The Great Ships

The word conjures images of majestic Spanish treasure ships, hulls bursting with gold and plunder. But galleons were also fast fighting ships and workhorses of the Age of Discovery.

Called 'the greyhounds of the sea,' clippers were the fastest wind-powered ships ever. Traveling over 2,000 miles within a week, the 19th-century clippers brought the world back to American shores.

The small wooden Patrol Torpedo Boats of WWII were among the most powerful warships of all time. PT vets recall why their speed and maneuverability were too much for giant, steel-hulled targets.

For the most exclusive travelers, ocean liners offered opulence to rival the world's richest hotels. Rare footage offers an insider's view of the great transatlantic liners of the 1920s and '30s.

An on-board tour of the rugged nautical powerhouses and their daring rescues at sea.

From New Orleans to St. Paul, the romance and danger of the mighty Mississippi comes to life through stories, rare clips and dramatic recreations of riverboats.

Fast, powerful and nimble, the humble Yankee frigate devastated the renowned Royal British Navy throughout the American Revolution. Recreations reveal why it was the envy of designers the world over.

For 300 years, they were the world's mightiest vessels. Now extraordinary recreations take us on board the legendary English warships, including Nelson's HMS Victory.