iTravelUK > Attractions > Maritime > Uk Historic Ships And Boats
Old Favourite
If you head to the Island wall, (west from the end of high street) you can visit the Old Favourite, a relic of Whitstable's traditional yawling past. The boat is the last of some 150 oyster yawls which once worked out of the harbour. Rescued by a local, the boat now stands in a little garden yard and has given into the forces of nature being half immersed with weeds and plants.
The Mary of Colchester
The Mary of Colchester is the oldest vessel docked in the marina. Dating from 1844 she has been fully rebuilt at least twice. Most recently in Maldon, Essex using all British timber and materials by shipwrights, Brian Kennell and Shaun White. She is the last, Lute Sterned East Kent Sailing Smack still in use. Built as a fishing boat she was used for trawling and oyster dredging, operated by a crew of 2 or 3 men and a boy.
Hugin - Replica Viking Ship
The replica ship 'Hugin' was sailed from Denmark in 1949 by 53 Danes to
commemorate the 1500th arrival of the legendary Hengist and his brother Horsa,
two Saxon chieftains, who landed at nearby Ebbsfleet. The 'Hugin' first landed
at Viking Bay, Broadstairs, Kent before being placed on permanent display just
off the main road to the west of Pegwell Bay. There is little evidence of Viking
ships in the 5th century and Hugin is based on a later Viking design of a
longship.
On the foreshore, more recent invaders would have arrived in
giant SRN4 Hovercraft at the Internation Hoverport which was officially opened
in 1969. In its later versions the massive SRN4 could carry over 400 passengers
and 55 cars at approximately 60mph, rountinely crossing the Channel in 40
minutes. In 1982 the service from Pegwell Bay ceased when the two rivals
Seaspeed and Hoverlloyd merged.