- 1. "RELENTLESS"
- 2. "The Sailor"
- 3. "The Last Cape Horners"
- 4. "Sir Robin Knox-Johnston: Sailing Legend"
- 5 "Around The World in 74 Days"
- 6. "SAILING ADVENTURES 1929!"
- 7. "Ellen MacArthur: Taking On The World"
- 8 "The voyage of the 'Ivalu' - Three years sailing around the world"
- 9 "The Full Story: Volvo Ocean Race 2017-18"
- 10 "Deep Water"
- Bonus tip: Volvo Ocean Race 2014/15: The big documentary about the race around the world
1. "RELENTLESS"
A Vendée Globe classic. Brit Alex Thomson attempted to win the most famous single-handed race around the world five times. He failed to do so, but his best finish in the 2016 race earned him a place in the history books: While in the lead, he rammed flotsam with his "Hugo Boss" in the Southern Ocean and tore off the starboard foil. He sailed on regardless and fought a thrilling duel with the eventual winner Armel Le Cléac'h. He came second, but was the winner of hearts. The film tells the story of his entire career, his four previous Vendée experiences and how he slowly became what he was for a long time: the best British Imoca sailor after Ellen MacArthur (who also came second in 2001), so close to being the first non-Frenchman to win the Vendée - and probably the only one the French would have wanted.
2. "The Sailor"
Something completely different: "The Sailor" tells the moving life story of the British Paul Johnson, a boat builder, free spirit and shipyard owner who specialised in wooden boats. He spent his life building boats and going to sea, but failed as a husband and family man. The film team met the now 80-year-old in the Caribbean, where he is lying at anchor with his ageing, self-built boat and is no longer healthy enough to continue sailing. Addicted to alcohol, he struggles to make ends meet and tells the film crew his colourful life story. Not easy fare and certainly not everyone's cup of tea, but the award-winning documentary and the Brit's irrepressible will to lead and end his life freely and self-determinedly gets under your skin.
3. "The Last Cape Horners"
This reportage tells the story of what it was once like to sail round the world's most famous cape on one of the last great cargo ships. Beautiful original photos and video sequences.
4. "Sir Robin Knox-Johnston: Sailing Legend"
A very interesting report about the Brit Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, who was the first person to sail around the world single-handed and non-stop with his "Suhaili". The wooden Bermuda ketch was the first to cross the finish line in the Golden Globe Race. The special thing about him was that he was actually an unknown in the sailing scene at the start. The portrait collects many voices from later companions and also shows many beautiful pictures of the arrival of the race that had not yet been seen.
5 "Around The World in 74 Days"
The very interesting report on the second Jules Verne Trophy winner, the duo Sir Peter Blake and Robin Knox-Johnston, who beat their maxi-cat "Enza" around the world in 1994, sailing distances of over 500 miles for the first time. At the time, they beat the existing record held by Bruno Peyron, who was the first to complete the circumnavigation in 79 days in 1993. Back then, there was a race for the fastest circumnavigation of the world when the Jules Verne Trophy was launched. "Enza" had to abandon the first attempt due to ramming with flotsam and water ingress, but in 1994 it worked out.
6. "SAILING ADVENTURES 1929!"
If you want to know what it was like to sail round Cape Horn on the Flying P-Liner "Peking" in 1929, you can follow Irvin Johnson's account of the 1929 voyage. The historical black and white shots may be a little blurred, but they are authentic, as is the commentary spoken in German, which is about as creaky as the ship.
7. "Ellen MacArthur: Taking On The World"
The Brit came very close to winning the Vendée Globe in 2001 and thrilled millions of fans with her authentic reports from on board. The reportage shows her path to the race and her now famous duel for victory with Michel Desjoyeaux.
8 "The voyage of the 'Ivalu' - Three years sailing around the world"
German sailor Martin Finkbeiner was in his mid-twenties when he sailed his parents' boat, the "Ivalu", around the world for three years. He produced a film about the trip, which was also shown in some Bavarian cinemas after the voyage. He has published several travel stories in YACHT and is one of the protagonists of the DK book "Temporary freedom - Circumnavigators tell their stories".
9 "The Full Story: Volvo Ocean Race 2017-18"
The reportage about one of the toughest races ever, with fantastic sailing pictures. On the Youtube channel of The Ocean Race you can also watch almost all the official documentation of the various editions, starting with the first Whitbread Round the World Race in 1973-74.
10 "Deep Water"
Moving reportage about the Brit Donald Crowhurst, who took part in the Golden Globe Race with a small trimaran and cheated there: for months he sailed in circles, not daring to leave the Atlantic, but sending position reports and updates that gave the impression that he was sailing at the very front. Until he eventually committed suicide. The boat and logbook were found at the time and tell the tragic story of the skipper who broke himself.
Bonus tip: Volvo Ocean Race 2014/15: The big documentary about the race around the world
Whether you've always been an Ocean Race fan or only since the last edition with Boris Herrmann, this documentary from YACHT tv is absolutely worth watching. "Even years later, this is by far the best summary of the race," says one of the top comments below the video. The almost 90-minute documentary is also free to watch on YouTube.
