National Small Boat Collection

Reputedly the oldest one-design in the world the Water Wag can trace its history back to the late 19th century. In 1886 Thomas Middleton, a member of the Shankhill Corinthian Sailing Club, Ireland, thought it might be a good idea to have a number of boats made to the same design so that sailors could…

To the uninitiated, a kayak looks like a frail and fragile craft, scarcely one in which to tackle difficult and challenging waters, whether white water rivers or raging seas. In reality, however, multiple expeditions in extreme conditions, by river and sea, bear witness to the versatility and ability of such craft to bring their paddlers…

Curlew is a Falmouth Quay Punt which started life as a working boat at the turn of the 20th century. She has since had a long and distinguished career as a leisure boat and has travelled many thousands of miles, from the Arctic Circle to the mainland of Antarctica. Designed and built in Falmouth by…

In September 1993, lone sailor Hugo Vihlen stepped ashore at Falmouth after a solo Atlantic crossing which lasted 105 days. Others have also made that perilous crossing – the difference with Hugo’s achievement was that he made it in the smallest boat, measuring 5ft 4inches. A Korean War fighter pilot and former Delta Airlines Captain,…

An important piece of dinghy sailing history – the Fireball Dinghy prototype – has been added to the Museum’s collection. In 1962 Norris Brothers, a pioneering engineering company based in Hayward’s Heath, Sussex, was working closely with Donald Campbell on the Bluebird project. The company also employed Peter Milne, who developed the design for the…

On Sunday May 5th, 1946, the final race for the Henley Challenge Cup was sailed in cold conditions with a strong north easterly wind which capsized several boats. It was a good opportunity to test the prototype of the Firefly Class, which was making its first public appearance, and racing against a fleet of National…

Light displacement hulls, bulb keels, low wetted areas, aspects of design perhaps more commonly associated with the modern era, actually have a longer history than is often realised. In the late nineteenth century Charles Sibbick, based in the Isle of Wight, designed and built a series of racing keelboats that became known as Sibbick Raters.…

William Fife (1857-1944) was one of the world’s foremost yacht designers. His father and grandfather had also been boatbuilders and had a construction yard at Fairlie, on the River Clyde. Fife’s yachts achieved a reputation for superb craftsmanship and a good turn of speed. His clients included Sir Thomas Lipton, the grocery millionaire, who commissioned…

Built for family pleasure boating, Jonik is a motor launch built in Fowey in 1934. Its first owner instructed the builder, Percy Clemens,  to use the best quality timber available. Jonik  is built using silver spruce planking with a teak deck and demonstrates excellent craftsmanship. There were no power tools used in its construction, and…