It so weird to me, having lived on the island my whole life, to see people being amazed by something that has been a constant in my life since before I could even crawl. And then I realise that we are one of the only places in the world that still operate a hovercraft on a regular basis, which blows my mind. Travelling via hovercraft is such a normal thing for me until I remember that it's actually something rare enough to get excited over
very true i hear the sound of the hovercraft in the background in my house everyday, never really appreciated it till a few years back as it was normal for me.
I never even saw a hovercraft till I went to the Isle of Wight for a holiday this year, went to Ryde for a trip out, saw the hovercraft come in and guess who was on the next one out, and I'm 53
It is an exhilarating experience and my favourite part is the take off as it inflates and then spins round so quickly. Every time I have been on it the weather has been clear so I have not experienced a rough ride. Also, £24 is not bad considering how it is the last passenger hovercraft in the world that is running today. Once again a fabulous video from you. Well done!!
Theo’s Travel Reports Broome Hovercraft in the Kimberley region of Western Australia is still operating but that’s more a tourist attraction than simply a way of getting from point A to B.
@@Dan23_7 You can indeed see three out of the four Spithead Sea Forts- Spit Bank, Horse Sand and No Man's Land - provided that the view out of the Hovercraft windows isn't obscured by sea spray!
I am American and have been back here in Florida since 2002 but lived in Portsmouth from 1997 to 2002. My father was in the Royal Navy and worked at HMS Dryad at Southwick House. I remember watching the hovercraft arrive and depart and always thought it to be such a marvel. As I sat feeing nostalgic and remembering those good times I thought that I’d love to see footage of it again. I really enjoyed your video. Thank you for taking me on a trip back in time.
Hi Dylan: I was excited to see this video because it brought back fond memories about the Hovercraft, I took it in 1987 to cross the canal from Boulogne to Dover, it took exactly 35 minutes, then with the opening of the tunnel and the high costs in fuel expenses, disappeared.-The hovercraft Princess Anne crossed the English Channel in 22 minutes, leaving a record still to be surpassed even by the tunnel trains.-They transported cars, even reaching the speed of 100 km / h-Very good video!
@@andywalton5258 Hi Andy, what a thrill, upon reviewing the photos taken in 1987 during the canal crossing, I discover that it was on the Hovercraft Princess Anne !!, Greetings from Argentina
Considering the speed of transit and the fact that hovercraft are the epitome of cool-why aren’t they used everywhere? I loved watching the craft effortlessly float itself onto land, no docking required, then spin around and head out over the water. What a treat. Thanks for the video! 🍂
You know what, i didn't even realise we still had hovercrafts, I thought they had long gone. It's good that people like you are able to educate the likes of me who have falling behind the times. Thank you.
I crossed the channel from Dover to Boulogne many years ago on the Princess Margaret, it was rough as hell, no one was allowed to get out of their seats. Many people became acquainted with the small paper bag in the seat pocket and made several donations, I was very young and thought it was amazing! Its great to see hovercraft still being used and produced, your craft was only 4 years old, incredible, such a cool way to travel, loved it Dylan, thanks.
The seacats (twin hulled car carrying catamarans) that ran alongside, then replaced the hovercrafts were even worse; and being slower, took longer. They were nicknamed 'vomit comets' - I remember one particularly unpleasant rough crossing from Boulogne to Dover with a kind of figure-of-eight rocking motion going on, plates crashing in the galley and people being thrown around the passenger areas. Mass retching and projectile vomiting, too! Mind you, the Jetfoil to Ostend from Dover could be even worse - two hours plus of crashing through waves belted into aviation style seating. Too dangerous to even go to the loo!
@@frglee I used the Holyhead - Dublin Catamaran many times, every trip as smooth, maybe we just had good weather on the Irish Sea. But I agree, channel crossings can sometimes be terrible!.... vomit comets !!
Thanks for sharing this adventure. I made the same trip 45 years ago from the Isle of Wight to Southsea for a Brit Rail connection. The hovercraft was much smaller holding, if my memory serves me, no more than 20 passengers. The “pilot” sat in front and used a vertical joystick to navigate. I see that it is still a thrill to experience hovercraft travel.
I am impressed with that type of service. I know I been on a hovercraft when I was younger. But I seen the military version of the hovercraft. But sadly to say, pray for those who run these hovercraft machines. It can really impact on your hearing and leave you deaf if you work with it every day. I've been thankful I can take off my hearing aid and still hear the thrumming beat loud. Those who looked at me, while wearing ear protection, thought I was nuts. I said "welcome to my deaf world!". Great travel, my friend.
@TheRenaissanceman65 I have to agree with you, my friend. I would take a ferry more often and enjoy the air than a hovercraft. A hovercraft should be a last option if you really have to get to the other side of the shore or country. But a ferry is MUCH better.
Alas, my hovercraft is full of eels. ;) And, I'm old enough to have taken the Hoverspeed from Dover to Calais and, trust me, you don't want to be on one of these things in rough weather. It was a "never again" experience.
Yes, I did a cross-channel one in rough seas, and it certainly wasn't pleasant. In fact, the constant dropping sensation off the top of waves was quite scary, though I'm not a good sailor at the best of times.
Went on the jetfoil years ago when it ran from Dover, the sea was rough, and the big hovercraft was getting thrown about quit a bit, but luckily the jetfil just cut straight through the rough sea .
Thank you, I've been looking forward to this one! I was a young lad when I was last on one of these doing the same trip, and it brings back so many happy memories. The craft was much noisier and less luxurious back then, but just as magical. Thanks again, regards Paul.
This looked a very cool journey! As a child I was taken on the now-defunct Dover to Boulogne Seaspeed service. The sea was rough and the crossing was nightmarish. Passengers, although wearing seatbelts, rose from their seats and sat down again throughout the whole crossing, due to the movement of the craft. The option of the tunnel from 1994 was a great relief! I understand that subsequently, hovercraft crossings were not made if the sea gave cause for concern, but in the early months of operation these lessons had not been learnt.
wow what a glimpse of my history,took the hovercraft with my family back in the 70s on our way to a holiday in Sandown,really enjoyed the experience unfortunately my daughter only 3 at the time was frightened by the noise but she calmed and was ok on the return journey,I was really surprised that t was still in operation I heard at the time there were some problems obviously these were sorted glad you liked the ride to Rhyde
Another excellent "different" video that brought back memories. My last trip on a hovercraft was in the early 80's. Took a rather large Hoverlloyd from Pegwell Bay to France. Big, noisy and very choppy spring to mind. Never ventured aboard one since. But I must admit your little trip did look fun! Thank you again.
Really cool to see! I'd love to give it a try someday - I just hope it sticks around long enough as I believe it's the last remaining passenger hovercraft service!
I first went on a hovercraft in 1969. They were doing trips across the Channel from Ramsgate in those days but the weather was too rough that day, so they brought the hovercraft round into the Thames estuary and were doing short trips off the beach at Southend. The hovercraft was quite small so didn't smoothe out the the choppiness of the water. my description of it afterwards was "A rather bumpy bus ride" but it was an interesting experience in those days. I have since (1979) done the Ryde to Southsea journey which was much better.
I took the hovercraft to the Isle of Wight for the first festival (I won't mention the year 😱) and there Wass a chop running across the Solent. The craft handled it very well. No pitching so much as a bumping. The air cushion really helps. I don't think they run in any weather heavier than that, though. Another fun trip down memory lane. Thanks, Dylan!!
That was good to see. I live in Scotland & my dad took the family on one of these, 1969 or 1970, I think it operated from Largs to Millport, it was great experience, not many people would have been on it, sadly it was only going for a short time . Thanks for the memories !!
I used to travel on the hovercraft from Portsmouth to school at Bembridge on Isle of Wight in the 1960,s , last week I was travelling back from a few days on the Isle of Wight on the car ferry and we were overtaken by the hovercraft , it brought back a lot of memories, took a video for old times sake.
Brings back memories, did this to IoW in the 1970s & I crossed the Channel by hovercraft (with my car) several times in the 1980s when I lived in Paris. It was a good way to travel, although the ride could be harsh if the sea was choppy and it sure was noisy, but very fast so I preferred it to ferry crossings and forgave its negative features.
I remember it as being extremely noisy and the services would be cancelled in bad weather. But yes, as Bill mentioned, thanks for bringing back those memories.
It's all just an illusion It’s true a few times I did it the French end was moved from Calais to Boulogne because of cross-winds, luckily those two places are not too far apart 😉
Did the Channel crossing by hovercraft several times too. And did this crossing in 2017. Must say, this hovercraft is in no way to compare with the old ones at the British Channel. A hovercraft will always be a noisy way of travel but the noise of the crossing of the Solent wasn't half as loud as the good old ones crossing the Channel.
@@gilles111 Indeed, the ones crossing the Channel were on a different scale, but the IoW ones although much smaller are still a novel (& fast) way to make the short crossing. In the 1980s I also crossed several times on the Jetfoil from Hong Kong Island to Macau (I lived in HK then too) - very noisy and was a bit hard if the 'skis' bounced on choppy waves, but was much, much faster than the conventional ferry too :)
Excellent video Dylan. When I lived and worked on the Isle of Wight in the 'eighties, I only rarely used the hovercraft because, as a railwayman, I was entitled to free travel on the (ex-BR) Wightlink ferries from Ryde Pier Head to Portsmouth Harbour station. However, the hovercraft was very useful if you needed to be somewhere in Southsea. The older, second generation, craft then in use were much noiser and vibrated a lot more than the current ones, but they were still pretty nippy.
The service has been running since the 1960s; I remember envying a friend whose father used it for his daily commute (I think that was a larger machine that took cars). I once crossed the Channel, back in the old Seaspeed days (again, larger machines which took cars; a friend gave me a lift). It was one of the roughest days, we couldn't go from Boulogne but had to go from Calais as it was shorter.... and incredibly rough. One of the most miserable half-hours of my life!
Wow! As a schoolboy in the late 60's I took a 15 minute "around the bay" trip from Hasting seafront. I didn't know we still operated Hovercraft but knew the military all over the world still use them. Imagine the reduces fatalities if we had them for the Normandy landings.
I remember all the hype; they were going to be the best way to travel across water. It was the best thing since sliced bread, but the excitement and idea soon died away, so I was surprised when you said you would be taking a hovercraft. The ride during rough waters probably won't be too bad, because it's a hovercraft, it hovers. Look forward to your next ride. Be safe.
Thanks, Dylan! A hovercraft! I love this video, one of the best on your channel. It is short, but there is neither a second less nor too much. Very well edited video. You make us dream, it's very touristy, what happiness !!! What luck you have !!! Thank you for letting us discover this. I loved.
That brings back memories! I studied geology at the Uni of Portsmouth around the turn of the millennium & we used to take the hovercraft for field trips to the IoW. The trip is quite 'interesting' in rough seas as you suspected.
Thanks for taking the Hovercraft journey, at least I now know the UK still has a Hovercraft operation, I didn't think we had any after the scrapping of the SRN-4 on the Dover - Calais route!
Great to experience this "virtually" with the new hovercraft. Bigger than the old SRN6s but much quieter - diesel engines instead of aero gas turbines. You could hear the old ones from the top of Portsdown Hill! Britain's first hovercraft service and now its last, well over 50 years and going strong. The last cross-channel SRN4 is at the Hovercraft Museum in Lee-on-the-Solent, on the other side of Gosport - worth a visit if you're interested. Fuel costs and noise were the killers for hovercraft services, though both are much reduced now. And of course they don't need a pier, just a concrete slipway on the beach.
Many Thanks. Good video....You need to visit the Hovercraft Museum which is only a few miles away from Portsmouth in Lee on Solent which has the Cross Channel Giant there including many other smaller craft too ! I`m looking forward to my Ryde trip in 12 days time, love the Hovercraft and yes couple of Bumpy and Rough crossings of the Channel years ago ! Happy Hovering ! :)
We went on it for the first time as it was something I had always wanted to do. My husband tricked me/I mean surprised me by pretending we would just be watching them come and go from the Ryde end. After watching for a while he then told me to get into the car and proceeded to drive into the terminus car park! We didn’t do the day return, but the option to stay on board (complete with a sticker to wear to indicate to the staff we were returning). It’s an amazing feeling of speed that can’t really be captured on a video; even ones as good as Dylan’s :-). Definitely worth forking out for. Thank you Dylan for helping recreate our happy memories.
Thank you - that was amazing! I'm always impressed by hovercraft - we crossed the English Channel on one of the big ones when I was a small child, and I have a strong memory of it being exciting. I think I'm going to have to make holiday plans to the IoW some time, just to make sure I've ridden this one as an adult!
A pleasant smooth step up from the SRN4, which I travelled on in 1984 from England to France with cars, lorries(?)and my bike which ,like on this journey, went free. A typical crossing; 35 mins.and like sitting on a galloping herd of horses! ( I biked to Barcelona)
Used to watch them going over to Wight as a young man.Observed the experimental SRN1 as a kid on the Solent. When it passed my sail boat the prop appeared to stand still for a second so well aligned were the bearings to the motor. I never forgot that.
You wondered about stability on a not-so-smooth day? Many years ago, I was waiting for the Hovercraft at Dover. Lorry drivers in the waiting rooms were saying "I have never seen the Channel so rough". Anyhow, we set off from the relative calm of the harbour, turned sharply to the port upon leaving the harbour walls and then, boy, did the vessel tip over to the starboard. Interesting experience, but it did right itself quickly. All good fun. It is greatly missed on the Dover-Calais route.
Hover is always the first sea transport on the island to get cancelled in rough weather without fail. It's consistently both reliable and unreliable, it's the fastest mode of transport we have to the mainland but the fastest to get called off.
Loved this report Dylan, it brought back my first Hovercraft trip up in the Kimberley region of Western Australia 19 years ago in a smaller 12 seater version. Good memories. Loved the inflating of the apron, with memories of ‘Thunderbirds’, you almost expect Virgil to come in to take the pilot’s seat.....
Wow. A hovercraft. Anecdote time: my parents took me to France (somewhere around Calais I suppose) when I was about 4-5 years old, so that's 37 years ago. When the hovercraft arrived, supposedly I was crying my lungs out of my body - that's how terrified I was of this monster coming out of the sea and moving on to the land. And now I'm finding out there's still a place I can travel on this thing. Summer 2021 - Portsmouth it will be :-D
So wierd to see a video of this pop up as a recommended video. I work in Pompey harbour and see the hovercrafts leaving Southsea on a daily basis. Guess Its a sight im used to! Glad you enjoyed it :)
It's great to see that there's at least one route where hovercrafts are still in use. I remember travelling with one of them in the first half of the 90s as a 12 year old kid. I'm sure that our ride did not start in France, but in Belgium (Ostend) where we went by train and I guess the destination port was not Dover, but Ramsgate. Greetings from Germany to lovely Britain :)
There has been a Hovercraft service to the Isle of Wight since 1962. Wife’s parents retired to Ryde, we used to go across on this regularly. They even allowed children over a certain age to travel along as long as there was an adult to meet them on the other side, our daughter used to go across on her own to stay with her granny and grandpa. Even my dog wasn’t phased by the trip. I always thought that apart from the obvious sensations at the start and end it was a bit like a bus ride over the water. We used to call it the windy, due to the amount of moving air created on take off and landing... It’s a really efficient and good service, interrupted only by severe weather, which results in service suspensions. I remember in 1972 there was a fatal accident when one of the much older SRN 6 Hovercrafts capsized with the loss of 5 lives due to a freak wave just off Southsea. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hovertravel
Fascinating as always. Thanks for this video. Glad to see that you had good weather for the crossing. As a precaution for ocean travel I usually take a Dramamine so I don't get sea-sick. I've been on boats in Tahiti and Alaska that had 2/3 of the passengers lying on the deck in their own vomit, they were so sick from large waves. Not good.
As a person who spent a lot of my childhood in the area, and been over the island many times, this is one trip I still have never done and I am now in my 50’s.
Thank you for this vlog. I did not know there were hovercraft still in use. I rode the hovercraft from Dover to Calais before there was a channel tunnel. That was way faster than the regular ferry.
Wow, thats a lot of nostalgia right there, thanks for the video. I remember taking this to get to several country parks on the Island, so I've associated the hovercraft with a great day out. Been 6 years since I've seen it in person and 8 since I've been on it.
I did the crossing from Ryde to Southsea and back last August. Never experienced hovercraft before and it was excellent! I live in Kent and back in the day there was hovercraft crossing between Pegwell bay and France. Recently I discovered the landing place for the hovercraft at Pegwell bay and it’s just an expanse of derelict concrete landings and a lot of weeds. So sad it didn’t (excuse the pun) take off as it would have been a great addition to the ferries between England and France.
Wow! It was SO quiet. When I use to use the service it was the old SR.N6 hovercraft with its helicopter style turbine engine and you could not hear yourself think in them. The seats were pretty basic in them as well. But it is nice to see the service is still going.
The Griffon 12000 is very quiet, no gas turbines just a a pair of silenced MAN V12's and props running a about 1200-1300 Rpm so not to generate the noise the old ones suffered from
Back in 1979 I travelled by hovercraft from England to France. I remember how quick and smooth it was, and how bizarre it was to see, when we were waiting to embark, this big vessel sliding up on the beach so silently.
I loved to see your trip on the hovercraft !! I’ve seen the smaller ones being used to travel around the Thames with mudlarkers onboard !!👍🏻 They are amazing crafts!!!! Kathy Washington State
Love the Hovercraft and used a few times. However if you think a cushion of air gives smooth you'll be sadly mistaken. The old ones where more bangy were as the new ones more wobbly. It also tends to be cheaper but the Cat is much easier for though journeys
I have only seen the one hovercraft in use on my local & main river. But, it was only a emergency type for rescue use only. I have sadly never had the privilege of being able to ride on one & sadly I very much doubt I will either due to not being able to travel such a very long journey to Portsmouth to ride this hovercraft. This is the best & probably the only view I'll get of seeing one that is big enough to carry many passengers I suppose.
@@DylansTravelReports I subscribe to both of you and only one other travel blogger. It's great to see that Downie watches your channel. It's also great to see how the channel is catching on with over 9,000 views the first day!
Great video. Used to cross the Channel on the hovercraft and loved every minute. A great no fuss way to travel. Delighted to see the bike area as well. May well put that on the list of things to do after this covid thing is over and done with.
This is the last commercial passenger hovercraft service currently running in the UK and is thought to also be the last one in Europe and possibly the world but that's Hovertravel's own claims
Way cool, incredible piece of machinery. Rode on one of these operated by SAS a number of years ago from Malmo, Sweden to Copenhagen airport. Great experience, just like getting on a jet as far as the seating.
Great video, Dylan. It also reminded me of a trip from Dover to Boulogne in the mid 1980s. We took our car. I loved the trip but the sea was choppy and my poor daughter, who'd have been about 6, was soooo sick in the car later.
Used to use the ferry years ago. Loved it. Only way to travel at sea. Suggested to my DO that the Royal Navy might look at converting to hovercraft. They wouldn't entertain the idea. So I legged it.
You are right, hovering is a quite nice thing. I've been hovering in 1978 from UK to France ( Ramsgate to Calais). It's a pity that destination is given up in the '90 ies. Hope that destination will be reopened. Greetings from Germany
Back in the1980's I used to cross twice a week with a motor coach between Calais/Boulogne and Dover. Fabulous service - even on the one crossing that took not the usual 35 minutes but over an hour and couldn't land in Dover and we had to go to what I thought was closed hoverport near Ramsgate - and then sit and wait for immigration and customs officials to drive from Dover to check us back into the UK. Every wave caught the four propellers and that particular crossing was a tad hairy!
Interesting to read they are still making the hovercraft (you said the one you were on was built in 2016). When they first came out there was a lot of expectations but I think it was fuel costs (post 70's oil crisis) that limited their potential. I went on one about 40 years ago from Southampton to the IOW. It was full (about 30 seats I guess) so I was luckily to be able to sit in the navigator's seat (it was a clear day so no navigator needed). It was quite an experience as they took the direct route across the sand banks off the IOW. Near Lee on Solent there is a hovercraft museum where their collection includes 1 or 2 of the monster Princess hovercraft that could carry 60 cars and 400 passengers. Killed off by the Channel Tunnel.
Dylan... You've done it again. You've surprised me. Never knew there were Hovercrafts still in operation. I knew the military still use them in parts of the world. Great video. Stay well. 😊
I would also take this as opposed to a regular ferry just for the uniqueness of the vehicle. Not every day you even see one of these, aside from actually riding across the sea in it. I have heard comments about the noise but I guess for the passengers inside the compartment seems to have sound proofing. Great trip !
Brilliant , i was there just 2 days ago, also i believe this is the only commercial hovercraft operating in the world !, As it was a nice day, you should have taken the Wight link catamaran back to portsmouth , very nice outside on a nice day .
I went from Dover to Calais some years ago by hovercraft. It was certainly an experience but on that day you had to be strapped in to your seat. Like a rough plane flight over water
Than you for sharing this unique experience Dylan. I really have to try this when the border will be Reopend. Since there are no hovercraft on the channel anymore, It must be unique there ? It’s feel like an aircraft on bord. Is there kind of “cabin crew” or safety demo ? Thank you again. Stay safe and healty.
It's very strange but if you buy a through "Rail and Sail" travel ticket from a station in England to Ryde Esplanade the default setting - the cheaper of the two options - is for the sea crossing to be by Hovercraft. The Wightlink FastCat ferry from Portsmouth Harbour station to Ryde Pier Head is more expensive than the Hovercraft and has to be asked for specifically at the time of booking! On a breezy day, when the prevailing wind is from the south-west, the Hovercraft does rock and roll a bit when it gets out into the middle of Spithead, which is the correct name for the two mile-wide channel which separates England from the Isle of Wight!
Tip: If you book a train ticket to Ryde Hoverport, via Southsea Hoverport, you get the hovercraft plus connecting bus from Portsmouth and Southsea station included in the ticket price. And you can get a railcard discount on it too.
The Hovercraft option is the default setting for "Rail and Sail" travel tickets from stations in southern England to Ryde Esplanade but you can't book through tickets to destinations on the Isle of Wight to the south of Ryde!
I believe this is presently the last and only hovercraft service in the UK. For many years we used to have large car ferry hovercraft services between Pegwell Bay and Calais, Dover to Calais and Boulogne, as well as shorter lived, (often experimental) passenger hovercraft services such as between Ramsgate Harbour and Calais, Morton (Merseyside) to Rhyl, Weston-Super-Mare to Penarth, and more recently between Kirkaldy and Portobello (Edinburgh), amonst others. One issue with older hovercrafts was that they originally used expensive and fuel guzzling aero engines, many hovercraft now use rather more economic turbo-diesel engines similar to those in trucks. Hovercrafts are still used extensively by the military and by rescue organisations all over the world .
Yeah love the hovercraft across the Solent. Just come back from a holiday down there and my daughter loved watching it. I agree £24 single day return isn't cheap but if you're a family they do a family return for about £40 which I think is really good value. I've done it a bunch of times so well worth it
I used to commute on this everyday (weather permitting). Very quirky, very English. Too many stories of weird stuff going on. My favourite was one very low tide the captain couldn't get up enough speed to climb the beach in Southsea and stop safely. We were told to brace and he drove in full throttle and used the building to stop us. They now have giant buffers in front of it. A colleague was on one that lost power on a windy day and the craft had to beach a mile east of the terminal because it couldn't tack into the wind. The absolute best thing about the journey is when you come into Ryde at low tide. The last half mile is over the sand banks. Never got bored of that. Not so much fun when rough
You seem to lack the ability to give an account of your own experiences, preferring instead to describe second hand stories that do nothing to favour the hovercraft nor it's operator. If the best you can do is 'Very quirky, very English,' then I'm sure that Hovertravel would prefer you to stick your review up your arse.
From experience when the big hovercraft "Princess Margaret and Princess Anne" did the crossing from England to France. In rough seas the hovercraft goes up, sea then goes down and hovercraft went slam. Many paper bags were used by the passengers.
Absolutely true. I was taken on one of those as a child. There have not been many "never again" experiences in my life, but that was one. I was not unwell, but it was the first time I'd seen a person look green with seasickness. 😟
It so weird to me, having lived on the island my whole life, to see people being amazed by something that has been a constant in my life since before I could even crawl. And then I realise that we are one of the only places in the world that still operate a hovercraft on a regular basis, which blows my mind. Travelling via hovercraft is such a normal thing for me until I remember that it's actually something rare enough to get excited over
I know what you mean. You see a few kids using it to commute to school and I often wonder if they appreciate how rare that is.
very true i hear the sound of the hovercraft in the background in my house everyday, never really appreciated it till a few years back as it was normal for me.
It's not one of the only Places, it's THE only Place in the World with commercial Passenger Hovercrafts.
@@Genius_at_Work I thought so, but I wasn't too sure!! Thank you for confirming
I never even saw a hovercraft till I went to the Isle of Wight for a holiday this year, went to Ryde for a trip out, saw the hovercraft come in and guess who was on the next one out, and I'm 53
I flew to the Isle of Wight on the hovercraft in the 1989s and loved it. Thanks for posting the report.
I’ve watched this thing take off a lot, but has never been on it. Thanks for the interior tour, so I know what’s in there.
It is an exhilarating experience and my favourite part is the take off as it inflates and then spins round so quickly. Every time I have been on it the weather has been clear so I have not experienced a rough ride. Also, £24 is not bad considering how it is the last passenger hovercraft in the world that is running today. Once again a fabulous video from you. Well done!!
Theo’s Travel Reports Broome Hovercraft in the Kimberley region of Western Australia is still operating but that’s more a tourist attraction than simply a way of getting from point A to B.
Agree it just lifts, turns and goes, there is no messing about.
Can you see the Solent forts when you cross ? They're amazing
@@Dan23_7 You can indeed see three out of the four Spithead Sea Forts- Spit Bank, Horse Sand and No Man's Land - provided that the view out of the Hovercraft windows isn't obscured by sea spray!
Whenever we go to Southsea, watching the hovercraft come and go is alway an attraction. You can get real close to it.
I am American and have been back here in Florida since 2002 but lived in Portsmouth from 1997 to 2002. My father was in the Royal Navy and worked at HMS Dryad at Southwick House. I remember watching the hovercraft arrive and depart and always thought it to be such a marvel. As I sat feeing nostalgic and remembering those good times I thought that I’d love to see footage of it again. I really enjoyed your video. Thank you for taking me on a trip back in time.
Wow amazing, I know Dryad and Southwick well.
Hi Dylan: I was excited to see this video because it brought back fond memories about the Hovercraft, I took it in 1987 to cross the canal from Boulogne to Dover, it took exactly 35 minutes, then with the opening of the tunnel and the high costs in fuel expenses, disappeared.-The hovercraft Princess Anne crossed the English Channel in 22 minutes, leaving a record still to be surpassed even by the tunnel trains.-They transported cars, even reaching the speed of 100 km / h-Very good video!
The princess Anne is at the hovercraft Museum in lee on Solent, though the princess Margaret has been scrapped due to loss of space.
@@andywalton5258
Hi Andy, what a thrill, upon reviewing the photos taken in 1987 during the canal crossing, I discover that it was on the Hovercraft Princess Anne !!, Greetings from Argentina
My uncle was a mechanic and eventually captain of the cross Channel hovercraft and was one of the crew on the 22min crossing
Considering the speed of transit and the fact that hovercraft are the epitome of cool-why aren’t they used everywhere? I loved watching the craft effortlessly float itself onto land, no docking required, then spin around and head out over the water. What a treat. Thanks for the video! 🍂
Kepc - They have a prodigious appetite for fuel, cannot operate in rough weather, and are very noisy. Fun though!
You know what, i didn't even realise we still had hovercrafts, I thought they had long gone. It's good that people like you are able to educate the likes of me who have falling behind the times. Thank you.
Hell yeah oldest Operator in the World
Ther Factory is in St Helen's
I crossed the channel from Dover to Boulogne many years ago on the Princess Margaret, it was rough as hell, no one was allowed to get out of their seats.
Many people became acquainted with the small paper bag in the seat pocket and made several donations, I was very young and thought it was amazing!
Its great to see hovercraft still being used and produced, your craft was only 4 years old, incredible, such a cool way to travel, loved it Dylan, thanks.
The seacats (twin hulled car carrying catamarans) that ran alongside, then replaced the hovercrafts were even worse; and being slower, took longer. They were nicknamed 'vomit comets' - I remember one particularly unpleasant rough crossing from Boulogne to Dover with a kind of figure-of-eight rocking motion going on, plates crashing in the galley and people being thrown around the passenger areas. Mass retching and projectile vomiting, too! Mind you, the Jetfoil to Ostend from Dover could be even worse - two hours plus of crashing through waves belted into aviation style seating. Too dangerous to even go to the loo!
@@frglee I used the Holyhead - Dublin Catamaran many times, every trip as smooth, maybe we just had good weather on the Irish Sea.
But I agree, channel crossings can sometimes be terrible!.... vomit comets !!
You know your from Portsmouth when seeing a Hovercraft on the beach is normal....
yeah
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Or ryde
Thanks for sharing this adventure. I made the same trip 45 years ago from the Isle of Wight to Southsea for a Brit Rail connection. The hovercraft was much smaller holding, if my memory serves me, no more than 20 passengers. The “pilot” sat in front and used a vertical joystick to navigate. I see that it is still a thrill to experience hovercraft travel.
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I am impressed with that type of service. I know I been on a hovercraft when I was younger. But I seen the military version of the hovercraft. But sadly to say, pray for those who run these hovercraft machines. It can really impact on your hearing and leave you deaf if you work with it every day. I've been thankful I can take off my hearing aid and still hear the thrumming beat loud. Those who looked at me, while wearing ear protection, thought I was nuts. I said "welcome to my deaf world!". Great travel, my friend.
@TheRenaissanceman65 I have to agree with you, my friend. I would take a ferry more often and enjoy the air than a hovercraft. A hovercraft should be a last option if you really have to get to the other side of the shore or country. But a ferry is MUCH better.
Alas, my hovercraft is full of eels. ;)
And, I'm old enough to have taken the Hoverspeed from Dover to Calais and, trust me, you don't want to be on one of these things in rough weather. It was a "never again" experience.
I also experienced those; as you say not very pleasant in choppy waters
Yes, I did a cross-channel one in rough seas, and it certainly wasn't pleasant. In fact, the constant dropping sensation off the top of waves was quite scary, though I'm not a good sailor at the best of times.
Bouncy-bouncy!
Much faster and much more fun than a car ferry. Those were great!
Went on the jetfoil years ago when it ran from Dover, the sea was rough, and the big hovercraft was getting thrown about quit a bit, but luckily the jetfil just cut straight through the rough sea .
Thank you, I've been looking forward to this one! I was a young lad when I was last on one of these doing the same trip, and it brings back so many happy memories. The craft was much noisier and less luxurious back then, but just as magical. Thanks again, regards Paul.
This looked a very cool journey! As a child I was taken on the now-defunct Dover to Boulogne Seaspeed service. The sea was rough and the crossing was nightmarish. Passengers, although wearing seatbelts, rose from their seats and sat down again throughout the whole crossing, due to the movement of the craft. The option of the tunnel from 1994 was a great relief! I understand that subsequently, hovercraft crossings were not made if the sea gave cause for concern, but in the early months of operation these lessons had not been learnt.
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wow what a glimpse of my history,took the hovercraft with my family back in the 70s on our way to a holiday in Sandown,really enjoyed the experience unfortunately my daughter only 3 at the time was frightened by the noise but she calmed and was ok on the return journey,I was really surprised that t was still in operation I heard at the time there were some problems obviously these were sorted glad you liked the ride to Rhyde
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Another excellent "different" video that brought back memories. My last trip on a hovercraft was in the early 80's. Took a rather large Hoverlloyd from Pegwell Bay to France. Big, noisy and very choppy spring to mind. Never ventured aboard one since. But I must admit your little trip did look fun! Thank you again.
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Really cool to see! I'd love to give it a try someday - I just hope it sticks around long enough as I believe it's the last remaining passenger hovercraft service!
It is. It’ll stick around for a while I think
I first went on a hovercraft in 1969. They were doing trips across the Channel from Ramsgate in those days but the weather was too rough that day, so they brought the hovercraft round into the Thames estuary and were doing short trips off the beach at Southend. The hovercraft was quite small so didn't smoothe out the the choppiness of the water. my description of it afterwards was "A rather bumpy bus ride" but it was an interesting experience in those days. I have since (1979) done the Ryde to Southsea journey which was much better.
I took the hovercraft to the Isle of Wight for the first festival (I won't mention the year 😱) and there Wass a chop running across the Solent. The craft handled it very well. No pitching so much as a bumping. The air cushion really helps. I don't think they run in any weather heavier than that, though. Another fun trip down memory lane. Thanks, Dylan!!
That was good to see. I live in Scotland & my dad took the family on one of these, 1969 or 1970, I think it operated from Largs to Millport, it was great experience, not many people would have been on it, sadly it was only going for a short time . Thanks for the memories !!
Super one ! Don’t remember when was the last time I took a hovercraft ride? They have been hardly used around these days.
I used to travel on the hovercraft from Portsmouth to school at Bembridge on Isle of Wight in the 1960,s , last week I was travelling back from a few days on the Isle of Wight on the car ferry and we were overtaken by the hovercraft , it brought back a lot of memories, took a video for old times sake.
Brings back memories, did this to IoW in the 1970s & I crossed the Channel by hovercraft (with my car) several times in the 1980s when I lived in Paris. It was a good way to travel, although the ride could be harsh if the sea was choppy and it sure was noisy, but very fast so I preferred it to ferry crossings and forgave its negative features.
I remember it as being extremely noisy and the services would be cancelled in bad weather. But yes, as Bill mentioned, thanks for bringing back those memories.
It's all just an illusion It’s true a few times I did it the French end was moved from Calais to Boulogne because of cross-winds, luckily those two places are not too far apart 😉
Did the Channel crossing by hovercraft several times too. And did this crossing in 2017. Must say, this hovercraft is in no way to compare with the old ones at the British Channel. A hovercraft will always be a noisy way of travel but the noise of the crossing of the Solent wasn't half as loud as the good old ones crossing the Channel.
@@gilles111 Indeed, the ones crossing the Channel were on a different scale, but the IoW ones although much smaller are still a novel (& fast) way to make the short crossing. In the 1980s I also crossed several times on the Jetfoil from Hong Kong Island to Macau (I lived in HK then too) - very noisy and was a bit hard if the 'skis' bounced on choppy waves, but was much, much faster than the conventional ferry too :)
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Excellent video Dylan. When I lived and worked on the Isle of Wight in the 'eighties, I only rarely used the hovercraft because, as a railwayman, I was entitled to free travel on the (ex-BR) Wightlink ferries from Ryde Pier Head to Portsmouth Harbour station. However, the hovercraft was very useful if you needed to be somewhere in Southsea. The older, second generation, craft then in use were much noiser and vibrated a lot more than the current ones, but they were still pretty nippy.
The service has been running since the 1960s; I remember envying a friend whose father used it for his daily commute (I think that was a larger machine that took cars). I once crossed the Channel, back in the old Seaspeed days (again, larger machines which took cars; a friend gave me a lift). It was one of the roughest days, we couldn't go from Boulogne but had to go from Calais as it was shorter.... and incredibly rough. One of the most miserable half-hours of my life!
That was the SRN4, Dover to Calais.
Wow! As a schoolboy in the late 60's I took a 15 minute "around the bay" trip from Hasting seafront. I didn't know we still operated Hovercraft but knew the military all over the world still use them. Imagine the reduces fatalities if we had them for the Normandy landings.
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I remember all the hype; they were going to be the best way to travel across water. It was the best thing since sliced bread, but the excitement and idea soon died away, so I was surprised when you said you would be taking a hovercraft. The ride during rough waters probably won't be too bad, because it's a hovercraft, it hovers. Look forward to your next ride. Be safe.
Thanks, Dylan! A hovercraft! I love this video, one of the best on your channel. It is short, but there is neither a second less nor too much. Very well edited video. You make us dream, it's very touristy, what happiness !!! What luck you have !!! Thank you for letting us discover this. I loved.
Glad you enjoyed it!
That brings back memories! I studied geology at the Uni of Portsmouth around the turn of the millennium & we used to take the hovercraft for field trips to the IoW. The trip is quite 'interesting' in rough seas as you suspected.
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Thanks for taking the Hovercraft journey, at least I now know the UK still has a Hovercraft operation, I didn't think we had any after the scrapping of the SRN-4 on the Dover - Calais route!
Great to experience this "virtually" with the new hovercraft. Bigger than the old SRN6s but much quieter - diesel engines instead of aero gas turbines. You could hear the old ones from the top of Portsdown Hill! Britain's first hovercraft service and now its last, well over 50 years and going strong. The last cross-channel SRN4 is at the Hovercraft Museum in Lee-on-the-Solent, on the other side of Gosport - worth a visit if you're interested. Fuel costs and noise were the killers for hovercraft services, though both are much reduced now. And of course they don't need a pier, just a concrete slipway on the beach.
Many Thanks. Good video....You need to visit the Hovercraft Museum which is only a few miles away from Portsmouth in Lee on Solent which has the Cross Channel Giant there including many other smaller craft too !
I`m looking forward to my Ryde trip in 12 days time, love the Hovercraft and yes couple of Bumpy and Rough crossings of the Channel years ago ! Happy Hovering ! :)
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We went on it for the first time as it was something I had always wanted to do. My husband tricked me/I mean surprised me by pretending we would just be watching them come and go from the Ryde end. After watching for a while he then told me to get into the car and proceeded to drive into the terminus car park! We didn’t do the day return, but the option to stay on board (complete with a sticker to wear to indicate to the staff we were returning).
It’s an amazing feeling of speed that can’t really be captured on a video; even ones as good as Dylan’s :-). Definitely worth forking out for.
Thank you Dylan for helping recreate our happy memories.
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Thank you - that was amazing! I'm always impressed by hovercraft - we crossed the English Channel on one of the big ones when I was a small child, and I have a strong memory of it being exciting.
I think I'm going to have to make holiday plans to the IoW some time, just to make sure I've ridden this one as an adult!
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A pleasant smooth step up from the SRN4, which I travelled on in 1984 from England to France with cars, lorries(?)and my bike which ,like on this journey, went free. A typical crossing; 35 mins.and like sitting on a galloping herd of horses! ( I biked to Barcelona)
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Used to watch them going over to Wight as a young man.Observed the experimental SRN1 as a kid on the Solent. When it passed my sail boat the prop appeared to stand still for a second so well aligned were the bearings to the motor. I never forgot that.
Reminds me of going on hoverlloyd to france when i was tiny. Going back next year to IOW on a pilgrimage to honour my late dad. Great video.
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You wondered about stability on a not-so-smooth day? Many years ago, I was waiting for the Hovercraft at Dover. Lorry drivers in the waiting rooms were saying "I have never seen the Channel so rough". Anyhow, we set off from the relative calm of the harbour, turned sharply to the port upon leaving the harbour walls and then, boy, did the vessel tip over to the starboard. Interesting experience, but it did right itself quickly. All good fun. It is greatly missed on the Dover-Calais route.
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Hover is always the first sea transport on the island to get cancelled in rough weather without fail. It's consistently both reliable and unreliable, it's the fastest mode of transport we have to the mainland but the fastest to get called off.
Loved this report Dylan, it brought back my first Hovercraft trip up in the Kimberley region of Western Australia 19 years ago in a smaller 12 seater version. Good memories. Loved the inflating of the apron, with memories of ‘Thunderbirds’, you almost expect Virgil to come in to take the pilot’s seat.....
Wow they had Thunderbirds in Australia? Thought it was known only in the UK :)
radio2014 yes, I remember watching as a young child in the 60s. 😊
Wow. A hovercraft. Anecdote time: my parents took me to France (somewhere around Calais I suppose) when I was about 4-5 years old, so that's 37 years ago. When the hovercraft arrived, supposedly I was crying my lungs out of my body - that's how terrified I was of this monster coming out of the sea and moving on to the land. And now I'm finding out there's still a place I can travel on this thing. Summer 2021 - Portsmouth it will be :-D
So wierd to see a video of this pop up as a recommended video. I work in Pompey harbour and see the hovercrafts leaving Southsea on a daily basis. Guess Its a sight im used to! Glad you enjoyed it :)
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Very cool to see the craft climbing onto the beach! Thanks for another waterborne adventure.
It's great to see that there's at least one route where hovercrafts are still in use. I remember travelling with one of them in the first half of the 90s as a 12 year old kid. I'm sure that our ride did not start in France, but in Belgium (Ostend) where we went by train and I guess the destination port was not Dover, but Ramsgate. Greetings from Germany to lovely Britain :)
There has been a Hovercraft service to the Isle of Wight since 1962.
Wife’s parents retired to Ryde, we used to go across on this regularly.
They even allowed children over a certain age to travel along as long as there was an adult to meet them on the other side, our daughter used to go across on her own to stay with her granny and grandpa.
Even my dog wasn’t phased by the trip. I always thought that apart from the obvious sensations at the start and end it was a bit like a bus ride over the water.
We used to call it the windy, due to the amount of moving air created on take off and landing...
It’s a really efficient and good service, interrupted only by severe weather, which results in service suspensions.
I remember in 1972 there was a fatal accident when one of the much older SRN 6 Hovercrafts capsized with the loss of 5 lives due to a freak wave just off Southsea.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hovertravel
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Fascinating as always. Thanks for this video. Glad to see that you had good weather for the crossing. As a precaution for ocean travel I usually take a Dramamine so I don't get sea-sick. I've been on boats in Tahiti and Alaska that had 2/3 of the passengers lying on the deck in their own vomit, they were so sick from large waves. Not good.
thanks so much for the journey across ..it took me back to when our friends from waterlooville took us over to the isle of wight brilliant .
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As a person who spent a lot of my childhood in the area, and been over the island many times, this is one trip I still have never done and I am now in my 50’s.
Thank you for this vlog. I did not know there were hovercraft still in use. I rode the hovercraft from Dover to Calais before there was a channel tunnel. That was way faster than the regular ferry.
Yeah, I believe this is the last one in commercial service in the world.
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Wow, thats a lot of nostalgia right there, thanks for the video. I remember taking this to get to several country parks on the Island, so I've associated the hovercraft with a great day out. Been 6 years since I've seen it in person and 8 since I've been on it.
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Been living here for a few years now and your video is great to watch and learn from!
I did the crossing from Ryde to Southsea and back last August. Never experienced hovercraft before and it was excellent! I live in Kent and back in the day there was hovercraft crossing between Pegwell bay and France. Recently I discovered the landing place for the hovercraft at Pegwell bay and it’s just an expanse of derelict concrete landings and a lot of weeds. So sad it didn’t (excuse the pun) take off as it would have been a great addition to the ferries between England and France.
Love the Hovercraft coming in and going out never get tired of watching these
I'm going on the same trip next week. It's my first time on a hovercraft, I can't wait
@@jigzonyt517 Enjoy the hovercraft Im sure your love it
Wow! It was SO quiet. When I use to use the service it was the old SR.N6 hovercraft with its helicopter style turbine engine and you could not hear yourself think in them. The seats were pretty basic in them as well. But it is nice to see the service is still going.
The Griffon 12000 is very quiet, no gas turbines just a a pair of silenced MAN V12's and props running a about 1200-1300 Rpm so not to generate the noise the old ones suffered from
Oh, this video make me cry! 😭Miss Portsmouth!!!!!
Thanks for the video! Really informative and helped me be less anxious now that I know what to expect for my upcoming journey 😊
Enjoy your trip
Back in 1979 I travelled by hovercraft from England to France. I remember how quick and smooth it was, and how bizarre it was to see, when we were waiting to embark, this big vessel sliding up on the beach so silently.
I loved to see your trip on the hovercraft !! I’ve seen the smaller ones being used to travel around the Thames with mudlarkers onboard !!👍🏻 They are amazing crafts!!!!
Kathy
Washington State
Nice! Glad you enjoyed 😁
In the eighties I went with an Hovercraft from Ostend to Dover. Marvelous!! And great video again Dylan.
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Love going on the hovercraft, I went on the big channel ones as well, awesome craft! Great video, thanks for sharing.
Thanks! Sounds fun.
Love the Hovercraft and used a few times.
However if you think a cushion of air gives smooth you'll be sadly mistaken. The old ones where more bangy were as the new ones more wobbly.
It also tends to be cheaper but the Cat is much easier for though journeys
I have only seen the one hovercraft in use on my local & main river. But, it was only a emergency type for rescue use only. I have sadly never had the privilege of being able to ride on one & sadly I very much doubt I will either due to not being able to travel such a very long journey to Portsmouth to ride this hovercraft. This is the best & probably the only view I'll get of seeing one that is big enough to carry many passengers I suppose.
May have to add this to my bucket list!
I've been waiting for this video! LET'S GOOOOOO!!!!
Hope you enjoyed 😁
@@DylansTravelReports I subscribe to both of you and only one other travel blogger. It's great to see that Downie watches your channel. It's also great to see how the channel is catching on with over 9,000 views the first day!
I love on the Isle of Wight!
Gosport town is very posh
So have l
Great video. Used to cross the Channel on the hovercraft and loved every minute. A great no fuss way to travel. Delighted to see the bike area as well. May well put that on the list of things to do after this covid thing is over and done with.
Thanks!
That was really nice to watch. I had no idea hovercrafts still ran here in England.
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This is the last commercial passenger hovercraft service currently running in the UK and is thought to also be the last one in Europe and possibly the world but that's Hovertravel's own claims
My favourite staycation spot! When I am with my dad, we sometimes visit the steam railway for the day, and it is amazing to do.
Way cool, incredible piece of machinery. Rode on one of these operated by SAS a number of years ago from Malmo, Sweden to Copenhagen airport. Great experience, just like getting on a jet as far as the seating.
Great video, Dylan. It also reminded me of a trip from Dover to Boulogne in the mid 1980s. We took our car. I loved the trip but the sea was choppy and my poor daughter, who'd have been about 6, was soooo sick in the car later.
Did this trip 2 years ago. There were 9 of us in total, and it cost us a fortune; but it was worth every penny just to see the look on the kids faces!
Used to use the ferry years ago. Loved it. Only way to travel at sea. Suggested to my DO that the Royal Navy might look at converting to hovercraft. They wouldn't entertain the idea. So I legged it.
You are right, hovering is a quite nice thing. I've been hovering in 1978 from UK to France ( Ramsgate to Calais). It's a pity that destination is given up in the '90 ies. Hope that destination will be reopened. Greetings from Germany
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Cool. Looked like a smooth ride. Thanks for sharing.
Back in the1980's I used to cross twice a week with a motor coach between Calais/Boulogne and Dover. Fabulous service - even on the one crossing that took not the usual 35 minutes but over an hour and couldn't land in Dover and we had to go to what I thought was closed hoverport near Ramsgate - and then sit and wait for immigration and customs officials to drive from Dover to check us back into the UK. Every wave caught the four propellers and that particular crossing was a tad hairy!
Thoroughly enjoyed my trip on it last summer. A fantastic experience.
All ten minutes of it!
Interesting to read they are still making the hovercraft (you said the one you were on was built in 2016). When they first came out there was a lot of expectations but I think it was fuel costs (post 70's oil crisis) that limited their potential.
I went on one about 40 years ago from Southampton to the IOW. It was full (about 30 seats I guess) so I was luckily to be able to sit in the navigator's seat (it was a clear day so no navigator needed). It was quite an experience as they took the direct route across the sand banks off the IOW.
Near Lee on Solent there is a hovercraft museum where their collection includes 1 or 2 of the monster Princess hovercraft that could carry 60 cars and 400 passengers. Killed off by the Channel Tunnel.
Alan UK - Unless they have access to a time machine I don’t think that it ‘was built in 2026’ somehow!
@@AtheistOrphan Ops! typo. Should be 2016. Now corrected. Thanks
Dylan... You've done it again. You've surprised me. Never knew there were Hovercrafts still in operation. I knew the military still use them in parts of the world. Great video. Stay well. 😊
Glad you enjoyed the video! All the best 😁
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I would also take this as opposed to a regular ferry just for the uniqueness of the vehicle. Not every day you even see one of these, aside from actually riding across the sea in it. I have heard comments about the noise but I guess for the passengers inside the compartment seems to have sound proofing. Great trip !
Yes, it's quite quiet in the cabin.
It's not at all noisy in the cabin. The hovercraft is a superb way to travel. Very slick service.
Very good Dylan, definitely fun and different. Great weather that day. Stay safe.😷
Brilliant , i was there just 2 days ago, also i believe this is the only commercial hovercraft operating in the world !, As it was a nice day, you should have taken the Wight link catamaran back to portsmouth , very nice outside on a nice day .
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I went from Dover to Calais some years ago by hovercraft. It was certainly an experience but on that day you had to be strapped in to your seat. Like a rough plane flight over water
Very uplifting for a Friday night Dylan, thanks!
Great video on the hovercraft between Portsmouth and Isle of Wight looks very cool I shall certainly try it if I go to Isle of Wight
Thanks!
@@DylansTravelReports no problem
Travelled this in 80s and all other ferries to IOW...great so see this still running
Than you for sharing this unique experience Dylan.
I really have to try this when the border will be Reopend.
Since there are no hovercraft on the channel anymore, It must be unique there ?
It’s feel like an aircraft on bord.
Is there kind of “cabin crew” or safety demo ?
Thank you again.
Stay safe and healty.
This is the only passenger carrying Hovercraft service left (There may also be one operating from China to Russia)
@TheRenaissanceman65 Er there is a safety demo. It's played on the screens at the front as you depart.
It's very strange but if you buy a through "Rail and Sail" travel ticket from a station in England to Ryde Esplanade the default setting - the cheaper of the two options - is for the sea crossing to be by Hovercraft. The Wightlink FastCat ferry from Portsmouth Harbour station to Ryde Pier Head is more expensive than the Hovercraft and has to be asked for specifically at the time of booking! On a breezy day, when the prevailing wind is from the south-west, the Hovercraft does rock and roll a bit when it gets out into the middle of Spithead, which is the correct name for the two mile-wide channel which separates England from the Isle of Wight!
Tip: If you book a train ticket to Ryde Hoverport, via Southsea Hoverport, you get the hovercraft plus connecting bus from Portsmouth and Southsea station included in the ticket price. And you can get a railcard discount on it too.
Best advice ever!
The Hovercraft option is the default setting for "Rail and Sail" travel tickets from stations in southern England to Ryde Esplanade but you can't book through tickets to destinations on the Isle of Wight to the south of Ryde!
Great video. Did same years back and also the Dover- Calais Hovercraft crossing too.
Thanks!
I believe this is presently the last and only hovercraft service in the UK. For many years we used to have large car ferry hovercraft services between Pegwell Bay and Calais, Dover to Calais and Boulogne, as well as shorter lived, (often experimental) passenger hovercraft services such as between Ramsgate Harbour and Calais, Morton (Merseyside) to Rhyl, Weston-Super-Mare to Penarth, and more recently between Kirkaldy and Portobello (Edinburgh), amonst others. One issue with older hovercrafts was that they originally used expensive and fuel guzzling aero engines, many hovercraft now use rather more economic turbo-diesel engines similar to those in trucks. Hovercrafts are still used extensively by the military and by rescue organisations all over the world .
Yes, sadly the last one remaining.
@@DylansTravelReports Apparently there is a chance the Scottish one may return.
hey there sounds like fun we onlly have little crafts going across Sydney harbour i dont think they run anymore cheers buddy
Wow I did not know there were still operational hovercraft other than military grade ones!!
Have to get a ride on this next time I'm in England!
Have you been on it yet ?
Yeah love the hovercraft across the Solent. Just come back from a holiday down there and my daughter loved watching it. I agree £24 single day return isn't cheap but if you're a family they do a family return for about £40 which I think is really good value. I've done it a bunch of times so well worth it
These videos make the lockdown bearable. Thanks for making my weekend wonderful!
Glad they help 😁
Great report, thanks for the bike information, always useful.
Glad you enjoyed 😁
I did work experience at hover travel and was lucky enough to go up in the cabin for a journey, epic stuff
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I used to commute on this everyday (weather permitting). Very quirky, very English. Too many stories of weird stuff going on. My favourite was one very low tide the captain couldn't get up enough speed to climb the beach in Southsea and stop safely. We were told to brace and he drove in full throttle and used the building to stop us. They now have giant buffers in front of it. A colleague was on one that lost power on a windy day and the craft had to beach a mile east of the terminal because it couldn't tack into the wind.
The absolute best thing about the journey is when you come into Ryde at low tide. The last half mile is over the sand banks. Never got bored of that. Not so much fun when rough
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You seem to lack the ability to give an account of your own experiences, preferring instead to describe second hand stories that do nothing to favour the hovercraft nor it's operator.
If the best you can do is 'Very quirky, very English,' then I'm sure that Hovertravel would prefer you to stick your review up your arse.
Wow what a coincidence! I’m doing an Isle of Wight day trip on Monday and have this booked too!
Pls support small youtuber
It seems like a lifetime ago, but I crossed the Channel on Hover-craft . Water was a little choppy,but I loved the experience.
From experience when the big hovercraft "Princess Margaret and Princess Anne" did the crossing from England to France. In rough seas the hovercraft goes up, sea then goes down and hovercraft went slam. Many paper bags were used by the passengers.
Absolutely true. I was taken on one of those as a child. There have not been many "never again" experiences in my life, but that was one. I was not unwell, but it was the first time I'd seen a person look green with seasickness. 😟
THIS IS SO FREAKING AWESOME
Agreed 😁
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