National Small Boat Collection

This canoe comes from Kiribati, formerly known as the Gilbert Islands, a group of coral atolls scattered over the Micronesian area of the Pacific Ocean. It features an addition to…

Until the collapse of its cod stocks through over-fishing, the Grand Banks area off Newfoundland was one of the most productive fishing grounds in the world. The region is also…

The rights of individuals to collect oysters from the waters around Falmouth have been exercised since at least the late 16th century, and boats equipped with similar dredging gear to…

In the years following World War II there was a growing public demand for outdoor leisure pursuits, including boating. By utilising wood and adhesive technology developed during the War boat…

What you are looking at is cutting edge 1930s technology: a Hudson Folding Dinghy, an unusual collapsible dinghy designed and made by R J Hudson (Dick) between the late 1920s…

  The origins of the International 14 class can be traced back to the early part of the 20th century, when the wealthy owners of steam yachts would race each…

Different designs of traditional Thames rowing boats have different functions.  The Thames skiff, the wherry and the gig are all closely related to each other. The Thames wherry was the…

Waterlily  is a steam launch designed, built and used by the Thornycroft family. It then remained in use on the Thames until after World War II and took part in…

Drawing by “Rob Roy” McGregor Modern day enthusiasts of kayaking probably do not describe their on-water activity as ‘canoodling’, yet that was the term employed 150 years ago by John…