National Small Boat Collection

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 inspired by the 1890s popular song ‘A bicycle built for two’. She remained in the ownership of the Nicholls family until the museum acquired her…

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 of speedboat to be produced in quantity, in this country, after World War II. They were used for a variety of leisure activities including water-skiing…

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 associated with the Titanic probably would not have received rave reviews so not many were built. Folding boats present all sorts of challenges to their…