Secrets Of The Great Ships is a fascinating and detailed chronicle of the evolution of ships from the earliest war galleys to the modern nuclear submarine. It features four films - 'Design', 'Navigation', 'Propulsion' and 'Armaments' and includes superb film taken on the high seas, expert commentary, full sized replicas, ship tours, archive film, photography and period artefacts, it explores the way in which ship design has changed over millennia and reveals mans' greatest achievements on the oceans.

The way in which ships have been designed and constructed has constantly evolved, to make them hardier, faster and more controllable. This video follows ship design from the earliest canoes to today's huge oil supertankers and also looks at how methods of navigation have developed from a reliance on winds, tides, Sun, Moon and stars to the latest satellite bases GPS systems.

The desire to find new ways of propelling a ship to increase its speed, range and efficiency has also inspired some of the greatest minds over the centuries, Secrets Of The Great Ships tells the story of propulsion from the days of muscle and sail through the screw propeller and the steam engine to the complex dynamics of nuclear power.

From the earliest days, armaments have been another crucial factor - at least in warship design - and this video also follows the evolution of on-board weaponry from the Roman falleys through cannon and the 'big guns' of the great Battleships to the missiles of today.

Superb double video set.