All topics
Every guide on the site, grouped by topic. 200 articles and counting.
Origins and Exploration
Ancient builders, traders and the voyages that opened the world.
Ancient Shipbuilding
Ancient Trade and Voyages
Exploration and Empire
- The Age of Exploration: Maritime Innovations
- Exploring the History of the Galleon
- The Age of Exploration: A Look at the Boats that Changed the World
- The Impact of the HMS Beagle on Maritime History
- The Impact of the Industrial Revolution on Shipbuilding
- The Impact of the Steamship on Maritime History
- The Rise and Fall of the Galleon
- The Rise and Fall of the Pirate Ship
Polar and Scientific Voyages
- Polar Exploration by Sea
- Captain Cook and the Pacific Voyages
- Icebreakers and How They Developed
- Research Ships and the Mapping of the Ocean Floor
- Shackleton and the Endurance Expedition
- The Challenger Expedition and Ocean Science
- The Fram and the Drift Across the Arctic
- The Northeast Passage and the Voyage of the Vega
- The Search for the Northwest Passage
- Whaling Ships in Antarctic Waters
Trading Companies and Sea Routes
- Trading Companies and Sea Routes
- Convict Transports to Australia
- Hudson Bay Supply Ships and the Fur Trade
- Ibn Majid and the Arab Sea Pilots
- The Atlantic Slave Trade and Its Ships
- The Cape Route to the Indies
- The Dutch East India Company and the East Indiaman
- The Manila Galleons
- The Sea Trade in Tin and Amber
- Zheng He and the Chinese Treasure Fleets
Seas and Oceans
The histories of the waters ships sailed on.
Mediterranean and Inland Seas
- The Maritime History of the Mediterranean
- The History of the Dhow
- The Maritime History of the Adriatic
- The Maritime History of the Baltic
- The Maritime History of the Black Sea
- The Maritime History of the Caspian Sea
- The Maritime History of the North Sea
- The Maritime History of the Persian Gulf
- The Maritime History of the Red Sea
Oceans and Coasts
- The Maritime History of the Atlantic
- The Maritime History of Africa
- The Maritime History of China
- The Maritime History of the Arctic
- The Maritime History of the Caribbean
- The Maritime History of the Gulf of Mexico
- The Maritime History of the Indian Ocean
- The Maritime History of the Pacific
- The Maritime History of the South China Sea
Sailing Craft
Rigs, yachts, canoes and small boats driven by wind and muscle.
Sail Rigs and Sailboats
- The Evolution of Sailboats
- The Development of the Sailing Jib
- The Development of the Sailing Ketch
- The Development of the Sailing Yawl
- The Evolution of the Ketch
- The Evolution of the Sailing Lugger
- The Evolution of the Sailing Schooner
- The Evolution of the Yawl
- The History of the Sailing Cutter
- The History of the Sailing Ketch
- The History of the Sailing Lugger
- The History of the Sailing Sloop
- The History of the Schooner
- The History of the Yawl
Yachts and Multihulls
- The Evolution of the Yacht: From Luxury to Performance
- A Look at the History of the Sailing Yacht
- The Development of the Catamaran
- The Development of the Catamaran: A History of Innovation
- The Development of the Outrigger
- The Development of the Sailing Catamaran
- The Development of the Sailing Dinghy
- The Development of the Sailing Yacht
- The Evolution of the Sailing Dinghy
Paddled and Rowed Boats
- The History of the Canoe: From Indigenous Cultures to Modern Sports
- A History of the Kayak: From Inuit Origins to Modern Designs
- The Development of the Kayak
- The Development of the Rowing Boat
- The Development of the Sailing Kayak
- The Evolution of the Sailing Canoe
- The History of the Rowing Boat: From Ancient Greece to Modern Times
- The History of the Sailing Canoe
Working and Powered Boats
Barges, fishing craft, steamers, submarines and rescue boats.
River and Working Boats
- A Brief History of the Barge
- The Development of the Ferry
- The Development of the Keelboat
- The Development of the Pontoon
- The Evolution of the Sailing Barge
- The Evolution of the Sailing Wherry
- The History of the Dory
- The History of the Gondola
- The History of the Jolly Boat
- The History of the Punt
- The History of the Sailing Herring Boat
- The History of the Sailing Punt
- The History of the Tugboat
- The History of the Whaler
- The History of the Wherry
Powered and Rescue Craft
- The Advent of the Steamboat
- The Development of the Inflatable Boat
- The Development of the Inflatable Dinghy
- The Development of the Lifeboat
- The Development of the RIB
- The Development of the Rigid Inflatable Boat
- The Development of the Sailing Inflatable Boat
- The Development of the Sailing RIB
- The History of the Paddle Steamer
- The History of the Paddlewheel
- The History of the Sailing Paddle Steamer
- The History of the Submarine
- The History of the Submarine: From Concept to Reality
Liners and Cargo Ships
- From Packet Ships to Ocean Liners
- Clipper Ships and the Tea Races
- Container Ships and the Box Revolution
- Emigrant Ships and Steerage Voyages
- Oil Tankers and the Growth of the Oil Trade
- The Blue Riband and the Race for Speed
- The Panama Canal and the Ships That Use It
- The Suez Canal and the Steamship Trade
- The Transatlantic Packet Lines
- Tramp Steamers and Bulk Carriers
Naval Power and Warfare
Warships, fleets and the sea battles that shaped nations.
Warships and Navies
- The History of Warships from Oars to Steel
- Aircraft Carriers and the Fall of the Battleship
- Destroyers and the Torpedo Boat Threat
- Frigates and the Eyes of the Fleet
- Greek Fire and the Byzantine Navy
- Ironclads and the End of Wooden Warships
- Privateers and Letters of Marque
- Roman Naval Power and the Corvus Boarding Bridge
- The Dreadnought Revolution
- The Ship of the Line in the Age of Sail
Great Naval Battles
- Great Naval Battles That Changed History
- Jutland and the Clash of the Battle Fleets
- Midway and the Age of Carrier Warfare
- The Battle of Actium and the Rise of Augustus
- The Battle of Lepanto and the Last Galley Fleets
- The Battle of Salamis and the Greek Triremes
- The Battle of the Atlantic and the Convoy System
- The Battle of Tsushima
- The Spanish Armada Campaign of 1588
- Trafalgar and the Tactics of Nelson
Seafaring Life and Navigation
How sailors navigated, lived, were lost and are remembered.
Navigation and Instruments
- How Sailors Found Their Way at Sea
- Lighthouses and Coastal Beacons
- Lightships and Navigation Buoys
- Mercator and the Making of Sea Charts
- Portolan Charts of the Medieval Mediterranean
- Radar and Electronic Navigation
- The Longitude Problem and the Marine Chronometer
- The Magnetic Compass at Sea
- The Mariner Astrolabe and the Quadrant
- The Sextant and Celestial Navigation
Ports and Harbours
- Ports and Harbours Through History
- Dock Labour and the Work of the Stevedore
- Dry Docks and Slipways
- Malacca and the Spice Ports of Southeast Asia
- Phoenician Harbours at Tyre and Carthage
- Ship Canals and Locks
- The Hanseatic Trading Ports
- The Port of London and Its Docklands
- The Royal Dockyards of Britain
- The Venetian Arsenal and Ship Production
Life at Sea
- Daily Life Aboard Sailing Ships
- Figureheads and Ship Decoration
- Food and Provisions on Long Voyages
- Knots Splices and Rope Work
- Press Gangs and Naval Discipline
- Sailor Superstitions and Customs
- Scurvy and the Search for Its Cure
- Sea Shanties and Work Songs
- Ship Surgeons and Medicine Afloat
- Women Who Went to Sea
Shipwrecks and Maritime Disasters
Ship Archaeology and Preservation
- Maritime Archaeology and Shipwreck Discovery
- HMS Victory and the Care of Old Warships
- Maritime Museums and Their Collections
- Preserving the Cutty Sark
- Replica Ships and Experimental Archaeology
- The Khufu Ship at Giza
- The Kyrenia Ship
- The Oseberg and Gokstad Ship Burials
- The Sutton Hoo Ship Burial
- The Uluburun Shipwreck