The Boats That Built Britain - Episode Guide

Season 1

The Matthew

Episode: 1x01 | Airdate: May 4, 2010

The Matthew

Sailor and writer Tom Cunliffe sails the Matthew, the boat in which John Cabot left Bristol in 1497 and landed 3,000 miles later in what we now know is North America.

The Pickle

Episode: 1x02 | Airdate: May 5, 2010

The Pickle

Sailor and writer Tom Cunliffe tells the story of HMS Pickle, a boat that beat her bigger rivals back to Britain to deliver the news of Nelson's victory at Trafalgar.

The Phoenix

Episode: 1x03 | Airdate: May 11, 2010

The Phoenix

Sailor and writer Tom Cunliffe sails the Phoenix, a square rigger which helped transform Britain into the richest, most powerful nation on earth in the 19th century.

The Reaper

Episode: 1x04 | Airdate: May 12, 2010

The Reaper

Sailor and writer Tom Cunliffe sails the Reaper, the biggest sailing lugger ever to fish the seas and capable of pulling in ten tonnes of herring in a single haul.

Bristol Channel Pilot Cutter

Episode: 1x05 | Airdate: May 18, 2010

Bristol Channel Pilot Cutter

Sailor and writer Tom Cunliffe sails a perfectly restored Bristol Channel pilot cutter, considered by many to be the finest sailing boat design ever.

World War Two Landing Craft

Episode: 1x06 | Airdate: May 19, 2010

World War Two Landing Craft

Sailor and writer Tom Cunliffe puts an LCVP through its paces and finds out how it did more to win World War II than any other piece of machinery.