National Small Boat Collection

There is nothing new about the idea of a folding boat. Some of the Titanic’s lifeboats were folding boats and were successfully launched before the ship sank, but any lifeboat…

Albatross Marine was founded by two ex– Fleet Air Arm pilots, one of whom was the son of the managing director of Rolls Royce. The Albatross was the first class…

Daisy Belle began life racing and fishing around Falmouth before retiring to more leisurely use. Built by William Brabyn at his Calenick Creek, Truro Yard around 1885, her name was…

Sailing this Finn dinghy in Weymouth, local hero Ben Ainslie won his fourth successive Olympic Gold Medal at the 2012 London Games. Ben owns several Finns, but has now used…

The early 20th century was a time when the need for speed was constantly being challenged, whether on land, in the air or on water. Motorboats were getting faster, and…

In 1961 the entire population of a tiny island was evacuated after its dormant volcano erupted. Situated in the South Atlantic 1500 miles west of Cape Town and 1800 miles…

The Challenger Class Association is a charity that represents the interests of sailors with disabilities – people who want an outdoor life coupled with an adventure sport that is demanding…

Little more than 100 years ago, herrings were so plentiful that, for a few months of the year, they were big business on the North Devon coast. The herring fishing…

Speed on the water is as desirable as it is on land. In the early 20th century a new breed of propulsion, the internal combustion engine, enabled boats to go…