Classic Boat Museum facts for kids
The Classic Boat Museum is a cool place to learn all about boats and the history of sailing! It's located on the Isle of Wight in England. This museum is special because it has two different locations, one in Cowes and one in East Cowes, on opposite sides of the River Medina. It's not just a place to look at old boats; it's a working museum where boats are actually restored! You can see tools, old photos, films, and other items that show how boats were built, sailed, and raced over the last 100 years.
The Boat Collection
The Boat Collection has many different kinds of boats, most of them made from wood. Many of these boats have been carefully restored. Besides the main boats, you can also see smaller boats like dinghies, canoes, and rowing boats.
Famous Boats You Can See
- Flying Spray - This beautiful river launch from the 1920s was found in a river, damaged and rotting. After being restored, it traveled to many boat shows in France, Germany, and Switzerland. It even won an award at a French boat show!
- Airborne Lifeboat - This is a special Mark 1 lifeboat designed by Uffa Fox in 1943. During World War II, these boats were carried by planes like the Lockheed Hudson and dropped by parachute to airmen who had crashed into the English Channel or North Sea. These amazing boats saved about 200 to 300 lives! Each boat had enough food, water, fuel, and clothes for a month at sea. The rescued crew could then sail, motor, or row back home. This particular boat was found in a garden and took two years to restore. Helicopters took over this rescue job in the 1950s.
- Sopranino - This famous boat was one of the first small boats designed for both cruising and racing in the open ocean. In 1952, Patrick Ellam and Colin Mudie sailed her all the way across the Atlantic Ocean! She was later found in the USA in poor condition, bought for just $1, and brought back home to be restored.
- Kestrel - This is an early Bembridge Redwing boat. In 1934, Lord Brabazon of Tara added a special rotating sail system and a unique mast design to it.
- Rosabelle - This launch was restored in 2011. It was used by Frank William Beken to take his famous sailing photos, which are now seen all over the world!
- Vigia - This historic Una Catboat was built in Cowes in 1872. It is thought to be the oldest English pleasure yacht still sailing! The museum recently received it as a gift from the family who had cared for it for over 70 years. It is currently waiting to be restored.
- Black Bess - This boat is an Itchen ferry from 1870. It proudly carries the museum's name on its sail and takes part in many boat races during the summer.
The Gallery Exhibition
The Classic Boat Museum's Gallery is located in a building that was built in 1935. Here, you can find many interesting photos and items, including:
- Photos and other items about Uffa Fox, including his 14-foot dinghies and sailing canoes.
- Photos, papers, and test models related to the Thornycroft family's work and sailing life on the Isle of Wight. This includes the testing notebooks of naval engineer Blanche Thornycroft.
- Photos of yachts in the Solent and on the East Coast from the 1920s onwards, all named and dated.
- The collection of Jo Carstairs, which includes newspaper clippings and photos from her motorboat racing career in the 1920s.
- Models of power boats and working boats.
- A library with 2,000 books about the sea and boats.
- The Gipsy Moth IV Connection - The museum's Gallery has some of the original equipment from the boat and clothes worn by Francis Chichester during his famous journey around the world.
- Other displays about famous sailors like Ellen MacArthur, important organizations like Trinity House, and special boats like the Princess Flying Boat, Hovercraft, and J-Class yachts.
