Deep Water

Riveting account of the disastrous attempt by novice sailor Donald Crowhurst to compete in a round-the-world, solo yachting race.

Louise Osmond and Jerry Rothwell’s riveting documentary unearths a forgotten, fascinating story from 1968. Sunday Times’ inaugural Golden Globe Race is launched to inspire the first solo sailing circumnavigation of the globe, but when amateur sailor and marine electrician Donald Crowhurst enters the fray he soon finds himself out of his depth.

As disaster takes hold almost immediately, he faces both the intense fear of failure and the psychological strain of prolonged isolation, and a remarkable tale of eccentricity, courage, but also hubris and denial, emerges. Deep Water was nominated for Best British Documentary at the BIFAs and won the Best Documentary award at the 2006 Rome International Film Festival.