The 50 Best Ranked Sailing Movies of All Time

Sailing has long captured the human imagination, offering tales of adventure, resilience, and the mysteries of the sea.

From historical dramas to edge-of-your-seat thrillers, from inspiring documentaries to light-hearted comedies, the world of cinema has artfully brought maritime adventures to life.

We've compiled the 50 best sailing (and sailing adjacent) movies of all time, ranked based on their critical acclaim and audience reception. These rankings draw from:

• Metascore: Aggregated critic reviews from Metacritic.
• Rotten Tomatoes: Both critic and audience scores for a balanced view.
• IMDb: User ratings for widespread audience appeal.

50. Rogue Wave (2007)

Genre: Thriller
A family’s yacht trip turns into a fight for survival against a deadly rogue wave.
Rating: 68% (Audience Score)

49. Wide Sargasso Sea (1993)

Genre: Drama, Romance
A prequel to Jane Eyre, exploring the life of Mr. Rochester’s first wife in the Caribbean.
Rating: 72% (Rotten Tomatoes)

48. Maiden Voyage (2004)

Genre: Action, Thriller
A luxury cruise liner is hijacked, and a rookie security officer must save the passengers.
Rating: 60% (Audience Score)

47. Waterworld (1995)

Genre: Sci-Fi, Action
In a water-covered future Earth, a drifter becomes a reluctant hero.
Rating: 46% (Metascore: 56)

46. Below Deck (TV Series) (2013–)

Genre: Reality-TV
A reality TV show following the lives of crew members aboard luxury yachts.
Rating: 7.4/10 (IMDb)

45. The Boat That Rocked (2009)

Genre: Comedy, Drama
A group of DJs broadcast rock music from a pirate radio station on a ship.
Rating: 63% (Rotten Tomatoes)

44. Ghost Ship (2002)

Genre: Horror, Thriller
A salvage crew discovers a mysterious and haunted ship lost in the Bering Sea.
Rating: 50% (Rotten Tomatoes)

43. Morning Light (2008)

Genre: Documentary
Follows 15 young sailors competing in the Transpac Yacht Race.
Rating: 85% (Rotten Tomatoes)

42. Turning Tide (En Solitaire) (2013)

Genre: Drama, Adventure
A sailor unexpectedly finds himself competing solo in a world-famous yacht race.
Rating: 76% (Rotten Tomatoes)

41. The Odyssey (2016)

Genre: Biography, Adventure
The life and adventures of Jacques Cousteau, the legendary French ocean explorer.
Rating: 70% (Rotten Tomatoes)

40. The Crimson Pirate (1952)

Genre: Action, Adventure
A pirate plays both sides during a rebellion against a corrupt government.
Rating: 85% (Rotten Tomatoes)

39. The Sea Chase (1955)

Genre: Adventure, Drama, War
A German sea captain attempts to escape Allied forces during WWII.
Rating: 73% (Rotten Tomatoes)

38. Chasing Bubbles (2016)

Genre: Documentary
The story of Alex Rust, who abandons corporate life to sail around the world.
Rating: 95% (Audience Score)

37. Captain Ron (1992)

Genre: Comedy, Adventure
A quirky captain helps a family sail their inherited yacht to Miami.
Rating: 56% (Rotten Tomatoes)

36. Swallows and Amazons (1974)

Genre: Adventure, Family
A group of children explores an island and engages in a rivalry with two other young sailors.
Rating: 89% (Rotten Tomatoes)

35. The Bounty (1984)

Genre: Adventure, Drama
A dramatization of the famous mutiny aboard the HMS Bounty.
Rating: 74% (Rotten Tomatoes)

34. The Black Swan (1942)

Genre: Adventure, Romance
A reformed pirate aids the British government against Spanish forces.
Rating: 83% (Rotten Tomatoes)

33. Coyote: The Mike Plant Story (2017)

Genre: Documentary, Biography
The true story of a maverick sailor who pushed the limits of solo sailing.
Rating: 92% (Rotten Tomatoes)

32. Knife in the Water (1962)

Genre: Thriller, Drama
A couple’s sailing trip takes a dark turn when they pick up a hitchhiker.
Rating: 96% (Rotten Tomatoes)

31. The Whale (2011)

Genre: Documentary
A lonely killer whale bonds with humans in a small harbor.
Rating: 93% (Rotten Tomatoes)

30. Life of Pi (2012)

Genre: Adventure, Drama
A young man survives a shipwreck and forms a bond with a tiger while adrift at sea.
Rating: 87% (Metascore: 79, Rotten Tomatoes)

29. Adrift (2018)

Genre: Adventure, Drama
A young couple must navigate survival after being stranded at sea during a hurricane.
Rating: 71% (Rotten Tomatoes)

28. The Perfect Storm (2000)

Genre: Action, Drama
The crew of a fishing vessel fights for survival against an unprecedented storm.
Rating: 64% (Metascore: 59, Rotten Tomatoes)

27. Deep Water (2006)

Genre: Documentary
The true story of Donald Crowhurst’s ill-fated solo sailing race around the world.
Rating: 96% (Rotten Tomatoes)

26. Mutiny on the Bounty (1962)

Genre: Adventure, Drama
A retelling of the infamous mutiny led by Fletcher Christian.
Rating: 72% (Rotten Tomatoes)

25. Moby Dick (1956)

Genre: Adventure, Drama
Captain Ahab’s obsessive pursuit of the great white whale, Moby Dick.
Rating: 85% (Rotten Tomatoes)

24. Waves (2019)

Genre: Drama
A family grapples with love and loss amidst the backdrop of Florida’s beaches.
Rating: 83% (Metascore: 81, Rotten Tomatoes)

23. The Finest Hours (2016)

Genre: Action, Drama
A U.S. Coast Guard rescue mission to save a crew from a sinking oil tanker.
Rating: 64% (Metascore: 58, Rotten Tomatoes)

22. In the Heart of the Sea (2015)

Genre: Adventure, Biography
The harrowing true story that inspired Moby-Dick.
Rating: 63% (Metascore: 47, Rotten Tomatoes)

21. Dead Calm (1989)

Genre: Thriller
A couple’s sailing trip is interrupted by a dangerous stranger.
Rating: 83% (Rotten Tomatoes)

20. The Ra Expeditions (1972)

Genre: Documentary
Thor Heyerdahl’s daring journey across the Atlantic on a papyrus boat.
Rating: 91% (Rotten Tomatoes)

19. The Sea Wolf (1941)

Genre: Adventure, Drama
A ship captain terrorizes his crew on a dangerous voyage.
Rating: 86% (Rotten Tomatoes)

18. Shackleton's Antarctic Adventure (2001)

Genre: Documentary, History
The harrowing tale of Ernest Shackleton's polar expedition aboard the Endurance.
Rating: 94% (Rotten Tomatoes)

17. The Mercy (2018)

Genre: Drama, Biography
The real-life story of an amateur sailor attempting a solo yacht race around the world.
Rating: 74% (Rotten Tomatoes)

16. Maiden (2018)

Genre: Documentary
The story of the first all-female crew to compete in the Whitbread Round the World Race.
Rating: 98% (Rotten Tomatoes)

15. Windjammer: The Voyage of the Christian Radich (1958)

Genre: Documentary
Follows the journey of a Norwegian training ship as it sails across the Atlantic.
Rating: 91% (Audience Score)

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

Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy
A blacksmith teams up with a pirate to save the governor's daughter.
Rating: 79% (Metascore: 63, Rotten Tomatoes)

13. The African Queen (1951)

Genre: Adventure, Romance
A riverboat captain and a missionary embark on a perilous journey during WWI.
Rating: 98% (Rotten Tomatoes)

12. The Old Man and the Sea (1958)

Genre: Adventure, Drama
An aging fisherman battles with a giant marlin in the Gulf Stream.
Rating: 80% (Metascore: N/A)

11. Wind (1992)

Genre: Drama, Sport
A team of sailors competes for the America's Cup.
Rating: 67% (Rotten Tomatoes)

Top 10 Sailing Movies:

10. Longitude (2000)

Genre: Biography, Drama
The story of John Harrison’s quest to create an accurate marine chronometer.
Rating: 82% (Rotten Tomatoes)

9. Kon-Tiki (2012)

Genre: Adventure, Drama
The story of Thor Heyerdahl’s daring Pacific voyage on a raft.
Rating: 75% (Metascore: 62, Rotten Tomatoes)

8. Moana (2016)

Genre: Animation, Adventure
A Polynesian teenager sets sail to save her island and discovers her heritage.
Rating: 96% (Metascore: 81, Rotten Tomatoes)

7. The Crimson Pirate (1952)

Genre: Action, Adventure
A pirate plays both sides during a rebellion against a corrupt government.
Rating: 85% (Rotten Tomatoes)

6. Cast Away (2000)

Genre: Drama, Adventure
A man is stranded on a deserted island after a plane crash and must survive.
Rating: 89% (Rotten Tomatoes)

5. Deep Water (2006)

Genre: Documentary
The true story of Donald Crowhurst’s ill-fated solo sailing race around the world.
Rating: 96% (Rotten Tomatoes)

4. The Mercy (2018)

Genre: Drama, Biography
A story of an amateur sailor's ambitious voyage around the world.
Rating: 74% (Rotten Tomatoes)

3. All Is Lost (2013)

Genre: Adventure, Drama
A solo sailor faces life-threatening challenges after his yacht is damaged.
Rating: 83% (Metascore: 87, Rotten Tomatoes)

2. Maiden (2018)

Genre: Documentary
The story of the first all-female crew to compete in the Whitbread Round the World Race.
Rating: 98% (Rotten Tomatoes)

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

Genre: Action, Adventure, Drama
During the Napoleonic Wars, a British captain pursues a formidable French warship.
Rating: 85% (Metascore: 81, Rotten Tomatoes)

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