Series 1
Series Summary
Classic Ships, narrated by John Peel, focuses on fishing boats, merchant ships, working boats, classic yachts, power boats and pleasure craft. Owners, designers and boatbuilders talk about the vessels. Includes sail makers and the crews of working and fishing boats.
'Making a wooden boat, sewing canvas sails', says boatbuilder Greg Powlesland, 'and then going back on to this primal element, the sea, is something that is ancient and also perfect.'
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Episodes (6)
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The story of the first royal racing yacht, Britannia, mirrors the history of the greatest age of sail. In 1893, her revolutionary design…
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Britain, as an island nation, has a rich and varied fishing heritage. Classic Ships describes the rise and fall of our fishing industry and…
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By the end of the 19th century, London was the world's largest port. With the associated commercial bustle came prosperity in the form of a…
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'Go-betweens' are the small but necessary vessels that have played a crucial part in harbour activity throughout maritime history…
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This episode follows the history of the merchant ship from the era of the great sailing ships through to the role of the canal barge in…
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This final episode tracks the 20th century quest for speed on the water. When Jim Noone made an attempt on the British speed record for a…
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