10 Best Sailing Movies for Epic Tales on the Water
Are you looking for the best sailing movies to get inspired for your next sailing trip? Or if the off-season has you missing the sound of the waves, these movies will transport you there instantly.
Before we took off on our full-time sailing adventure, I watched a ton of sailing movies, dreaming of life aboard. Even now that I am living the dream, these sailing stories of adventure and resilience keep me inspired.
From sailing movies based on true stories, sailing documentaries on YouTube, or the classic comedy of Captain Ron, this list will have something for everyone.
So grab some popcorn, and let these best sailing movies help you escape to the high seas.
1. Captain Ron (1992)
If you haven’t seen Captain Ron yet, definitely start here! It’s a comedy movie about a family who inherited a sailboat and intend to sail it back through the Caribbean to the United States with the “help” from Captain Ron, played by Kurt Russell.
We own Captain Ron on DVD, so we can watch it anytime, even without the internet.
Need a laugh? Watch the hilarious antics of Captain Ron and his crew on Amazon today!
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2. Maidentrip (2013)
Maindentrip is a true story sailing documentary about 14-year-old Laura Dekker, a Dutch girl who sets sail on her 38-foot ketch sailboat, Guppy, with a goal to become the youngest person to sail around the world alone. This is a very inspirational, coming-of-age, documentary. This is one of the first sailing documentaries I watched, and it has really stuck with me.
Get inspired by Laura Dekker at:
3. Red Dot On The Ocean (2014)
This is a documentary about Matt Rutherford, who makes the attempt at sailing solo, non-stop, around North and South America. He started out as an at-risk youth, with several run-ins with the law. This story navigates through his turn-around and follows him on a sailing adventure.
See Matt Rutherford’s troubled to inspiring story at:
- Amazon Video (Red Dot on the Ocean)
- free with Freevee with ads on Amazon
- free on Youtube (Red Dot on the Ocean)
4. True Spirit (2023)
This sailing documentary captures the story of 16-year-old Australian Jessica Watson who attempts to be the youngest person to sail solo around the world non-stop. This is an incredible story of perseverance and facing your fears.
In my opinion, this is one of the best sailing movies on Netflix!
Get inspired by this 16-year-olds story of perseverance at:
You can also purchase the book through Amazon. I loved this movie so much, I need to check out the book and possibly add it to my list of best sailing adventure books!
5. Chasing Bubbles (2016)
Chasing Bubbles is a sailing documentary by Alex Rust, following him on his journey to circumnavigate the globe with no previous sailing experience aboard his 38-foot sailboat “Bubbles”. Alex has several friends join him along his journey to live life to the fullest as they sail from country to country.
Afraid you don’t have enough sailing experience? Then Chasing Bubbles is a good one:
6. Maiden (2018)
The incredible true story of Tracy Edwards and the fellow women forming the first all-female crew in the 1989 Whitbread Round the World Race is one of the best sailing movies of all time. This is during a time when sailing was still a predominantly male sport. A great inspirational sailing film!
Watch the glass ceiling break with this all-female sailing crew in the 1980s:
7. Untold: The Race Of The Century (2022)
Untold: The Race of the Century is an original Netflix documentary film about the 1983 America’s Cup race. It is a true underdog story of the Australian II crew racing against the New York Yacht Club.
Check out this amazing underdog sailing story:
8. Adrift (2018)
Adrift is a story of two young lovers who set sail from Tahiti to San Diego in 1983 and get caught in a hurricane! It is a great movie about love and survival. This one had me all the way to the end, and is one of the best sailing movies based on a true story.
Get swept away by love, resilience, and a storm’s fury. Watch Adrift now on Amazon!
9. All Is Lost (2013)
This film features Robert Redford as a solo sailor facing significant challenges at sea. He is the only person in this film, known for its minimal spoken words. However, if you are looking for action and drama at sea, then check this film out.
An epic action sailing film full of drama:
![All Is Lost [DVD + Digital]](https://moneyformangos.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/61QtLdJInQL._SL500_.webp)
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10. White Squall (1996)
A group of young men take to the sea on a school sailing ship to learn life lessons such as discipline. They end up learning a whole lot more as they encounter more than they bargained for in the deep water of the great ocean.
White Squall is based off of the book The Last Voyage of the Albatross written by Charles Gieg Jr. and Felix Sutton in 1962.
Interested in coming of age life lessons? Look no further:
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More Sailing Inspiration
Are you looking for more sailing inspiration? Check out this list of books, gifts, boat reviews and more below!
- 11 Best Adventure Books about Sailing
- Practical Gift Ideas for Sailors
- Hunter 450 Passage: Pros and Cons
- Sailing Interview with SV Vagari
What are Your Favorite Sailing Movies?
This list is just the beginning of the best sailing movies out there. There are so many great sailing movies and documentaries still to see!
While Captain Ron is probably my favorite film for a good laugh, and Maidentrip my favorite documentary as it really started getting me into sailing, I can’t wait to discover more movies about sailing adventures.
What are your favorite movies? Share on our Facebook and Instagram pages and inspire others to explore the high seas from the safety of their living room.
