly grieve for her husband-to-be. She put her feelings aside and pushed through the tasks needed to be done for survival. She spent the next 41 days repairing and sailing the yacht on her own, eating canned food and peanut butter and charting her course home.

The Storm Destroyed Most Of The Boat's Equipment

Against 40-foot waves and wind up to 140 knots, the Hazana   rolled and flipped end-over-end . Loose items smashed upon the walls, and water partially flooded the cabin. The masts floated in the water nearby, ripped off by the hurricane winds. Worse, the boat's critical electronics – the engine, radio, emergency signal, and navigation device – were all destroyed.

On her own, Tami Oldham rigged up a makeshift sail and pumped the water out of the cabin. She managed to repair the yacht enough to make it the 1,500 miles to Hilo, HI.

Oldham Saved Herself While Suffering A Major Head Injury

The boat and its contents were not the only things damaged by the storm. After slamming against the wall, Tami Oldham suffered a major head injury. Just like the rest of the boat, Oldham bandaged up her head as best she could and fought through it.

Though she survived, she said the injury left her unable to read a book for six years.

She Had Nothing But A Sextant And A Watch To Guide Her To Hawaii

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Though the storm ruined most of her navigation devices, Tami Oldham still had a map, a watch, and a sextant (a centuries-old navigational device  used to measure the distance between celestial bodies in order to determine latitude and longitude while at sea).

Using the sextant, Oldham figured out her position in the ocean and found the currents that would take her to Hawaii. Today, she  wears a tiny replica of a sextant as a pendant to remind her of how she found her way home.

At One Point, Oldham Suffered A Full Mental Breakdown

Being alone at sea gets difficult even in the best of circumstances. Tami Oldham endured her loneliness while also injured, grieving the loss of her fiancé, and fearing she might never make it back to land. At one point in her journey home,  she experienced a full mental breakdown , lying completely catatonic for two days. She was "mentally fried," unsure she would be able to carry on.

Luckily, Oldham began to hear an "inner voice" that told her to get back up. By listening to it, she was able to power through and continue sailing to Hawaii.

Her "Inner Voice" Stopped Her From Committing Suicide

In a  Chicago Tribune interview, Tami Oldham described the pain of losing the man she loved :

Definitely the hardest part was dealing with Richard being gone. There were times I didn't even want to live anymore because I didn't know how I was going to go on. I was never going to fall in love again.

At one point during her ordeal, Oldham decided to end it all – she grabbed the shotgun from the ship's cabin and put the barrel in her mouth . Yet that inner voice told her no – it wasn't her time to go yet.

When asked about the voice, she responded:

I think it was my inner spirit, quite frankly. It was my spirit. People want to convince me it was God, but I don't know. I think, personally, it was my inner spirit.

Oldham Wishes She Sought Help For PTSD Sooner

For Tami Oldham, readjusting to life after the hurricane took another kind of tenacity. While in "survival mode" on the boat, she focused on the tasks needed to be done rather than mourn the loss of her partner; back on land, surrounded by people, not as many distractions existed.

She spoke of the mental trauma she endured in an interview with the Chicago Tribune , and reveals a wish that she had sought help for PTSD :

I wish I had because I definitely had some severe post-traumatic stress syndrome. I really wish I had taken the time to do that. I'm fairly headstrong, so I'm always, "Oh, I can get through this on my own." Now looking back, at times I really needed some professional help.

Oldham's Mother Had A Premonition That Something Was Wrong

Thousands of miles away from her shipwrecked daughter in San Diego, Tami Oldham's mother knew something was wrong. After Hurricane Raymond hit, Zonna Pennell began to have strange dreams, strange enough she viewed them as premonitions : "There was a guy outside a boat looking through a porthole. It was blurry. I saw Tami and she had something red on her head – a gash."

Pennell started going to the Coast Guard office every day to ask about her daughter, but was never even told about the hurricane. She only heard from Oldham after the ordeal was over.

She Wrote A Book About Her Experiences, Which Was A Part Of Her Healing Process

As a part of her grieving process, Tami Oldham wrote a book called Red Sky in Mourning: A True Story of Love, Loss, and Survival at Sea , a project she began around eight years after the accident. At the time it was released, her two daughters were too young to read the book or understand what their mother had been through – they only knew that "Mommy was in a hurricane."

Although the book was initially rejected by several publishers , Oldham went ahead and published it herself. When a literary agent discovered it, those same publishers went into a bidding war for the story. Oldham's book formed the basis for the film  Adrift.

In Spite Of The Trauma She Endured, Oldham Still Loves To Sail

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When asked by the Chicago Tribune how she feels about sailing today, Tami Oldham's response said a lot about her inner strength:

I just love it. I'm passionate about it. I kind of parallel [the hurricane] to being in a car accident. You get back in the car or, like they say, back on the horse. I couldn't wait to get out of the States and get back to some tranquility and get back to the water again. But it definitely made me a lot more cautious.

Today she lives on San Juan Island, WA, a place where she can practice the hobby that not only saved her life, but also gives it joy.

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The Boys in the Boat: History vs. Hollywood

Is the boys in the boat based on a book.

Yes. Directed by George Clooney, the movie is based on Daniel James Brown's #1 New York Times bestselling non-fiction book The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics , which was published in 2013. The book chronicles the true story of the University of Washington rowing team, which competed in the 1936 Olympic Games in Germany. According to Forbes , author Daniel James Brown met Joe Rantz (portrayed by Callum Turner in the movie) in 2007. Rantz was the only member of the crew who was still alive at the time. He passed away not long after their meeting. Fortunately for Brown, Joe Rantz's daughter, Judy, had previously interviewed her father and recorded his story to tapes that Brown could use for his research. He also contacted family members of the other members of the crew and had access to their journals.

Did the real Joe Rantz have a troubled childhood?

Yes. A Boys in the Boat fact-check confirms that Rantz, portrayed by Callum Turner in the movie, grew up poor. His dire circumstances and struggle in the movie is largely accurate. His mother died from throat cancer when he was just four years old, and he was sent to stay with his aunt. His father remarried three years later in 1921 to a woman named Thula LaFollete. Joe Rant'z father, Harry Rantz, made him come live with him and Thula, who had four younger children of her own. Despite Joe being well-behaved and a good student, Thula did not take a liking to Joe and wanted him gone. One day, after Joe got in a spat with Thula's child, Harry left his 10-year-old son at the town's one-room schoolhouse. A teacher told Joe he could stay there if he agreed to take on some routine chores, including chopping wood for the stoves. For food, Joe hunted, fished, and worked odd jobs. Several months later, in 1925, his father retrieved him because the family was relocating to the town of Sequim, Washington, 65 miles northwest of Seattle. However, their financial troubles worsened. The real Joe Rantz (left) is pictured in a 1933 University of Washington student ID photo. Actor Callum Turner (right) portrays him in the movie. Photos: University of Washington / MGM On his way home from school one day in November 1929, Joe discovered that his father and Thula had packed up the car. They were leaving for an undisclosed location with his half-siblings and they weren't taking him with them. Joe was 15, alone, and had to care for himself during the start of the Great Depression. For two years, he stayed in a half-finished cabin in the woods. He continued to go to school and made money by logging timber, building fences, baling hay, and clearing tree stumps. He had an older brother, Fred, who had recently married and told Joe to come live with him and his wife in Seattle. Fred had been hired as a teacher at Seattle's Roosevelt High School, which Joe would attend for his senior year. No longer having to worry about whether he would eat or not, Joe excelled at school and participated in high school sports.

How did Joe Rantz and Joyce Simdars meet?

The Boys in the Boat true story reveals that Joe Rantz met girlfriend Joyce Simdars when he was going to school in Sequim, Washington. They became close friends. Before starting college, Joe proposed to Joyce, who would also attend the University of Washington.

How did University of Washington rowing coach Al Ulbrickson discover Joe Rantz?

While Al Ulbrickson was visiting Roosevelt High School for another reason, he noticed Joe Rantz performing a maneuver on the high bar during gymnastics practice. It was then that he encouraged Joe to apply to the University of Washington and try out for the crew team. This was before the era when athletic scholarships made it much easier for economically challenged students to attend college. After graduating high school, Joe worked for more than a year to save money for college. He paved highways and he worked on the construction of the Grand Coulee Dam, a job that required him to rappel down cliffs and dangle in the air as he used a jackhammer to clear away rock. He enrolled at the University of Washington in the fall of 1934 and earned a spot on the freshman crew team. The following year he made the varsity-eight boat. Coach Al Ulbrickson (left) is portrayed by Joel Edgerton (right) in The Boys in the Boat . Photos: Courtesy of University of Washington / MGM

Did the University of Washington rowers come from a lower economic class than many of the other teams?

Yes. Rowing was considered to be a prestigious sport at the time and many of the best teams hailed from elite schools like Harvard, Yale and Oxford. The fact that the nine young men on the University of Washington team were all from working-class families indeed contributed to their underdog status. They were the sons of loggers, farmers, shipyard workers, and manual laborers. They were never expected to beat the elite teams from the East Coast and Britain. Top (left to right): Shorty Hunt (Bruce Herbelin-Earle), Joe Rantz (Callum Turner), and Don Hume (Jack Mulhern) are depicted in the movie. Bottom (left to right): The real Shorty Hunt, Joe Rantz, and Don Hume row as part of the University of Washington crew team in the 1930s.

Did Don Hume come down with a bad chest cold during the boat trip over to the Olympics in Germany?

Yes. During the ten-day boat trip across the Atlantic to get to the Olympics in Berlin, Germany, rower Don Hume came down with a bad chest cold. He stayed in bed for several days and had a high fever. He lost approximately 12 pounds by the day of the race, and Coach Ulbrickson thought it would be best to replace him with an alternate. However, the team wanted Hume. Ulbrickson trusted their decision and let Hume compete. The 1936 University of Washington Olympic Rowing Team (standing from left to right): Don Hume, Joe Rantz, "Shorty" George Hunt, "Stub" James McMillin, Johnny White, Gordy Adam, Chuck Day, and Roger Morris. Crouching in front at center is coxswain Bobby Moch. Photo: University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections, [UW2234]

Did the University of Washington rowing team win the Gold medal at the 1936 Olympic Games in Germany?

Yes. An examination of the fact vs. fiction in The Boys in the Boat confirms that the real-life 1936 US Olympic Rowing Team captured the Gold medal in the men's eight at the Olympic Games in Berlin, Germany on August 14, 1936. The men's eight was the most prestigious of all the rowing contests. The race began at 6:15 p.m. German time. It was morning back in the United States, and millions huddled around their radios to listen to the race unfold. Watch footage of the 1936 Olympic rowing men's eight race . The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics

Did the University of Washington team move up from last place to win Olympic Gold?

Yes. At the halfway point in the 2,000-meter race, the University of Washington rowing crew was in sixth place, with an average pace of 32 strokes per minute. They rallied during the second half, increasing their strokes to a mind-boggling 44 per minute. They crossed the finish line in a dead heat with Germany and Italy, capturing first place by three feet and six-tenths of a second. It took approximately five minutes for the judges to make their decision. During that time, the crowd yelled, "Deutschland! Deutschland!" The anticipation was recorded by German propaganda filmmaker Leni Riefenstahl . USA (top) crosses the finish line first in the men's eight at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin.

Did Adolf Hitler watch the US Olympic Rowing Team win the Gold medal?

Yes. With regard to Adolf Hitler, The Boys in the Boat true story is indeed in line with the movie. Adolf Hitler, Joseph Goebbels, Hermann Göring, and other high-ranking Nazi officials looked on as the eight-man crew of young men from America crossed the finish line in Berlin, beating the German team and winning gold. German rowers had won Gold in the first five races of the day and the Führer was expecting a win in the most important rowing event, the men's eight. The 1936 Olympic Games were the first to be televised, as Hitler wanted to promote Nazi propaganda and show off the superiority of the German athletes. People gathered in television rooms in and around Berlin to watch. Others around the world, including Joe Rantz's family and his girlfriend Joyce Simdars, listened on their radios back home. During the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, Hitler was also famously on hand to watch American Jesse Owens win the 100-meter event, and he shook the hand of runner Louis Zamperini after watching Zamperini's impressive final lap in the 5000-meter. Top: Adolf Hitler watches the rowing competition on a cold and rainy August 14, 1936. Bottom: Hitler (center) watches the races with Nazi Minister of Propaganda Joseph Goebbels (far left) and Luftwaffe Commander Hermann Göring (far right).

Did Joe Rantz and Joyce Simdars get married?

Yes. Joe Rantz graduated from the University of Washington in 1939 with a degree in chemical engineering. He married high school sweetheart Joyce Simdars on May 27, 1939. Together they had five children and remained married for 63 years until Joyce's death in 2002. To provide for his family, Joe spent 35 years working at the Boeing Corporation in Seattle. He passed away of congestive heart failure in 2007 at the age of 93. An elderly Joe Rantz (left) is pictured in the years before his death. Actor Ian McElhinney portrays the older Joe in the movie. Photos: Find a Grave / MGM

Overall, how accurate is The Boys in the Boat ?

For the most part, the movie sticks closely to Daniel James Brown's bestselling book . Brown even reportedly shed a tear during a screening. Director George Clooney admitted that he had to leave out certain parts of the book due to the fact that he could only fit so much into a two-hour movie. We first meet rower Joe Rantz (Callum Turner) when he's 19, despite the book going much deeper into his childhood. Other parts of the film condense the true story's timeline. Clooney noted that they meticulously recreated the University of Washington Shell House, creating an identical replica to the one that existed in '36. However, the movie was shot in the UK and not at the actual university, mainly because the campus and area around the UW Shell House no longer look the same, as new buildings have been constructed.

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Open Water 2: Adrift

When a group of friends fail to lower the ladder of their boat, they find themselves stranded in the surrounding waters and struggle to survive. When a group of friends fail to lower the ladder of their boat, they find themselves stranded in the surrounding waters and struggle to survive. When a group of friends fail to lower the ladder of their boat, they find themselves stranded in the surrounding waters and struggle to survive.

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• Trivia Actress Emma Caulfield was originally cast in the movie as Lauren, the strongest swimmer of the group. But upon arrival at the shooting location, it quickly became apparent that Caulfield was terrified of being in the water and was replaced.
• Goofs When Amy is putting the baby to sleep before they all end up in the water, the baby has almost no hair. When the camera cuts to the sleeping baby, she has a full head of curly hair. It's clearly not the same baby.

James : Our daughter is scarred for life. She'll either grow up to be oddly attracted to Popeye, or a lesbian.

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• Soundtracks Love To Blame Written by Stephan L. Groth Performed by Apoptygma Berzerk Taken from the album "You and Me Against The World" Courtesy of Gun Records Published by Dead Man Moving [Played during end credits]

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20 Best Sailing Movies of all Time

Last Updated by

Daniel Wade

June 15, 2022

If you have been looking forward to curling up on the couch, grabbing a bowl of popcorn, and watching some captivating movies, this can be a good time. A good sailing movie can be perfect given that you'll hear a few lines that you're already familiar with when on the dock or setting sail.

This can be a perfect time to binge-watch some of the best sailing movies.

So in no particular order, we'll highlight 20 of the best sailing movies of all time. From the brutal and dramatic tales of man vs. sea to inspirational explorations and expeditions, we've covered it all. Keep reading and you'll be inspired while waiting to get off dry land when it's safe to do so.

Table of contents

All is Lost (2013)

For lone sailors, All is Lost is probably the best movie to give you a glimpse of what might go wrong for you if you decide to sail the big blue ocean alone. With a near-mute performance as an old man who loves sailing alone, Robert Redford puts in an almost quasi-silent performance by portraying the ordeal of what a lone sailor can undergo when the sea turns on you.

Directed by JC Chandor, there's only one person on the screen throughout the film. He's all alone in the vast sea with his damaged boat. He has to become tough, resourceful, and calm even when things turn against him. Single-character movies are a rarity even today but this is a great survival film that perfectly depicts what could happen even to the hardest lone sailors out there.

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

Directed by the talented Peter Weir, this critically-acclaimed movie was nominated for 10 Oscars and won for best cinematography and sound editing. Depicting the return of the high-seas adventure, this movie is skillfully and meticulously adapted from the historical novel by Patrick O'Brian set during the Napoleonic Wars and starring Russell Crowe.

Crowe plays an arrogant captain who pushes his ship crew to the limits while trying to capture a French warship. This movie offers action-packed battle scenes that will keep you on the edge of your seat. This movie gives you an insight of what sailors undergo in their struggles to make it through the high-seas alive.

Captain Ron (1992)

With little sailing experience but with an inherited yacht moored on an offshore island Martin Short hires charismatic Captain Ron to take them back to Florida. The voyage isn't as easy as they expected as they have to face pirates, breakdowns, and other obstacles. They all get more than what they bargained for.

Portrayed by Kurt Russell, Captain Ron depicts the misadventures of a nominal sailing character that is hired by an upper-middle-class father to guide a yacht through the Caribbean. From the marine accidents, pirates, guerilla carnivals to malfunctioning equipment, and Russell's croaked absurdities, this movie is just full of double humor and worthy performance. 

Wind (1992)

As one of the biggest races in competitive sailing, America's Cup is often associated with rich people competing in weird-looking boats. But this movie changes this as it takes viewers through the eyes of tanned and rugged Will Parker as played by Matthew Modine. He's hired by a self-made millionaire (Cliff Robertson) to lead his crew in the competition.

Together with his girlfriend Kate who is an equally skilled sailor, Parker intends to win America's Cup but Kate is thrown off the crew leaving Parker angry. When the crew loses America's Cup to the Australians, Parker decides to form his own syndicate to win back the cup. 

White Squall (1996)

This movie follows a young man's adventure movie that follows a group of high school students who boards the brigantine ship called Albatross for their senior year at sea. They sail to the tip of South America and back. They get to accept responsibility, learn how to be sailors, and grow up.

The skipper of the ship, Christopher Sheldon together with the 13 teenage boys set sail for an eight-month voyage. The boys soon discover Sheldon's psyche gradations, rattling tension, and freak storms that sink the ship. As a sailor, you'll be disturbed by the fact that four students and two crew members drown, leaving skipper Sheldon facing a fierce tribunal, tortured conscience, and grieving parents and students.

Mutiny on the Bounty (1962)

As one of the greatest epic movies of the 1960s, English Captain Bligh is on a sea voyage to transport breadfruit from England to Jamaica. He is so abusive that he gets on the nerves of his crew members, especially 1st Lieutenant, Fletcher Christian.

Tension eases when they reach Jamaica and the crew indulges in the island's lifestyle but the captain claps some members of his crew in irons as they try to desert. Further abuses lead Fletcher to inspire a mutiny against the Captain. Fletcher and his men set the Captain and his loyal members afloat in a rowboat. This movie offers a realistic depiction of a larger-than-life character that most sailors are known for. 

Dead Calm (1989)

Starring Billy Zane, Nicole Kidman, Sam Neil, and a gorgeous 60 ft. ketch, Dead Calm revolves around a mass-murderer who kidnaps and seduces a young beautiful woman after leaving a husband to die on a vessel whose crew he has just murdered.

This movie was filmed in the Whitsundays Islands of Australia, which is one of the best sailing destinations in the world. Bringing forth an epic combination of deadly sailing conditions , complete isolation from the rest of the world, and a skillful villain aboard the vessel, this movie is thrilling and will leave you looking behind your back whenever you're out there on the sea.

The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004)

This adventure-comedy follows the high journeys of Steve Zissou, a character adaptation of French oceanographer Jacques-Yves Cousteau. It follows his ocean expedition when tracking the ‘jaguar shark' that apparently ate his partner, Esteban.

Esteban had been working with Zissou on a documentary about mysterious circumstances by a shark. This is a sharp film with lots of fun and adventure on the sea.

Kon-Tiki (2012)

Legendary Norwegian explorer and ethnographer Thor Heyerdahl believes that the South Sea Islands were originally colonized by South Americans. Thor, who fears water and doesn't know how to swim, partakes on a voyage in 1947 to prove his belief. Together with five crew members, set sail from Peru on a balsa-wood ancient raft.

Even though their only modern equipment is a radio, they have to navigate through the ocean while relying on stars and ocean currents and they achieve the impossible after exhausting three months at the sea. This is a very spirited adventure that depicts what's possible when we believe in our dreams. 

Maidentrip (2013)

A 14-year-old sailor by the name Laura Dekker sets sail on a two-year voyage in pursuit of her dream to become the world's youngest sailor. Laura sets out from Holland and sails throughout the world. Apart from the occasional foul language that Laura uses now and then on the documentary, this is an excellent film that shows what one can achieve when he/she lives her dream and works hard towards achieving it.

The documentary, however, doesn't suggest that Laura is alarmingly young to sail across the unforgiving Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Instead, she's depicted as an independent outsider who is looking for paradise in a never-ending sea. 

Adrift (2018)

In most cases, sailors seem to never anticipate that they may sail directly into a catastrophic hurricane and this is exactly what Richard Sharp and Tami Oldham do when they sail directly in one of the worst hurricanes ever recorded in history.

Tami awakes in the aftermath of the hurricane to find their boat in ruins and Richard is badly injured. And because they do not have any hope that they would ever get help or get rescued, Tami is left with two options: sit there and perish or find strength and determination to save herself as well as the only man she's ever loved.

Turning Tide (En Solitaire) (2013)

In this daring tale, this movie portrays how a fearless sailor known as Yann Kermadec finds a lot of obstacles in his biggest race as a two-hander named Turning Tide falls flat. In a nail-biting tension, the story begins when Kermadec replaces the main skipper in the Vendee Globe on short notice.

After some smooth sailing, things go eerily wrong for the sailor as his ship is damaged and he's forced to anchor off the Canary Islands to repair it. When he gets back on his journey, he soon discovers that a Mauritanian teenage boy has sneaked inside the boat and he has no option but to sail with him at least until they cross the Atlantic Ocean.

The Old Man and the Sea (1958)

An old Cuban angler known as Spencer Tracy is so unlucky that he hasn't caught any fish in 84 days. And despite the commitment of a young boy to bring him food, the angler fears that he's forever lucky but catches a small fish on his 85th day, so he decides to keep fishing.

When one of his many fishing lines hooks a large marlin, he decides not to go back to the shore until he reels it in. For almost two days and nights, he has no choice but to sit there and do everything he can to redeem himself from what seems like a perpetual failure.

Morning Light (2008)

By entering the TRANSPAC, which is one of the world's best open-ocean competitions, 15 young men and women prepare for a sailing adventure of their lives. With world-class teachers, these sailors begin intense training in Hawaii but only reach a climax in an elimination process that comes in the form of who-stays-and-who-goes process.

This documentary follows these sailors for six months as they embark on a 2,300-mile sailing ordeal, which starts in Los Angeles and ends in Honolulu.

The Perfect Storm (2000)

Created by Wolfgang Petersen, The Perfect Storm is a blockbuster that's big on visuals and depicts an action-packed escapade on the water as Captain Billy Tyne and his crew set on a fishing expedition aboard a ship known as Andrea Gail.

They're soon caught up in a catastrophic destructive storm when they decide to risk the storm and have to deal with a very powerful hurricane. At the height of their fishing expedition, their ice machine breaks down and the only way to ensure that their catch doesn't go stale is by hurrying back to the shore to sell their catch. This is exactly why they decide to risk their lives and it doesn't turn out as they expected.

Captain Phillips (2013)

When Captain Richard Phillips takes command of an unarmed container ship known as MV Maersk Alabama from the port of Salalah in Oman, they anticipate that they'll be attacked by Somali Pirates on their way to Mombasa, Kenya.

They attack the ship and Captain Phillips has to use his wits and diplomacy to negotiate with the pirates and save his crew. 

Maiden (2018)

As the saying goes; what a man can do a woman can do even better. This is exactly what's depicted by this sailing movie that follows the life of Tracy Edwards as she leads the first all-female crew when competing in the Whitbread Round the World Race.

Covering 33,000 miles and lasting for nine months, this is a truly grueling race that depicts the corrosive sexism that still exists in the sailing world as well as the ocean terrors that sailors have to deal with during voyages or competitions. 

Chasing Bubbles (2016)

This is a captivating documentary that follows the journey of Alex Rust who is a free spirit who gives the normal life to sail around the world. Alex is brought up as a farm boy but becomes a stock trader in Indiana. At the age of 25, he decides to abandon his life in Chicago, buys a modest sailboat known as Bubbles and embarks on a very unique free-spirited voyage. It takes him three years to sail around the world and to quench his insatiable curiosity while meeting great people and fulfilling his lifelong dream of becoming a free soul.

This is a breathtaking travelogue that depicts the sailing life of a truly absorbing character.

180° South (2010)

Directed by Chris Malloy, this is a sailing documentary that covers the journey of Jeff Johnson as he travels from Ventura, California to Patagonia in Chile. He does this to retrace the same trip covered by Yvon Chouinard and Doug Tompkins in 1968.

While the two initial explorers made the journey on the land, Johnson travels by sea using a small boat.

Deep Water (2006)

This movie follows the true-life story of Donald Crowhurst, an inexperienced British sailor who enters the Golden Globe, which is the first nonstop boat race in the world. Donald puts up his home as collateral to gain financial backing to compete in the race but soon finds himself on the wrong end of things as he enters the race under-prepared.

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Movie Nights at Home

- Snacks & Ideas for Families, Friends & Couples

The 18 Best Sailing Movies to Watch on Netflix & Amazon

Watching one of these best sailing movies, you can sail into the ocean from the comfort of your couch.

Watching movies is a great way to take a trip without ever leaving the comfort of your own home. So, if you’re longing to take a voyage on the sea, a sailing movie is a great option!

Our favorite sailing movies include a great story and amazing views! All of the films on our list are available on Amazon Prime, Hulu, or Netflix at this time. So you can watch a great film about setting sail without ever leaving your house!

Most of these options also lend them selves to be a great outdoor movie night or pool party movie choice !

The 18 Best Sailing Movies

From action-packed thrillers set on a boat to inspiring documentaries about real-life sailors, you’re going to love each of the sailing movies in this comprehensive list.

Rated PG-13

A young couple sets sail on an adventure of a lifetime across the open sea together. But as they’re sailing across the ocean, one of the most catastrophic hurricanes in history capsizes their boat, leaving them to fight for their lives in the ocean, in this sailing thriller based on a true story.

2. Life of Pi

After surviving a shipwreck, the young son of a zookeeper is trapped on a lifeboat with a Bengal tiger in this Oscar winning sailing movie directed by Ang Lee.

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3. deep water (2006).

This sailing documentary tells the true story of the first solo, non-stop boat race around the world. As the film progresses, the filmmakers work to uncover the toll the grueling sea trip took on the race’s participants. The documetary features Simon and Clare Crowhurst.

4. Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World

In this historical drama, Russell Crowe plays a 19th century British ship captain who struggles as he prepares rag-tag team of crew members to attack a French ship.

5. Captain Ron

After a man finds out he’s inherited a yacht, he takes his family on a trip to the Caribbean to bring the ship home in this sailing comedy. When they arrive, the family hires a shady captain to help repair the ship and sail them back to Miami, leading to plenty of trouble on the trip home.

Kurt Russell and Martin Short star in this sailing film.

A group of sailors come together to reclaim the America’s Cup for the American team after a defeat the year before in this action-packed sailing movie starring Matthew Modine and Jennifer Grey.

7. White Squall

An educational sailing trip turns into a larger life lesson for a group of prep school students when their boat gets caught in a white squall storm in this Ridley Scott sailing movie classic featuring Jeff Bridges and John Savage.

8. Dead Calm

When a seasoned sailor and his wife, played by Nicole Kidman, take their yacht out on a long vacation trip across the ocean, they come upon a sinking boat in the middle of a calm sea. After rescuing the distressed sailor, the couple uncovers a horrifying sight and works to uncover the mystery behind the capsized vessel.

9. Kon Tiki

This Academy Award winning classic sailing documentary tells the story of a group of sailors who took a 4,300 nautical mile trip across the Pacific ocean on a raft. 

10. Maidentrip

Follow 14-year-old Laura Dekker as she achieves her dream of becoming the youngest person to set sail around the world alone in this riveting sailing documentary.

11. The Old Man and the Sea

Based on the classic novel by Ernest Hemingway, this sailing movie follows Santiago on a fishing trip that ends with the biggest catch of his life. But when sharks attack his catch, he must fight to keep his fish and save himself.

12. Morning Light

Watch as 15 young sailors compete to join the crew of the Morning Light, a sleek racing boat bound for the Transpac LA to Hawaii open ocean race in this Disney sailing documentary.

13. The Perfect Storm

To help tide his crew over for the winter, a fishing boat captain insists the group go out for one more fishing trip before the cold weather arrives. But as the crew sets sail, a storm begins to brew directly in their boat’s path in this sailing movie starring George Clooney and Mark Wahlberg.

14. Red Dot on the Ocean

Hoping to become the first person to sail around North and South America alone, Matt Rutherford goes on a death-defying ocean journey in this popular sailing documentary.

15. The Mercy

Leaving behind a loving wife (Rachel Weisz), an amateur sailor named Donald Crowhurst (played by Colin Firth) competes in the Sunday Times Golden Globe Race around the world. This movie has some of the prettiest sailing scenes and is based on a true story.

An overworked doctor takes her dream trip sailing alone across the Atlantic. But when she comes across a boat filled with refugees, she jumps in to organize the group and get them to safety.

17. The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou

Famous Steve Zissou sets sail with this crew to find a (possibly nonexistent) Jaguar Shark. This quirky comedy stars Bill Murrary, Owen Wilson, and Cate Blanchett.

18. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl

Johnny Depp plays Captain Jack Sparrow in this popular Disney franchise about the days of pirates and treasure hunts.

You can also save this picture to have the list of best sailing movies easily on your phone!

Whether you’re an experienced sailor or you get sea sick at the sight of water, you can enjoy a vicarious trip across the ocean with the help of a good movie. And these amazing sailing movies won’t disappoint!

If you loved this list of best sailing movies, you may also like:

• 25 Comedy Travel Movies for Family Movie Night
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The 33 Best Sailing Movies of All Time: Movies You’ll Love

What can we say, we love sailing. Sailing is different things to different people. Some like racing fast yachts, others like traveling by sailboat, even some like traveling by the sea because of all the other activities that lend themselves to a life at sea.

When we’re not on our boat out sailing, we love watching movies, shows and documentaries about sailing.

Listed below is a list of movies, films and documentaries we have really enjoyed over the years. Some we like better than others, some we have watched over and over through the years. Interestingly many of these stories are based on true stories or are actual documentaries. Sailing can be exciting.

We hope you enjoy them as much as we have.

Master & Commander: The Far Side of the World

This movie is based on a Patrick O’Brien novel. If you’re not familiar with the Patrick O’Brien series they are wonderful. I have not read them all, but every one I have read is fantastic.

Set during the Napoleonic wars, this movie follows a British warship tracking a French privateer. Apparently the director was meticulous about everything from the rigging to the sailors uniforms. It shows. This is a great movie.

The America’s Cup is the world’s oldest trophy. For 132 years no one could pry it from the United States hands.

This movie is loosely based on Dennis Connor, who embarrassingly lost the Cup to the Australians and then won it back. I don’t think you have to be a racing sailor to appreciate the effort and money that goes into the Americas Cup. This is a unique movie about the cup and how much effort is placed on winning the Americas Cup.

Pirates of the Caribbean

I lumped the entire Pirates of the Caribbean franchise together even though they all have different plots and are now apparently moving to new characters. At present there are five in the series, with a reported sixth on the way.

Everyone loves Johnny Depp’s Jack Sparrow character. It’s a great role for him, but I hear that is coming to an end. In my opinion, the first in the series is the best, but they are all entertaining.

Captain Ron

This is one of my favorite sailing movies of all time. Kurt Russell and Martin Short team up in a hilarious movie about a suburban family learning to sail with the rough around the edges, vagabond sailor that is “Captain Ron.”

You will be quoting this movie for the rest of your life.

White Squall

This is a great movie based on a true story starring Jeff Bridges about a sailing prep school disaster. Set in the 1960’s Caribbean, White Squall has a lot going for it. The movie is really more about school life and the trials, tribulations and relationships aboard than the sailing disaster.

You can’t go wrong with White Squall on your watch list. It is very well done.

Chasing Bubbles

The footage from this documentary was shot by a young man who circumnavigated on his very small boat with several friends. However, the documentary was actually made by his friends using the footage, photos and stories from the people who were on the journey.

This is a sailing classic. Available for free on Youtube.

Coyote: The Mike Plant Story

This documentary about Mike Plant, a solo racing sailor is quite unique, as is Mike Plant. We had never heard of Mike Plant, but the story is a good one. The world of solo sailing is dominated by the French, but Mike Plant was making waves and building momentum.

We were pleased we took a chance on this one, we had no idea what it was about.

There have been many solo around the world sailing races, The Sunday Times Golden Globe Race in 1968 was the first.

The Mercy is the story of Donald Crowhurst and his entry and competition in the race. It is really an unbelievable story. I read a book about Crowhust when I was in college and it seemed as bizarre then as the movie does today.

Deep Water is a documentary about the 1968 Golden Globe Race of solo sailors to race around the world. There are a lot of stories within the race, there was only one finisher. Tilda Swinton is the narrator.

The Whitbread around the world race was the precursor to the current Volvo Ocean Race. The Whitbread was a crewed yacht race, and in 1989 and all female crew entered to race. This is the documentary about that crew and their skipper Tracy Edwards.

This thriller starring Nicole Kidman, Billy Zane and Sam Neill is a masterpiece of what can happen out at sea when someone is not in the right mental state. In civilization you can simple call the police, when out on the high seas you don’t have this luxury. I’m not particularly a psychological thriller type of fan, I prefer comedy or action, but this is a good move. Buckle up if you start to watch it.

Sea Gypsies: The Far Side of the World

An interesting kind of a documentary about a hand built 120 foot boat – Infinity and her crew as they sail from New Zealand to Patagonia. 16 crew with very little budget, the Infinity sailed 8000 miles with a stop in Antarctica sailing through the southern ocean. This is a very good story of modern adventure on a weird gypsy boat showing you there are still adventures to be had by real modern explorers.

Morning Light

This documentary follows the crew of Morning Light, a group of 18-23 year old’s as they train for and compete in the Transpac sailing race. The Transpac is a race from Los Angeles to Hawaii.

A documentary about Laura Dekker, when she is 14 years old and sets out to be the youngest person ever to circumnavigate. The documentary is entirely filmed and narrated by Dekker herself. It’s as much about sailing as it is about growing up and dealing with life’s challenges. A great uplifting tale.

The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou

This comedy-drama with Bill Murray is kind of zany and out there. It is a parody of Jacques Cousteau, but only loosely. It is kind of quixotic and random but a lot of people like it. This is not particularly a sailing movie, but based on the sea.

The Perfect Storm

Although not a story about sailing, this true story of the sea, and the fisherman that work on her is fantastic. Based on the book by Linda Greenlaw, who is a commercial fishing captain in her own right, it is very well done. Big stars, big budget, this movie is everything it should be. As usual, the book is better, but the movie is one of the best on this list.

Red Dot on the Ocean

The number of people who have sailed around Cape Horn is very small, even smaller is the number of people who have sailed through the Northwest Passage. Matt Rutherford has done both, he did them while sailing nonstop around the entirety of the North and South American continents.   Rutherford was the first to accomplish these feats. This is the documentary of his accomplishment, an amazing feat of seamanship.

Mutiny on the Bounty (1962)

Just about everyone has heard about the 1789 mutiny Fletcher Christian started aboard HMAV Bounty captained by William Bligh. This is the original 1962 movie with Marlon Brando. There have been multiple articles, movies and books written about the story. It is a world renowned story. The survivors and descendants of the mutineers still live on Pitcairn Island in the South Pacific.

This is the 1984 version of the mutiny starring Mel Gibson, Anthony Hopkins and Liam Neeson. I’m not sure which one I like better, they are both good.

Kon Tiki (2012)

How was the Pacific Ocean, specifically Polynesia populated? Well, a Norwegian, Thor Heyerdahl had a theory. Unfortunately no one believed him. He thought people migrated from South America to Polynesia via the sea, he just had to prove it.

This is the tale of an epic voyage built on little else than Heyerdahl’s theory. This true story is a great movie

Kon Tiki (1950)

This is the Oscar winning documentary of Thor Heyerdahl’s original 1947 expedition. Also a great watch.

In the summer of 1965, 16 year old Robin Lee Graham set sail from California on his 23 foot sloop hoping to circumnavigate the globe. This is the true story of his voyage. I have read the book, and of course it was better, but the movie does a good job of conveying the story.

In 1989 four crew set sail aboard Rose Noelle, a trimaran, from New Zealand bound for Tonga. They were hit by a rogue wave and capsized. They were drifting for 119 days until rescue. This is their true story.

Based on a true story, Adrift is a harrowing tale of a couple that endure a hurricane in the middle of the Pacific Ocean while on a yacht delivery. Spending  41 days surviving aboard the yacht before being rescued, this is a movie about surviving in the Pacific Ocean.

Waterworld is a futuristic sci-fi fantasy film starring Kevin Costner where Earth is entirely water. This movie had a huge budget and was largely a flop at the box office. If you throw all of that out, it is a neat movie. It’s kind of like Mad Max on the ocean. It’s not for everyone, but I thought it was good.

The Weekend Sailor

This is a great documentary about the 1974 Whitbread around the world crewed sailing race and the Mexican skipper who no one had ever heard about entering the race. Ramon Carlin, who was a weekend sailor, beat the best sailors in the world at their own game. This is the documentary about the race and the man. Great film.

The Old Man & the Sea

Based on the short story by Ernest Hemingway, if you haven’t read it, it’s a literary masterpiece. The Cuban fisherman is having a dry spell and manages to get a huge fish on the line. The story is what ensues.

The Old Man & the Sea: Return to Cuba

This is a documentary about Finbar Gittleman, a master sailor who left Cuba 50 years earlier when Castro took over. He returns to Cuba to see what happened to his homeland.

Following Seas

Following Seas is a documentary about a family of ocean voyagers and their travels. Bob and Nancy Griffith made 20 ocean voyages over 20 years. This is the story of their voyages, challenges and sacrifices along the way. It truly is a remarkable story.

Between Home

Nick Jaffe’s story of adventure as he decides to sail from the UK to Australia. He is an amateur sailor who had been living in Berlin and decided to sail home to Australia. This solo two year voyage of a lifetime is the result.  

The Endurance

Most people have heard of Earnest Shackleton’s tale of survival in Antarctica. The expedition, which was to make it to the South Pole turned into a story of survival. One of the best survival stories ever, The Endurance is the true story of Shackleton’s crew and their survival in the wilderness of Antarctica for a year and a half. One of the best true stories ever.

Hell or High Seas

The documentary of US Navy veteran Taylor Greiger and writer Stephen O’Shea’s sao;omg adventure around Cape Horn to raise awareness about the challenges veterans face as they exit active duty military service.

Moana is a Disney cartoon about a Polynesian girl who sets out on an epic adventure to save her village. I know this is a cartoon, but it’s really a great movie. Highly recommended.

Worst Sailing Movie: All is Lost

The worst sailing movie ever is All is Lost starring Robert Redford. Anytime I’m in a group of sailors talking about movies and someone brings up this movie, everyone will groan. This movie is a master class in what not to do in a sailing emergency. It’s kind of like if you had a fire in your kitchen and you stopped to make a sandwich, then emptied the dishwasher prior to putting out the fire. Yes, it’s that bad. Watch at your own risk.

Jason Koslow

Skipper of SY Wild Rose

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Finding Fun in Michigan & Beyond

13 Of the Best Sailing Movies, You Can Watch Again and Again

I’m a recreational sailor. I’ve been sailing on Saginaw Bay since I was a little kid. We started off sailing Snarks and Sunfish. Our family loved sailing movies, and we watched them all. In the early 1970s, my dad took advantage of a marketing campaign by Kool cigarettes where we could purchase a Snark with the white and green KOOL logo on the sail. We still have this old boat and manage to bring her out to play with from time to time. One of the things that irk me is the lack of movie entertainment that revolves around my favorite pastime. I’ve managed to collect a few examples of movies with sailboats here.

Sometimes you can find these sailing movies streaming on Netflix, Amazon Prime, or Hulu.

White Squall (1999)

The true story of a bunch of boys, a ship, and the sea.

The movie White Squall is based on the 1961 sinking of a brigantine named the Albatross—a two-masted sailing vessel with a fully square-rigged foremast—White Squall is an exciting tale of adventure, friendship, and tragedy. This sailing movie stars Jeff Bridges as Captain Christopher “Skipper” Sheldon, who takes his charges on an epic voyage around the world on the Albatross.

Along the way, the boys learn how to sail and how to work together as a team. They also develop life-long friendships and forge incredibly tight bonds that they can only get from being in such close quarters with each other.

But then tragedy strikes: A white squall appears out of nowhere, sending massive waves crashing down upon their beloved ship. With their lives on the line and all hope of survival seeming lost, Skipper urges his boys to keep fighting for their lives—and trust each other above all else, no matter what happens next.

Wind (1992)

Wind is a 1992 film directed by Carroll Ballard that follows Will Parker, played by Matthew Modine as he loses America’s Cup, the world’s biggest sailing prize, to the Australians and decides to form his own syndicate to win it back. Will hires Kate Bass, played by Jennifer Grey, to help him with his PR campaign.

The film co-stars Cliff Robertson as Morgan Weld, a businessman who offers to sponsor the team and pays for their yacht. Rounding out the cast is Jack Thompson as Michael “Brue” Brindley, a sailor who found success in racing and now manages an Australian team; Stellan Skarsgård as Bjorn Ericson, a Swedish sailor who sails for an American syndicate; and John McGlinn as Frank Hennessy, an Australian businessman who is investing in the Australian team.

All is Lost (2013)

All is Lost is one of the most harrowing survival stories ever committed to film, All is Lost is a minimalist exploration of a man’s struggle for survival in the face of adversity. In this case, “adversity” means “the Indian Ocean.”

The story begins with Robert Redford waking up halfway through a solo voyage across the Pacific. He finds that he has struck a floating shipping container, and his boat is filling with water.

Redford’s character is never given a name, but we do get to know him through his actions. He doesn’t panic when he discovers the leak; instead, he sets about repairing it as best he can. He rigs a jury-rigged sail to help him stay afloat while he waits out a storm. When the radio fails, there’s no bemoaning his fate; instead, he puts on his best poker face and keeps going. Each time he faces down yet another crisis and finds a solution, we learn more about him—and the stakes just keep getting higher.

Dead Calm (1989)

A young couple on a yacht trip in the South Pacific encounters a damaged ship and its only living inhabitant. He is looking for a ride home, so he can return to his wife and kids. The captain is suspicious and refuses to take him on board. As the story unfolds, it becomes apparent that the stranger was responsible for slaughtering the other crew members and that his wife may not be waiting for him at all.

The director depicts this story in an original way, shot completely on a boat, as it sails through the Pacific Ocean. Although the story is fictitious, it still gives us some real sailing skills and challenges of open water navigation.

This movie Dead Calm stars Nicole Kidman, Sam Neill, and Billy Zane.

Morning Light (2008)

Morning Light is a documentary that follows the youngest crew ever to compete in the Transpac sailing race. All crew members were between 18 and 23. The film follows the development of the Morning Light sailing team, their six months of sea training, and finally, the weeklong race across the Pacific between Los Angeles to Honolulu.

The film follows the young sailors as they develop their teamwork and learn to navigate under pressure and in high winds. The film also gives viewers a glimpse of the athletes’ personal lives: one woman struggles to find childcare so she can attend training while several others struggle with homesickness or the physical and emotional toll of leaving their families behind for months at a time.

The young sailors operate under incredible pressure: they are working hard to impress their sponsors (who have provided them with $2 million worth of equipment), they have only six months to learn how to sail, and they are constantly being compared to more experienced crews. They also must contend with a strict coach who pushes them harder than they’ve ever been pushed before.

Adrift (2018)

When you’re out on the open sea, you never know what fate may bring.

For Tami and Richard, it was a once-in-a-lifetime adventure—and one they’ll never forget.

Adrift is the true story of their journey to love and their battle with Hurricane Raymond in 1983, considered one of the most destructive storms ever recorded. Tami wakes up in the aftermath of the storm to find Richard seriously injured and their sailboat in shreds and sinking. Now, Tami must summon all her will and strength to save herself… and Richard, with no possibility of rescue.

Starring Shailene Woodley and Sam Claflin, Adrift is an incredible tale for anyone who’s ever felt like they were fighting against the world.

Kon-Tiki (2012)

It’s not often that you can come away from a movie with a new appreciation for the world around you—but that’s precisely what happened when I watched Kon-Tiki!

The movie is based on an actual expedition led by Thor Heyerdahl, a famous Norwegian explorer, and ethnographer, in 1947. Thor theorized that South Americans had settled parts of the South Sea Islands, and he wanted to prove his point. So, after months of preparation, he and five other guys set sail from Peru on a balsa-wood raft. They planned to use natural elements (like stars and ocean currents) to navigate their way through the sea.

It sounds impossible, right? But they did it! And they didn’t even have modern equipment like GPS or maps—just a radio. It’s one of the most incredible things I’ve ever seen. You should watch this movie; it leaves you feeling inspired about what you can accomplish if you believe in your aspirations.

Maidentrip (2013)

The documentary, Maidentrip , chronicles the two-year journey of Laura Dekker as she attempts to become the youngest person to sail around the world. The video, directed by Jillian Schlesinger, is a testament to the human spirit and what can be accomplished when one pursues one’s ambition and works hard to attain it.

Dekker is depicted as a free-spirited outsider who finds her utopia in a never-ending sea. She is shown spending time with friends, getting tattoos, and enjoying life on her boat. While she does occasionally use bad language in the video, it never interferes with her message that you can accomplish anything you set your mind to if you are willing to work hard and overcome obstacles that may arise along the way.

The Endurance (2000)

The Endurance tells the story of Sir Ernest Shackleton’s 1914-1916 journey to Antarctica, which is considered one of history’s greatest survival stories. Following the terrible death of legendary English polar explorer Robert Falcon Scott on his journey to the South Pole, Shackleton embarked on his third voyage.

Shackleton assembled a 27-man crew aboard his ship, Endurance, and set out in search of a new route across Antarctica from the Weddell Sea to the Ross Sea. The expedition was thwarted by ice near the Weddell Sea, and Endurance was trapped for nearly a year before being crushed by the ice and sinking. The men escaped with their lives onto the floes, where they remained for another five months before reaching Elephant Island. Five men stayed behind at the site of their camp as Shackleton sailed in a small boat with five others in search of help. He sailed 800 miles through dangerous seas to reach South Georgia Island, where he arranged for a rescue ship to save his stranded crew members. All 27 men survived this ordeal, which is considered an epic feat in polar exploration history.

Sea Gypsies: Far Side of the World (2017)

Picture this: a gang of roving miscreants, with no licenses or insurance and an almost non-existent budget, is bound towards the most perilous seas on the planet.

This is almost the polar opposite of what you may have learned in your sailing classes. But for the crew of “Sea Gypsies: The Far Side of the World,” their story is one of adventure, courage, and determination.

In this heart-pounding documentary, a group of friends takes on the challenge of a lifetime: sailing from New York to Japan without any formal training, using only an old wooden boat that they built themselves.

“We knew it was crazy,” says Timmy Sniffles, one of the participants. “But we threw ourselves at it anyway.”

With three cameras on board to capture every moment and a host of experts who explain the dangers, they faced along the way, “Sea Gypsies” is a real-life thriller that will keep you glued to your seat.

The Old Man and The Sea Return to Cuba (2018)

Finbar Gittleman is a 75-year-old master sailor. He has a mythical position among sailors in Key West and the Caribbean after living a rough and perilous life at sea. As he returns to Havana, Cuba for the first time since Castro’s revolution, this is his narrative.

The Old Man and The Sea Return to Cuba : Finbar Gittleman takes you on an adventure of sailing, perseverance, and self-discovery.

In this video, Finbar recounts his life at sea and how he came to be in Florida. He also shares some of the hardships he faced along the way as he struggled to make a living in the harsh environment of Key West.

He then describes the day when he decided to sail back home – through the dangerous reefs of Cuba – with nothing but his old boat, a compass, and some provisions.

The Mercy (2018)

Featured on the Today Show and in the New York Times, this extraordinary narrative of amateur sailor Donald Crowhurst’s effort to solo around the world in the first race of its type, the 1968 Sunday Times Golden Globe Race, is told in “The Mercy.”

Crowhurst was an amateur sailor who dreamed of winning the race. Struggling with his business and family life, he decided to enter the race. He convinced a local businessman to support him and set about building a boat for the race.

The race was ill-fated from the start: one competitor died at sea and another disappeared without a trace. Crowhurst became increasingly unstable as he sailed around the world; radio transmissions from him became more erratic as he sailed on.

He finally returned to England, where he was declared the winner of the race due to his competitors’ fates. However, it was discovered that he had never made it past the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa and had falsified his log entries. He returned home in disgrace and committed suicide shortly after his return

The Weekend Sailor (2016)

It’s not often that a story like this comes along. “ The Weekend Sailor ” is a documentary about Ramon Carln, a Mexican man who, in 1974, wins the first crewed around-the-world sailing race on his boat Sayula II. The race is now known as The Volvo Ocean Race, and it takes place every three years.

The reason this story is so captivating? Carln wasn’t your typical sailor. He had very little experience with sailing, and he won the race with a crew of family and friends.

The film follows Carln’s journey: from his humble beginnings as a young boy when he began to dream of being a sailor, to his later years when he competed in the race and then won it (overcoming many obstacles along the way). It’s an inspiring story of determination and drive that you’ll want to watch with your whole family!

Related to Sailing Movies and Other Stuff

Upper Thumb Boating and Sailing – Here is another wonderfully produced video from LIVE Huron. This one focuses on Huron County boating and sailing opportunities with some great shots of Caseville harbor and breakwall

Interview with Author Jacki Howard – I reached out to Jacki Howard to see what she has done since the book was published 10 years ago. She is still involved with the book, but life has moved on. Like so many in the Thumb region, we are distant cousins. While we have never personally met, we found common ground with our interest in the “Dying Sparlings” Here is our exchange.

Boat Names – Transom Charm – The boat name you select may not seem like an important thing, but most of us feel that selecting the right name for our boat is important.

A Kool Little Cigarette Sailboat – In 1971 KOOL Cigarettes ran a unique marketing campaign. Magazines around the country ran an ad that if you sent in $88 and one box end from a carton of Kool cigarettes that this fully functional sailboat would be shipped to your door.

Michigan Monday – Saginaw Poet Theodore Roethke – Regarded as one of the most accomplished and influential poets of his generation, Roethke won the Pulitzer Prize for poetry in 1954 for his book The Waking.

The Amazing Michigan Photography of Steven Donahue – Steven was born and grew up on his family farm near Port Hope. He moved away and started studying the arts, including photography, in Chicago. He was in the military during the Vietnam War and became an MP. Part of his job was to photograph deaths and burials. A job I’m sure was not pleasant.

Michael Hardy

Michael Hardy is the owner of Thumbwind Publications LLC. Michael was born in Michigan and grew up near Caseville. In 2009 he started this fun-loving site covering Michigan's Upper Thumb. Since then, he has authored a vast range of content and established a loyal base of 60,000 visitors per month.

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3 thoughts on “ 13 of the best sailing movies, you can watch again and again ”.

Substitute “Captain Ron” for “All is lost” and I am all aboard.

Charlie St Cloud was a recent movie with some sailing focus.

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Fact checking 'Boys in the Boat': How much of George Clooney's crew drama is true?

Ten years ago, a new book's tale of grit and adventure quickly caught fire with critics and readers alike. That story is now George Clooney's latest directorial effort, "The Boys in the Boat" (now in theaters).

Set in the hardscrabble 1930s, the movie focuses on Joe Rantz (Callum Turner), a poor kid whose attendance at the University of Washington is partly funded by his ability to row for the school's crew team. "Boys" takes us on that team's improbable journey to victory over better-funded collegiate rivals and, ultimately, Hitler's German team at the 1936 Berlin Olympics. That true story is also chronicled in the 2016 "American Experience" documentary "The Boys of '36," streaming now on PBS.org and YouTube.

But as is the case with nearly every feature film developed from a nonfiction book, shortcuts and compressions were made to create a taut two-hour movie. So it was with the source material, "The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics."

Author Daniel James Brown had a few early conversations about the adaptation of his 2013 book with Clooney. "He got the spirit of the story," Brown says, "but I didn't expect him to transcribe the book." Brown sheds light on a few of the biggest differences between the book and the movie.

USA TODAY interview: How George Clooney finally made an 'exciting' rowing movie with 'The Boys in the Boat'

Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.

Was the timeline of the winning University of Washington crew team accurate?

Brown notes the arc of events that culminated in the University of Washington's junior-varsity crew team's victory at the Berlin Olympics spanned three years, but in the movie "it's all compressed into the year 1936, which is the year when everything came together." That strategy "makes sense, unless you're doing a (longer) TV series."

But the compression omits some important details of Rantz's harsh upbringing. "There was a moment in high school, it was a rainy day and the car was packed up with his father, stepmother and stepkids, and they said 'We're leaving, and we're not taking you,'" says Brown. "It's a touchstone of his story, and resulted in it being hard for him to trust people."

Did the University of Washington's coach really favor his junior varsity team over the varsity squad?

Due in part to Rantz's powerful rowing ability, the University of Washington's green junior varsity team was quickly posting faster times than its veteran varsity counterpart, says Brown. As that trend continued over the next few years, the team's coach, Al Ulbrickson (played by Joel Edgerton in the movie), "made the dramatic decision to send his JV team to the big collegiate contests back east."

The move raised the ire of many school supporters. "It was dangerous because many boosters were invested in varsity crew; some had sons on that team," says Brown. "So it was a very risky thing to do for his future employment."

Did people in the 1930s really watch crew races while sitting on moving bleachers?

A century ago, sports such as rowing and horse racing were national pastimes in the same way football and baseball are today, Brown says. And yes, trains were reconfigured to pull grandstands along the banks of rivers that hosted such contests.

"Spectators on those observation trains could keep a close eye on each race as it unfolded because a lot of the dynamics of a crew race happen along the way," he says. And in a place such as Poughkeepsie, New York, the site of the big collegiate showdown in the film, the race was four miles long, says Brown.

Did the winning University of Washington crew team really have to raise money to go to the Olympics?

In the movie, the University of Washington's celebration after winning the top collegiate rowing prize is immediately dampened by news that the U.S. Olympic Committee couldn't afford to send the team to Berlin. So a fundraising drive kicked off overnight. "By the next morning, a steering committee had formed, and by that afternoon, students were selling paper badges, calling businesses for donations, and in about 48 hours they had the $5,000 needed for the trip," says Brown.

But the movie's feel-good moment – when the coach of the University of California, Berkeley team, the Cal Bears, writes a $300 check to wrap up the fundraising – never happened. "He did say that the Washington team should go, which was bold as they were bitter rivals," Brown says. But he never wrote a check.

Did a sickly University of Washington crew team member really lead the team to a gold medal Olympic victory?

The movie portrays Hume as a socially awkward kid who was the key ingredient in the team's big win in front of a crowd that included furious Nazi leader Adolf Hitler. Hume overcomes an illness to rally his team to victory. "All true," says Brown. "Don Hume was what's called the stroke oar; it's the critical seat as it sets the rhythm for the entire team."

As in the film, Hume contracted a respiratory illness on the ship to Germany, and his condition worsened as the team readied for its races. "Don was very, very sick the day of the finals, and it really was unclear if he'd make it through to the end," Brown says. "His performance speaks for itself."

Did the winning moment at the 1936 Olympics really come down to a photo finish?

At the movie's climax, the closely contested gold medal race ends in a photo finish. The athletes and spectators wait impatiently as a photographer processes the negative to reveal the result.

Not quite, says Brown: "It was an extremely close finish, and no one knew who had won," he says. "There were photos taken (by spectators) of that finish, but I don't have any reason to think they took a photo to determine who won. But it works dramatically; otherwise, they'd just be sitting in the boat, waiting."

The 7 Best Sailing Movies

Watching sailing movies can be a fun way to unwind and relax on the television with friends and family.

We've compiled a list of 7 top sailing movies to watch.

The 7 best sailing movies are:

• Best Adventure : All Is Lost
• Best Romance : Adrift
• Best Drama : Kon-Tiki
• Best Period Drama : Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World
• Best Classic : The Riddle Of The Sands
• Best Documentary : Maidentrip
• Best Thriller : Dead Calm

These sailing movies cover all genres and age groups so there is a choice for every viewer.

1. All Is Lost

The best adventure sailing movie is All Is Lost. We rate this movie 7/10.

All Is Lost is 1hr 46 minutes in duration. It was released in 2013 and is directed by J. C. Chandor. In 2014, it was nominated for the golden globe award for best original score. All Is Lost is rated PG-13 due to very minor amounts of strong language.

The sole cast in this movie is actor Robert Redford. He is the only person on the screen for the entire movie. There are 51 English words spoken in total in the movie with the majority of the film in silence.

The plot of the movie All Is Lost follows a lone sailor (played by Robert Redford) who is stranded in the Indian Ocean after his sailboat is damaged by a shipping container. He must use his survival skills to try to stay alive and find a way to be rescued.

The film takes the viewers through all the trials and tribulations Robert Redford encounters as he battles the sea alone on a damaged boat.

All is Lost is a great movie to watch due to its minimalist storytelling and the powerful performance of Robert Redford, who is the only actor who appears on screen for the entire film. The film's cinematography and use of sound design also add to the sense of isolation and desperation experienced by the main character. Additionally, the movie helps provide viewers with a realistic portrayal of the struggles of survival at sea, which makes it a compelling and intense watch.

People can watch the All Is Lost movie on Netflix, Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video, Youtube Movies, Google Play Movies, Microsoft Store, Rakuten TV, Sky Movies, Roku TV and Vudu.

The best romantic sailing movie is Adrift. We rate this movie 6.7/10.

Adrift is 1hr 36 minutes in duration. It was released in June, 2018 and is directed by Baltasar Kormákur. The film is based on the 2002 book "Red Sky in Mourning" by Tami Oldham Ashcraft, a true story set during the events of Hurricane Raymond in 1983. In 2019, it was nominated for best romance at the Golden Trailer Awards.

Adrift is rated PG-13 due to very minor amounts of strong language and nudity.

The main cast in this movie is Shailene Woodley who played Tami Oldham and Sam Claflin who played Richard Sharp.

The plot of the movie Adrift follows Tami Oldham and Richard Sharp, who set sail on a journey across the ocean in 1983. Their plan is to travel from Tahiti to San Diego but they are caught in one of the most catastrophic hurricanes in recorded history. Tami wakes up after the storm with Richard badly injured and the boat in ruins. With no hope of rescue, Tami must find the strength and determination to save herself and the only man she has ever loved. It is a story of survival, love, and the resilience of the human spirit.

Adrift is a great movie to watch because it is a critically acclaimed film that tells a powerful and emotional true story of survival and love. The performances by the lead actors, Shailene Woodley and Sam Claflin are highly praised and are often cited as the highlights of the film. The movie also features stunning visuals and breathtaking cinematography that capture the beauty and dangers of the ocean.

Additionally, the film deals with important themes such as perseverance, determination, and the power of the human spirit in the face of adversity. If you enjoy movies that are both visually stunning and emotionally powerful, then Adrift is a film that you should definitely watch.

People can watch the Adrift movie on Netflix, Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video, Youtube Movies, Google Play Movies, Rakuten TV, Sky Movies, Roku TV and Vudu.

3. Kon-Tiki

The best drama sailing movie is Kon-Tiki. We rate this movie 8.4/10.

Kon-Tiki is 1hr 58 minutes in duration. It was released in August, 2012 and is directed by Espen Sandberg and Joachim Rønning. In 2013, it was Oscar-nominated for best foreign language film of the year.

Kon-Tiki is rated PG-13 due to the violence against sharks in the movie.

The main cast in this movie is Pål Sverre Hagen who played Thor Heyerdahl and Tobias Santelmann who played Knut Haugland.

The plot of the movie Kon-Tiki follows the true story of the 1947 journey of Norwegian explorer and ethnographer Thor Heyerdahl and his crew, who set out to cross the Pacific Ocean on a balsa wood raft called the Kon-Tiki to prove that ancient people could have made the trip. The film follows their journey which is filled with danger and adventure as they face storms, sharks, and other obstacles in their attempt to reach their destination. Along the way, they also make an important discovery that further supports Heyerdahl's theories about ancient ocean travel.

Kon-Tiki is a great movie to watch because it is generally considered to be a well-made and engaging film that tells an interesting and historically significant story. It received positive reviews from critics and audiences alike with many praising its strong performances, accurate depiction of the journey and breathtaking cinematography. It also won several awards and nominations, such as the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.

People who are interested in historical dramas, adventure stories, and oceanic exploration tend to enjoy this movie.

People can watch the Kon-Tiki movie on Netflix, Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video, Youtube Movies, Google Play Movies, Rakuten TV, Sky Movies, Roku TV, Microsoft Store, and Vudu.

4. Master And Commander: The Far Side of the World

The best period drama sailing movie is Master And Commander: The Far Side of the World. We rate this movie 9/10.

Master And Commander: The Far Side of the World is 2hr 18 minutes in duration. It was released in November, 2003 and is directed by Peter Weir. It was nominated for 10 Oscars and won best cinematography and best sound editing.

Master And Commander: The Far Side of the World is rated PG-13 due to the scenes of nudity and violence.

The main cast in this movie is Jack Aubrey played by Russell Crowe, Stephen Maturin played by Paul Bettany and Thomas Pullings played by James D'Arcy.

The plot of the movie Master And Commander: The Far Side of the World follows the story of Captain Jack Aubrey (played by Russell Crowe) of the British Royal Navy frigate HMS Surprise and the ship's surgeon Stephen Maturin (played by Paul Bettany) as they pursue a powerful French privateer ship, the Acheron, around the coasts of South America and into the dangerous waters of the Galápagos Islands. The ship's mission is to intercept and capture or destroy the enemy vessel but as the chase wears on, the crew of the Surprise faces challenges such as storms, shipwrecks, and battles, as well as the personal conflicts between Aubrey and Maturin. The film explores themes of friendship, duty, and leadership, as well as the harsh realities of war and the human cost of naval conflict.

Master And Commander: The Far Side of the World is a great movie to watch because of

• Historical accuracy : The film is set during the Napoleonic Wars and is based on the historical novels by Patrick O'Brian. The film is known for its accurate depiction of the time period and naval warfare
• Action and adventure : The film features exciting action sequences, including ship-to-ship battles, and also has a sense of adventure as the ship travels through different parts of the world.
• Cinematography : The film has beautiful cinematography and also won an Academy Award for Best Cinematography.

Overall, Master and Commanders: The Far Side of the World is considered a well-made and engaging film that offers a combination of action, adventure, and drama, making it a worthwhile watch for those who enjoy historical dramas and war films.

People can watch the Master And Commander: The Far Side of the World movie on Netflix, Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video, Youtube Movies, Google Play Movies, Rakuten TV, Sky Movies, Roku TV, Microsoft Store, and Vudu

5. The Riddle Of The Sands

The best classic sailing movie is The Riddle Of The Sands. We rate this movie 6/10.

The Riddle Of The Sands is 1hr 42 minutes in duration. It was released in March, 1979 and is directed by Tony Maylam.

Riddle Of The Sand is rated PG with parental guidance suggested.

The main cast in this movie is Carruthers played by Michael York, Arthur Davies played by Simon MacCorkindale and Clara Dollmann played by Jenny Agutter.

The plot of the movie The Riddle Of The Sands follows the story of two British sailors, Carruthers (played by Michael York) and Davies (played by Simon MacCorkindale), who while sailing in the Baltic Sea, discover a German plot to invade England. They uncover the scheme while sailing in the Frisian Islands, where they come across a German ship and its crew who are conducting a military survey of the area.

Carruthers and Davies, who are initially dismissed as harmless amateur sailors become suspicious of the German's activities and decide to investigate further. They begin to uncover a plot by the Germans to invade England through the shallow waters of the Frisian Islands. As they dig deeper into the mystery, they find themselves in danger and must race against time to prevent the German invasion and warn the British government of the impending threat.

The film is a combination of espionage, adventure, and thriller and it was praised for its accurate depiction of the period, the action and the tension it creates.

The Riddle Of The Sands is a great movie to watch because:

• Suspenseful plot : The film features a suspenseful plot that keeps the audience engaged and on the edge of their seats as the characters uncover the German plot to invade England
• Accurate depiction of the period : The film is set in the early 20th century and is known for its accurate depiction of the period and its attention to historical detail
• Tension : The film creates a lot of tension as the characters race against time to prevent the German invasion and warn the British government of the impending threat
• Action and adventure : The film features exciting action sequences and a sense of adventure as the characters sail through the Frisian Islands and uncover the German plot

Overall, The Riddle of the Sands (1979) is considered a well-made and engaging film that offers a combination of action, adventure, and suspense, making it a worthwhile watch for those who enjoy espionage thrillers and historical dramas.

People can watch The Riddle Of The Sands movie on YouTube and Daily Motion.

6. Maidentrip

The best documentary sailing movie is Maidentrip. We rate this movie 8.2/10.

The Maidentrip is 1hr 22 minutes in duration. It was released in January, 2014 and is directed by Jillian Schlesinger. It won the best documentary feature at the Annapolis Film Festival.

Maidentrip is rated PG-13 with some minor strong language. The main cast in this movie is Laura Dekker, Kim Dekker, and Dick Dekker.

The plot of the movie Maidentrip follows the journey of 14-year-old Laura Dekker as she becomes the youngest person to sail solo around the world. The film documents her journey from the planning stages, through her departure, and her travels through various ports as well as the various challenges she faces along the way.

The film also explores Laura's backstory and motivations for undertaking such a dangerous and ambitious journey. It shows her life on her boat, Guppy, and the struggles she faces with loneliness, storms, and equipment failures. The film also highlights her interactions with other sailors and the support she receives from her family and friends.

Maidentrip is a coming-of-age story about a young girl who sets out to achieve her dream of sailing around the world alone. It is a story of determination, resilience and the desire to explore the unknown and push boundaries. The film was praised for its intimate portrayal of Laura's journey and for its beautiful cinematography which captures the stunning scenery and the vastness of the ocean.

The Maidentrip is a great movie to watch because:

• Inspirational : The film tells the story of a young girl who sets out to achieve her dream of sailing around the world alone, and her determination and resilience in the face of challenges are an inspiration to many
• Coming-of-age story : The film is a coming-of-age story, that documents the growth and maturity of a young person as she faces challenges and achieves her goal
• Adventure : The film documents a thrilling adventure, as Laura sails through different ports and faces different challenges and it's a great way to experience the adventure and the challenges of solo sailing
• Beautiful cinematography : The film has beautiful cinematography that captures the stunning scenery and the vastness of the ocean making it a visually stunning film
• Educational : The film provides an informative and educational look at the world of sailing and the challenges that come with it
• Personal story : The film is an intimate and personal story that provides a unique perspective on the challenges of solo sailing and the determination required to achieve a dream

Overall, Maidentrip is a well-made and inspiring film that offers a combination of adventure, personal growth and stunning visuals, making it a worthwhile watch for those who enjoy documentaries and adventure stories.

People can watch Maidentrip movie on Amazon Prime Video, Roku TV and Apple TV.

7. Dead Calm

The best thriller sailing movie is Dead Calm. We rate this movie 7.9/10.

Dead Calm is 1hr 36 minutes in duration. It was released in April, 1989 and is directed by Phillip Noyce. It won the AACTA award for best cinematography in 1989.

Dead Calm is rated 15A meaning it is suitable for people aged 15 and over. It has scenes of nudity, violence, and profanity.

The main cast in this movie is Rae Ingram played by Nicole Kidman, Hughie Warriner played by Billy Zane and John Ingram played by Sam Neill.

The plot of the movie Dead Calm revolves around a couple, John and Rae Ingram, who are sailing in the Pacific Ocean. They come across a ship that is drifting with no sign of life on board. They discover that the only survivor is a young man named Hughie Warriner, who tells them that the rest of the crew died from food poisoning. As the couple begins to suspect that Hughie may be lying, they find themselves in a fight for survival against a dangerous and unstable individual. The tension builds as the couple tries to stay alive while also trying to uncover the truth about what happened on the ship

Dead Calm is a great movie to watch because it is considered a classic psychological thriller and it is well-regarded for its intense and suspenseful story. The film is known for its tight pacing and atmosphere which keeps the audience on the edge of their seats throughout the film. The performances by the lead actors, Nicole Kidman, Sam Neill and Billy Zane are also highly praised.

Additionally, the film's cinematography, which captures the beauty and isolation of the open ocean is considered a highlight. If you enjoy psychological thrillers and suspenseful films, Dead Calm is a must-watch.

People can watch the Dead Calm movie on Amazon Prime Video, Roku TV, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Microsoft Store and YouTube Movies.

The Best Sailing Movies Summary

Frequently Asked Questions About The Best Sailing Movies

Below are the most commonly asked questions about the top sailing movies.

What Is The Best Overall Sailing Movie?

The best overall sailing movie is Master And Commander: The Far Side of the World. We rate this film 9/10.

What Is The Longest Top Sailing Movie?

The longest top sailing movie is Master And Commander: The Far Side of the World with a duration of 1 hour 22 minutes.

What Is The Shortest Top Sailing Movie?

The shortest top sailing movie is Maidentrip with a duration of 1 hour 22 minutes.

What Top Sailing Movies Are Based On A True Story?

The top sailing movies based on a true story are Maidentrip, Adrift and Kon-Tiki.

What Are The Genres Of The Top Sailing Movies?

The genres of the top sailing movies are thriller, romance, drama, period drama, and adventure.

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.

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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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Lead image:  IM_photo/Shutterstock

You might also like:.

Best Sailing Movies Based on True Stories

Thehomethatroams.com, true spirit (2023), a netflix movie based on the story of an australian teen who set out to be the youngest person to sail unassisted and nonstop around the globe., adrift (2008), a true story of a couple's struggle for survival after being caught in a catastrophic hurricane while crossing the pacific., the mercy  (2018), based on donald crowhurst's ill-fated attempt to compete in the 1968 golden globe race, a solo yacht race around the world., the heart of the sea (2015), the events of the sinking of the whaleship essex, which inspired the novel "moby-dick"., white squall (1996), the true story of a group of college-age boys in the 1960s who spent a semester on a tall ship sailing around the world., the perfect storm (2000), based on the non-fiction book about the "no-name storm" that hit north america in 1991. it follows the swordfishing vessel andrea gail and her crew., captain phillips (2013), the true story of a 2009 hijacking of a u.s. container ship off the coast of africa by somalian pirates., get a full list of the best sailing movies from comedy to documentaries by visiting our website at the link below..

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How accurate is black sails 10 biggest changes from the treasure island story.

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Black Sails: What Is Careening & Why Is It So Dangerous?

Black sails: the true story of captain henry avery, the acolyte's sith lord is given a name in official star wars merch, with best look yet at his helmet.

• Black Sails includes a blend of historical figures and original characters, but historical accuracy is not its primary objective.
• The show takes liberties with the deaths of real pirates Charles Vane, Edward "Blackbeard" Teach, Benjamin Hornigold, and the interactions between Charles Vane and Ned Low.
• Black Sails inaccurately portrays the lives of Anne Bonny and Calico Jack Rackham, including the timeline of their relationship.

Black Sails may tell a fictional story, but many of its characters are based on historical figures, which makes it worth analyzing the historical accuracy of the series. The show is written as a prequel to the famous Robert Louis Stevenson novel, Treasure Island , though it is careful to craft its own version of the characters from the novel. Black Sails also includes historical pirates , distancing itself further from the novel throughout its four-season run.

With that in mind, Black Sails ' cast ends up being a solid mix of historical figures and original characters. It impressively manages to blend some of the historical events from the real characters' lives with the fictional story that it tells, but historical accuracy is not exactly its primary objective. The majority of the show's plot is fictional, but the way it blends with historical events makes it worth examining the 10 most notable changes to history that Black Sails makes .

Season 1 of Black Sails incorporated careening into one of its major plot points. Here's what that is and why it is incredibly dangerous.

10 Black Sails' Guthrie Family Is More Involved With Pirates Than The Real Scottish Merchants

There is no historical eleanor guthrie.

Black Sails does a great job of mixing historical fact with fictional events, and a key way it does this is with the introduction of entirely fictional characters, such as Eleanor Guthrie (Hannah New). Black Sails that doesn't quite line up with historical facts is the Guthrie family, though as Eleanor is the most significant in the household, she's the most prominent example when it comes to the show's fictional characters. There was also no character of the same name in Treasure Island.

While there was a significant merchant family of the same name in the area, none of their activities in the show are historical.

Led by Eleanor for most of Black Sails , the Guthries are a prominent merchant family living in Nassau. Eleanor becomes heavily involved with Charles Vane, James Flint, and other pirates in the area. While there was a prominent family with the same name in the 18th century in real life, the Guthries were a Scottish clan of merchants who had little to do with pirates , though they did live near Nassau. So, while there was a significant merchant family of the same name in the area, none of their activities in the show are historical.

9 The Real Charles Vane Was Hanged In Port Royal

Black sails has vane executed in nassau.

Unlike Eleanor Guthrie, Chales Vane (Zach McGowan) was a real historical figure, and a prominent pirate during the final years of the Golden Age of Piracy in the 18th century. However, the show does change a few significant details of his life —especially when it comes to how he eventually died. While Black Sails ' Charles Vane is one of the most prominent characters that's based on a real pirate, it took several creative liberties with his portrayal.

Most notably, the death of Charles Vane in Black Sails differs significantly. In real life, Charles Vane was marooned on an uncharted island before being found by a British ship, which carried him to Port Royal, where he was hange d in 1721 . In Black Sails , Vane is captured by Woodes Rogers and hanged in Nassau, marking a major departure from true events.

8 Black Sails' Edward "Blackbeard" Teach Is Killed By Woodes Rogers Instead Of The British Navy

The real blackbeard was cornered on ocracoke island.

Probably the most famous historical pirate to appear in Black Sails is Edward "Blackbeard" Teach. Few historical pirates are a famous as Blackbeard, and he's been portrayed in several different movies and TV shows, all of which put their own spin on his legend — and Black Sails is no exception (despite having a somewhat more accurate portrayal of Edward Teach than most).

Though Blackbeard did operate in the Bahamas in the 18th century, when Black Sails takes place, the show gets the iconic pirate's death all wrong. Black Sails opts to have Blackbeard keelhauled by Woodes Rogers several times, and when the brutal execution style fails to kill him, Rogers shoots him in the head. The real Blackbeard was ambushed and killed by a British Lieutenant named Robert Maynard on Ocracoke Island in 1718. Maynard then infamously mounted the pirate's head on a pole at the entrance to Chesapeake Bay.

7 Black Sails' Benjamin Hornigold Is Killed By James Flint Instead Of A Hurricane

Captain benjamin hornigold died working for the british.

A recurring theme when it comes to historically innacurate moments in Black Sails is with the deaths of its real-life pirates. Black Sails differs from history once again in the way it depicts the demise of Captain Benjamin Hornigold . In the show, Hornigold is killed by Captain James Flint, who shoots Hornigold in the chest with a musket after luring him into a trap on Maroon Island. James Flint was himself fictional, and is one of the characters Black Sails pulls from Rober Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island.

While this marks a major discrepancy between the life of Hornigold and Black Sails , the show paints a fairly accurate picture of him before his death.

Unlike Captain Flint, Benjamin Hornigold was a real pirate active between 1713 and 1718. While having him meet his end at the hands of James Flint made for a dramatic moment in Black Sails , in real life, Hornigold died in a shipwreck after running afoul of a hurricane somewhere between New Providence and New Spain . While this marks a major discrepancy between the life of Hornigold and Black Sails , the show paints a fairly accurate picture of him before his death.

6 Charles Vane Didn't Kill Ned Low Like He Does In Black Sails Season 2

The real charles vane died before low.

Charles Vane is connected to several historically innacurate moments in Black Sails, including his murder of Edward "Ned" Low, another real-life pirate. Charles Vane's murder of Ned Low in Black Sails season 2 is another moment in the show that is ahistorical. Both characters are based on real pirates; however, the real Ned Low died under mysterious circumstances in 1724, three years after Charles Vane was hanged in Port Royal .

That obviously means Vane could not have killed Low like he did in Black Sails . However, Low was infamous for his cruelty, which is well-displayed in the show. Given the accounts of how ruthless the real Ned Low was, it doesn't seem unlikely that he was killed by a fellow pirate. There are conflicting reports about his death, with many theories ranging from being shipwrecked, to being hanged by the French, to being murdered during a mutiny. So, while the events of Low's life aren't accurately portrayed, what's known of his personality is translated well by Black Sails .

5 Calico Jack Rackham Survives Black Sails But Was Hanged In Real Life

Calico jack was hanged in port royal in 1720.

One of the few characters to survive through the end of Black Sails is Calico Jack Rackham. Of all the real-life pirates in Black Sails, Calico Jack had perhaps the shortest career, with his only notable acts of piracy being between around 1718-1720. The fictional Rackham (played by Toby Schmitz) ends up continuing the pirate life with his lover, Anne Bonny, after Black Sails ' series finale.

However, in real life, he was captured by the British Navy and hanged in Port Royal in 1720 . Rackham begins the show as a member of Charles Vane's crew, which is how the real Calico Jack began his career as a pirate as well, but the show pays little heed to the historical facts of this infamous pirate's life beyond that point. It's also interesting to note that the real Calico Jack served on the same ship as Charles Vane earlier in his pirate career.

4 The Real Anne Bonny Didn't Work For Charles Vane As She Does In Black Sails

Bonny probably never met vane.

The link between Calico Jack and Charles Vane led to another historically inaccurate element of Black Sails - the connection between Anne Bonny and Charles Vane. Anne Bonny is one of Black Sails ' most interesting characters, and while her story arc on the show is fascinating, it also takes some of the most liberties compared to real events.

Bonny was a real pirate — one of the few female historical pirates of the time — and she was known to have sailed on Calico Jack Rackham's crew as his lover and close advisor.

Bonny was a real pirate — one of the few female historical pirates of the time — and she was known to have sailed on Calico Jack Rackham's crew as his lover and close advisor. Black Sails importantly depicts the romance between Rackham and Bonny, but it gets little else about her life right. Most notably, the show wrongly portrays Bonny as a member of Charles Vane's crew, but these two hardened pirates had no known interactions in real life .

3 The Real Calico Jack Met Anne Bonny After He Had Already Become A Captain

The real jack rackham stole bonny from her abusive husband.

Although Black Sails accurately depicts the romantic relationship between Jack Rackham and Anne Bonny, it gets the timeline of their lives all wrong. If anything, this is alsio one aspect of Black Sails that is perhaps less dramatic than the true story. The real Rackham is known to have deposed Charles Vane as the captain of the Ranger , and it was years after this that he and Bonny met and began their relationship .

This dramatically changes the dynamic between the two, considering Rackham was already in a position of power when he and Bonny met. Black Sails depicts them as two struggling pirates finding solace in each other's company, which does not reflect the facts. The real couple met when Bonny had an affair with Rackham, and her abusive husband — Sailor James Bonny — found out, which subsequently led to Bonny being tried for adultery. Calico Jack and Anne Bonny then stole a boat and fled Nassau together.

Black Sails offered insight into the lives of many pirates in history. One pirate often referenced across the show was Captain Henry Avery.

2 The Real Woodes Rogers Cleared The Pirates Out Of Nassau

The real rogers served two stints as governor of the bahamas.

It's not only many of the pirates in Black Sails that are based on real historical figures, as the governer of Nassau, Woodes Rogers, was also a real individual. One of the most important ending points of Black Sails is the resolution of the Nassau conflict, which ends with Max taking control of the port city and Woodes Rogers being captured and humiliated.

While the fate of Governer Rogers was a fitting end to Black Sails given his position in the show as an antagonist, it's also completely fictional. However, the real Woodes Rogers is known to have cleared the pirates out of Nassau, leaving the city in British control after his death in 1732. Rogers did spend a short time imprisoned in England for debt he accrued earlier in his life, but he would return to Nassau as the Governor of the Bahamas upon his release, making the finale of Black Sails historically inaccurate.

1 Black Sails Sunk Vane's Ranger Ship Instead Of Giving It To Calico Jack

The real calico jack deposed vane and took his ship.

Another historical moment from the real Golden Age of Piracy in the 18th century that is perhaps more dramatic than the fictional events in Black Sails was the final moments of Calico Jack's tenure as one of Charles Vane's crewmen aboard the Ranger. In Black Sails season 1, a misguided attempt by James Flint to capture a Spanish Man O' War sees Charles Vane's iconic ship, Ranger , hit with a barrage of canon fire that sinks the ship with all hands.

Of all the historically inaccurate moments in Black Sails, this one is perhaps the most surprising, as a final confrontation between Vane and Calico Jack could have been an incredibly dramatic narrative arc for the show.

According to historical records, however, Ranger was actually taken from Vane by Jack Rackham, who deposed Vane to become captain of the famous pirate ship . This important historical event is left out of Black Sails entirely, marking another significant departure from historical facts. Of all the historically inaccurate moments in Black Sails , this one is perhaps the most surprising, as a final confrontation between Vane and Calico Jack could have been an incredibly dramatic narrative arc for the show.

Black Sails