What is the worst movie about sailing ever?

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Oct 26, 2008
6,249
Catalina 320 Barnegat, NJ
Bounty ...

I'm right there with you on Bounty. Anthony Hopkins was fantastic as Bligh. I think they succeeded in staying true to the actual events. I can watch that movie over and over, and I don't give a damn what my wife thinks! ;)
 
Jul 29, 2010
1,392
Macgregor 76 V-25 #928 Lake Mead, Nevada
In "Twilight of the Gods', the little dogs name was Anchor. We named our first pooch Anchor because the day we brought him home at six weeks he jumped in the pool and sank like an anchor. I had to dive in and pull his hairy butt out in the middle of January. Fair Winds...
 
Jul 29, 2010
1,392
Macgregor 76 V-25 #928 Lake Mead, Nevada
Rented Captains Courageous and Captain Horatio Hornblower (there's a great video rental outfit in DC which has just about everything ever put out on DVD or VHS) the other day after reading this thread. I'd seen Hornblower once a long time ago but never Captains Courageous. I really enjoyed both, particularly the schooner sailing scenes in CC. The special effects in Hornblower were no doubt state-of-the-art in 1951 but after the CGI in Master and Commander, I'm spoiled.

One of the worst movie sequences for anyone who knows anything about sailing was a scene I remember from some low-budget version of Treasure Island. You see the ship "drifting" into the wind with her flags streaming straight aft. I believe I remember a scene with her "sailing" with the sails flat aback, too, but perhaps I am exaggerating the awfulness in hindsight.

For reading in the historical naval fiction genre, Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey/Maturin IMHO is far and away the best. I am in the process of reading the entire series through for the third time. After O'Brian, I loved Forester's Hornblower and Nordhoff and Hall's Bounty trilogy (btw the Mel Gibson version of Mutiny on the Bounty is my favorite; being male, I particularly applaud the authenticity in depicting the Tahitian women's attire). The others mostly suffer from being too obviously knock-offs of the classics, or overdone with the swashbuckling, or both.
As I mentioned in an earlier post, Read Bolitho series by Alexander Kent. Stands up pretty well against Forrester. I have a box full of paperbacks somewhere with a bunch of swash and buckle. I'll see if I can recommend some other authors. Fair winds...
 

Joe

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Jun 1, 2004
8,178
Catalina 27 Mission Bay, San Diego
Some current authors, still alive and writing in this genre, are Dewey Lambdin, Julian Stockwin, Alaric Bond and James L. Nelson. Lambdin (american) and Stockwin (British) have both had long running series.
 
Sep 25, 2008
615
Morgan 415 Out Island Rogersville, AL
I am embarrassed to say I didn't like Forrester's series. Jack London did an outstanding job on Sea Wolf.
 
Jul 26, 2010
59
Sunfish, Flying Scot -- Deep Lake
In "Twilight of the Gods', the little dogs name was Anchor. We named our first pooch Anchor because the day we brought him home at six weeks he jumped in the pool and sank like an anchor. I had to dive in and pull his hairy butt out in the middle of January. Fair Winds...
Basset hounds and beagles sink.

Their bones are too dense.
 
Jan 22, 2008
8,050
Beneteau 323 Annapolis MD
This thread made me realize I have not seen my VHS tape, "Sailing into Ecstasy" recently, but I located it behind the books on the shelf. I seem to recall it took place on a cabin cruiser, though.
 
Sep 25, 2008
2,288
C30 Event Horizon Port Aransas
The worst movie I EVER SAW that just so happen to take place on a sailboat is
SEA OF FEAR. It's almost like they knew they were making a crappy movie and they just gave up half way through. There was even some serious parts where they start laughing.
 
Jun 14, 2010
307
Seafarer 29 Oologah, OK
OK, finally saw Wind - based on reading this thread last year, I was prepared for much worse. Whatever the deficiencies of the plot (and there were many), the sailing scenes were awesome. I thought it was pretty good at conveying the excitement of it and some rudimentary ideas of tactics to non-sailors. (I thought the plot device of the TV commentator with the graphic showing upwind tactics was very good.)

It did have some real cringe-inducing moments though - such as when something breaks on the American boat and they send a man up the mast to fix it - what broke? How did he fix it? Why would tacking knock him loose?
 
May 11, 2004
273
RAPTOR Hotfoot 20 Ghost Lake
THE WORST - "CABIN BOY"!
You have to see this just to be able to say you did. There should be an award.
 

RECESS

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Dec 20, 2003
1,505
Pearson 323 . St. Mary's Georgia
Oh I enjoyed the sailing scenes. I think the whole movie would have been better if the sound was turned down though. If they would have stuck to just the small sailboat racing, it would have been great, I thought they did that justice. Boy, did they butcher the whole America's Cup. It was almost embarrassing to think my non-sailing friends think this is what it is all about. Sailors can see the deficits and look past them. Non-sailors really think this is what goes on.

I need a whomper for my Catalina now.
 
Oct 2, 2008
1,424
Island Packet 31 Brunswick, Ga
RECESS said:
I have read the Aubrey–Maturin series, but only after seeing the movie. I love the books and really just think of the movie as eye candy. The script has it's moments, but the the cinematography in the movie.., that is my standard to judge sailing ship movies filmed at sea. I watch it a couple times a year and it is still breathtaking filming every time.

The Hornblower story was far better.
I agree that the Aubrey- maturin series is the greatest. I loved hormblower, but it lackes the humor of p. O' Brian. I think the movie "far side of the world" is very good, but of course it is pale when compared to the richness and complexity of the Aubrey written series.
I want to make a pilgrimage to see " old Ironsides" I have never seen a tall ship up close.
Keith
 

Joe

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Jun 1, 2004
8,178
Catalina 27 Mission Bay, San Diego
I agree that the Aubrey- maturin series is the greatest. I loved hormblower, but it lackes the humor of p. O' Brian. I think the movie "far side of the world" is very good, but of course it is pale when compared to the richness and complexity of the Aubrey written series.
I want to make a pilgrimage to see " old Ironsides" I have never seen a tall ship up close.
Keith
Actually if you loved the O'Brian novels... or any of the other great series... you should make a pilgirmage to Portsmouth, England and pay homage to HMS Victory. It's on my bucket list, btw, as is the USS Constitution.
http://www.hms-victory.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Victory
 
Jun 14, 2010
307
Seafarer 29 Oologah, OK
I agree that the Aubrey- maturin series is the greatest. I loved hormblower, but it lackes the humor of p. O' Brian. I think the movie "far side of the world" is very good, but of course it is pale when compared to the richness and complexity of the Aubrey written series.
I want to make a pilgrimage to see " old Ironsides" I have never seen a tall ship up close.
Keith
I got the chance to tour Old Ironsides in '96, shortly before her bicentennial sail (now that would have been something to participate in!). In January I toured USS Constellation in Baltimore, and got to be on the "gun crew" for a demo firing. Great fun.

Definitely read Ian Toll's "Six Frigates", the early history of the US Navy - very well written, thoroughly researched, exciting - the author is an O'Brian fan and quotes him extensively in the description of the USS Constitution vs. HMS Java fight.

PS - I've noticed that O'Brian uses the term "bear up" to mean coming off the wind - this seems incorrect to me (one of the very very few nautical mistakes O'Brian made - amazing since the man was not a sailor himself and gained all his knowledge on the subject by extensive reading). What is the sense of the forum - does "bear up" mean to come closer to the wind or come off the wind? A participant on an O'Brian forum maintains that the usage is correct as a helm command, i.e., "bear up" means "put the helm up (to windward)" thus coming off the wind.
 
Jan 4, 2006
282
West Coast
Sometimes I Don't Get You Guys

The OP asked about worst sailing movies, not your little giggly favorites.

I can watch Wind, but every time I see a DVD of Waterworld I grab it, open the case, and snap the offending disc in my bare hands. I only pray that I will live long enough to destroy all of them. Please, God.
 
Jan 1, 2006
7,509
Slickcraft 26 Sailfish
I'm with you on Waterworld. Absolutely horrible. That was my first choice for this thread. I will follow your lead and snap as many as I can get my hands on. Kevin Coster would probably thank us.
 
Jan 22, 2008
8,050
Beneteau 323 Annapolis MD
A scene seldom shown in Waterworld is at the end when the woman and child watch the Mariner sail away. They look at their feet and there is a marker that marks "the peak of Mt. Everest".
 
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