This was my child hood, every year we would travel down to Portsmouth’s and go over to the Isle of Wight on the hovercraft , safe to say it brings back a lot of memories and I can’t wait to take my kids one day
The only hovercraft that I have ridden in was in the 1980’s. It was before the tunnels were built from Dover to Calais. It was really cool. Wow! I’m old.
I travelled many times with my Dad on the Seaspeed SRN6s between Cowes and Southampton. When you’re eight years old, that was a great adventure! Great video.
I was doing my GCE exams at Gosport County Grammar School (now Bay House), a few yards from Stokes Bay where they were doing initial tests on the hovercraft, so noisy!!
We live fairly close to Dover and regularly took the One Pound non landing Seaspeed hovercraft trips to France. You qualified for full Duty Free Allowance so we used to stock up on booze. Took our whole family on the hovercraft to IOW in August 2020 for the day. Everyone enjoyed themselves. As It was great day out.
Every summer I'm on the hovercraft to the Isle of Wight. I just bloody love it SO MUCH! It's totally frickin' awesome! I also noticed this video features the new "Island Flyer" hovercraft, which I've only been on once so far, and that was last year, LOL! I just love everything about the hovercraft. The way the skirt goes up, the way it just smoothly rolls off and even the way the engines rev up right before it goes. On a good day, I even sometimes hear it in the distance from my house in Gosport, and it always gives me that warm, comforting, excited feeling of being on it inside! :)
I've lost count of the number of times I've been on these things and I STILL love the journey! 😄 We're so lucky to have a hovercraft service. The only one in Britain! 😊
As a lad I would watch the SRN1 I think it was, plying the Solent being tested. Once established, the pax model used to run down the slip built for it at Southsea and scream noisily off to The Isle of Wight. In my little yacht I was fascinated to see the prop stop for an instant as it went passed. They had good bearings in the hub! My older cousin was a skipper on the ferry and reckoned one time when I accompanied him on the bridge that a hovercraft would catch a wave under it one day and flip. Prescient comment.
@@kittikoko Since I am in my dribbling dotage and my cousin now in charge of the ferry crossing the Stryx, you will need to hold a seance to hold us responsible!
@@kittikoko Prescient - I think he means that there was a hovercraft accident where one flipped over, on this route, in 1972. My little two-seat hover was hard enough to control when there was no wind at all, and nobody knew where it would go next (including the pilot). And terrible fuel consumption.
@aswclassics iow I remember it happening. They did not use a hovercraft in the rescue I imagine. In Auckland NZ the airport rescue purchased 2 small craft to aid any plane that went down in the shallow and muddy harbour. As a SCUBA diver I attended a rescue exercise that quickly became a shambles. One got stuck on the slip through inadequate power and the other had a flat battery. The equipment shed was locked and the guy with the key was on holiday! I haven't kept track of them now so don't know if hoovers are still being used. It is obvious though that a fairly substantial machine would be needed which was definitely not purchased.
And noisier! Thankfully these modern craft are much quieter both inside the cabin and out. The SRN6 had a single gas turbine engine back then didn’t it?
Is it a boat? Is it a plane? No, its a hovercraft! That looks like a lot of fun. Having watched so many of Kittikoko's IOW films, I know I will be taking a trip there as soon as this lockdown is over, assuming I still have a job/money by then! The question will be whether to enjoy the novelty of the speedy hovercraft or the more sedate Kat, which I assume lets you get out on deck and feel the wind on your face. Thanks for this and your other films Kittikoko. xxx
This is something I definitely want to do at some point. I've been playing Ship Simulator 2008 recently, and in that game you can control the Freedom 90 on this same route. It understandably makes me want to give the real thing a shot, and curosity led me to this video. Thanks for uploading this. It really makes me want to do this if I ever get the chance. Greetings from the US.
Aim to do it in the last bit of august, there is a free 4 day airshow in Bournemouth around that time, Also see Carisbrooke Castle and Corfe Castle :).
If you're ever around the area you should totally visit the Hovercraft Museum, you'll find many actual models of very large cross channel hovercrafts and others!
Have people experienced sea sickness on this craft me the wife and kids really want to go but even the thought of a ferry is enough to stop me so looking at this as an alternative and wanting to no of people experiences. Cheers
Grew up in Gosport and dreamed of going on a hovercraft..you would see them and they had a distinctive sound..I think it was out of my parents price range to go on...so this is the closest I've been on one thankyou ! xx
Nice to see, being an old Pompey lad myself. It looked from the breeze at Southsea as if the ride might be a bit choppy. But it looks as if another of kittikoko's videos has it on an even livelier day.
I really miss the hovercraft - haven't been on it at all this year with all that's going on! Hopefully next year I'll be able to cross on a particularly stormy day and get some footage. 😊 🌊
In the days before seemingly 'ordinary' people morphed into muzzle wearing idiots ! As for the video and the craft itself ? Both are bloody great ! The hovercraft as a people mover is an absolute innovation and it's use should be extended everywhere. A truly modern form of transport.
Sadly, killed by fuel costs and noise, although both are less with modern diesel hovercraft than gas turbines. The Portsmouth-Ryde service was the first to start and low the last one going, over 50 years on.
Lived in Portsmouth all my life (35 years), not once been to IoW by hovercraft. Not been up the Spinnaker tower either. Funny how you don't take advantage of the things right on your doorstep sometimes. Should probably give both a visit.
just happened to see your comments while watching a vid of the ''hoovercraft '.Like you I was brought up in Portsmouth and took for granted the sights and sounds without thinking too much about it all. Now, some 12000 miles away and 50 years later, I have a longing to see Langstone Harbour, the Roman fort in the inner harbour at Portchester and so many parts of Portsmouth that I took for granted before leaving England's shores. I miss England when I bother to think about it. So much has changed. The World is now a different place. The internet has shown us how much we are being manipulated. It would be gratifying to return in my dotage to see the places that were dear to me in my youth.
This is part of the 'English Channel' (between England and France). The narrow part of the sea this hovercraft services operates (England to The Isle of Wight) is called 'The Solent'.
@@Tom_UA-cam_stole_my_handle that is cool. I only got to see them when we would be at the beach when my husband was in the military. Now i can add this to the list of things i would love to do one day.
I'm not sure about the timing of the safety information. The safety information should be given before the craft departs to avoid the passengers being distracted by the sensation and view during departure.
OK so I go on this hover every day to get to school and honestly I know the safety announcement off by heart its very different now because of COVID-19, lots of masks and sweatiness, but I love my journey to school. Only inconvenience is in the winter months, it can be cancelled for as much as a week at a time. It’s so weird to see people who have never been on a hover’s perspectives in the comments. To get to school on time, unfortunately its always dark for me in the winter months :/
I tried it a month ago. A whole amazing experience!. The engines’ sound was pure music. I enjoyed every second.
I'm glad you enjoyed the experience! 😊
I’m so grateful we have this in the Uk as hovercraft are so rare now. Only passenger service in the world now as far as I know
This was my child hood, every year we would travel down to Portsmouth’s and go over to the Isle of Wight on the hovercraft , safe to say it brings back a lot of memories and I can’t wait to take my kids one day
We love Southsea, Isle of Wight, and the hovercraft. Perfect combo 🥳😉👍
ua-cam.com/video/34YMtblpGaE/v-deo.html
The only hovercraft that I have ridden in was in the 1980’s. It was before the tunnels were built from Dover to Calais. It was really cool. Wow! I’m old.
I travelled many times with my Dad on the Seaspeed SRN6s between Cowes and Southampton. When you’re eight years old, that was a great adventure! Great video.
Love the Hovercraft have been on them a couple of times
As a child I spent my holidays at my grandparents in gosport . We always used this at least once a year as it was so exciting as a kid . Great video
Wonderful to see what life used to be like.
Life will be like this again soon. Hang in there!
Used to be? You can still go on it
That hovercraft was built in Southampton I remember my dad was part of the team building it
Cool
Can you say why it is not used in other parts of the world,its so cool 🥰😍
@@RitamSanyal I’m not sure why, they mostly make them for navies and small ones for a clients personal use.
@@spudspam5723 Yes👍 and thats why I was thinking 🤔 later I came to know it consumes too much diesel, and that's why it is not so economical
I was doing my GCE exams at Gosport County Grammar School (now Bay House), a few yards from Stokes Bay where they were doing initial tests on the hovercraft, so noisy!!
I’m going to portsmouth today
is fun on the Hovercraft
We live fairly close to Dover and regularly took the One Pound non landing Seaspeed hovercraft trips to France. You qualified for full Duty Free Allowance so we used to stock up on booze.
Took our whole family on the hovercraft to IOW in August 2020 for the day. Everyone enjoyed themselves. As It was great day out.
Every summer I'm on the hovercraft to the Isle of Wight. I just bloody love it SO MUCH! It's totally frickin' awesome! I also noticed this video features the new "Island Flyer" hovercraft, which I've only been on once so far, and that was last year, LOL! I just love everything about the hovercraft. The way the skirt goes up, the way it just smoothly rolls off and even the way the engines rev up right before it goes. On a good day, I even sometimes hear it in the distance from my house in Gosport, and it always gives me that warm, comforting, excited feeling of being on it inside! :)
I've lost count of the number of times I've been on these things and I STILL love the journey! 😄 We're so lucky to have a hovercraft service. The only one in Britain! 😊
A must view when watching the Ryde Esplanade &Pier live Railcam.
Love it love it love it. Reminds me of my childhood, on a Hovercraft between Guanzhou and Kowloon
Hello from the other side of the world!
When the pandemic ends, I'd love to ride on one of these again. There's nothing quite like it.
You've not been on a hydrofoil then.
@@SpeccyMan I actually haven't, but I need to.
never been in one so made it very interesting. thank you
As a lad I would watch the SRN1 I think it was, plying the Solent being tested. Once established, the pax model used to run down the slip built for it at Southsea and scream noisily off to The Isle of Wight. In my little yacht I was fascinated to see the prop stop for an instant as it went passed. They had good bearings in the hub! My older cousin was a skipper on the ferry and reckoned one time when I accompanied him on the bridge that a hovercraft would catch a wave under it one day and flip. Prescient comment.
We'll be holding you (and your cousin) personally responsible if and when that does happen. 😅
@@kittikoko Since I am in my dribbling dotage and my cousin now in charge of the ferry crossing the Stryx, you will need to hold a seance to hold us responsible!
@@kittikoko Prescient - I think he means that there was a hovercraft accident where one flipped over, on this route, in 1972. My little two-seat hover was hard enough to control when there was no wind at all, and nobody knew where it would go next (including the pilot). And terrible fuel consumption.
@aswclassics iow I remember it happening. They did not use a hovercraft in the rescue I imagine. In Auckland NZ the airport rescue purchased 2 small craft to aid any plane that went down in the shallow and muddy harbour. As a SCUBA diver I attended a rescue exercise that quickly became a shambles. One got stuck on the slip through inadequate power and the other had a flat battery. The equipment shed was locked and the guy with the key was on holiday! I haven't kept track of them now so don't know if hoovers are still being used. It is obvious though that a fairly substantial machine would be needed which was definitely not purchased.
I remember fondly the SRN6.
Type SRN5 operated from Portsmouth Harbour if I recall correctly.
The cross Channel SRN4s were most impressive, they swallowed your car as well!
I use to love this trip for the day
I did this run in 1968 when it was the SRN6, much more exciting, but alas a whole lot smaller.
And noisier! Thankfully these modern craft are much quieter both inside the cabin and out. The SRN6 had a single gas turbine engine back then didn’t it?
Is it a boat? Is it a plane? No, its a hovercraft! That looks like a lot of fun. Having watched so many of Kittikoko's IOW films, I know I will be taking a trip there as soon as this lockdown is over, assuming I still have a job/money by then! The question will be whether to enjoy the novelty of the speedy hovercraft or the more sedate Kat, which I assume lets you get out on deck and feel the wind on your face. Thanks for this and your other films Kittikoko. xxx
Something else for my bucket list.... 😀😍
Going on a HOVERCRAFT?
@@josephine.france5 why not?
@@brendagilson934 I guess it’s just I’m on a hovercraft quite a lot
We always use this when visiting IOW and go back over to main land for day and def beats the KAT
No the Fast as Cat is Soooo Much as Better to and is cheaper
@@kaz-ox3jm why do you think is better?
This is something I definitely want to do at some point. I've been playing Ship Simulator 2008 recently, and in that game you can control the Freedom 90 on this same route. It understandably makes me want to give the real thing a shot, and curosity led me to this video. Thanks for uploading this. It really makes me want to do this if I ever get the chance. Greetings from the US.
Aim to do it in the last bit of august, there is a free 4 day airshow in Bournemouth around that time, Also see Carisbrooke Castle and Corfe Castle :).
If you're ever around the area you should totally visit the Hovercraft Museum, you'll find many actual models of very large cross channel hovercrafts and others!
Have people experienced sea sickness on this craft me the wife and kids really want to go but even the thought of a ferry is enough to stop me so looking at this as an alternative and wanting to no of people experiences. Cheers
It's more of an up-and-down bouncing sensation than a side-to-side rocking (like you would get on a normal boat) and it's over in 10 minutes anyway. 😊
I’ve been on that exact hovercraft
Brilliant!
Thanks for posting.
Grew up in Gosport and dreamed of going on a hovercraft..you would see them and they had a distinctive sound..I think it was out of my parents price range to go on...so this is the closest I've been on one thankyou ! xx
They cost pennies to go on.
Nice to see, being an old Pompey lad myself. It looked from the breeze at Southsea as if the ride might be a bit choppy. But it looks as if another of kittikoko's videos has it on an even livelier day.
I really miss the hovercraft - haven't been on it at all this year with all that's going on! Hopefully next year I'll be able to cross on a particularly stormy day and get some footage. 😊 🌊
Very nice video well done
That was brilliant!
I enjoyed that flight, but pilot flies too low to the sea
Are you joking? There’s only one level
@@josephine.france5 proper expert talking shite lol
Humour missed 🙄
In the days before seemingly 'ordinary' people morphed into muzzle wearing idiots ! As for the video and the craft itself ? Both are bloody great ! The hovercraft as a people mover is an absolute innovation and it's use should be extended everywhere. A truly modern form of transport.
Sadly, killed by fuel costs and noise, although both are less with modern diesel hovercraft than gas turbines. The Portsmouth-Ryde service was the first to start and low the last one going, over 50 years on.
Lived in Portsmouth all my life (35 years), not once been to IoW by hovercraft. Not been up the Spinnaker tower either. Funny how you don't take advantage of the things right on your doorstep sometimes. Should probably give both a visit.
The hovercraft is definitely worth a go - it's like a little theme park ride. 😄 I've never been up the Spinnaker Tower either. Maybe next year. 👍
just happened to see your comments while watching a vid of the ''hoovercraft '.Like you I was brought up in Portsmouth and took for granted the sights and sounds without thinking too much about it all. Now, some 12000 miles away and 50 years later, I have a longing to see Langstone Harbour, the Roman fort in the inner harbour at Portchester and so many parts of Portsmouth that I took for granted before leaving England's shores. I miss England when I bother to think about it. So much has changed. The World is now a different place. The internet has shown us how much we are being manipulated. It would be gratifying to return in my dotage to see the places that were dear to me in my youth.
Hovercraft is well worth a day trip to the IoW, Spinnaker tower is a pass haha.
Need to try that.
There's your first post-lockdown trip sorted! 👍 I've been on the hovercraft so many times and it never gets old. 😊
I've been watching the Isle of Wight hovercraft for years...still yet to go on one!
You should totally go on it, mate! I'm tellin' ya, it's bloody awesome! XD
Come on over! 😄 You'll love it!
@@kittikoko do you think its better option to Portsmouth or choose the fastcat?
@@johnkarachristos4749 I definitely prefer the hovercraft, but it's a bit more expensive. 👍
By the time the 'Safety Notice' finishes, you're practically at Ryde. Good video however.
I was on one of the first Hovercraft to travel to the IOW.....
Wow, back in the 60s? That's amazing! Bet they were a lot rougher back then!
🇵🇫Love from Tahiti - French Polynesia🇵🇫
Cum se numește marea pe care erai?⛴⛴⛴⛴
This is part of the 'English Channel' (between England and France). The narrow part of the sea this hovercraft services operates (England to The Isle of Wight) is called 'The Solent'.
this is so fricking cool
We're so lucky to have the hovercraft!
Esse é um barco que tem muita força, para levar o peso que ele leva.
She was in the life stream
A Ponza potrebbero usare questi
That so cool. I would love to one do ride on this.
There's a fast cat service too so you could go out on one and back on the other.
@@Tom_UA-cam_stole_my_handle that is cool. I only got to see them when we would be at the beach when my husband was in the military. Now i can add this to the list of things i would love to do one day.
Can be nauseating for first time passengers?
LOVE FROM INDIA
Hello from the UK! 💚
I'm not sure about the timing of the safety information. The safety information should be given before the craft departs to avoid the passengers being distracted by the sensation and view during departure.
well, that was me in lock down covid 19 XD, i stayed i languard holiday park and got ome yesterday: 25/10/2020 :)
Do you have to have your luggage checked or be scanned before you get on?
Nope, you can walk straight on and the bigger suitcases go in the bottom compartments. 🙂
Philippine Government need this kind of assets for humanitarian efforts when a typhoon hits the philippine archepilago
How much time does it take to go to the other side?
10 minutes. 🙂
To far back to see THE SAFETY TV MESSAGE
Is this the last one left?
1005wiking it's the only passenger/commercial hovercraft operating in the world.
The france one stopped a while ago.
Does that go to Esplanade for the train ?
If you turn right when you get off the hovercraft, the train station is about 60 seconds away. 🙂
Don’t forget Ryde bus station and Taxi rank too! A great transport hub!
OK so I go on this hover every day to get to school and honestly I know the safety announcement off by heart its very different now because of COVID-19, lots of masks and sweatiness, but I love my journey to school. Only inconvenience is in the winter months, it can be cancelled for as much as a week at a time. It’s so weird to see people who have never been on a hover’s perspectives in the comments. To get to school on time, unfortunately its always dark for me in the winter months :/
How long does it take and how much does it cost?
@@dannorth9032 takes 10 mins, costs £10 per crossing I think? Not sure because I have a season card
nICE VIDEO, THANKS,oops
Wouldn't be cheaper just to build a bridge?
Yep a boring bridge
In a word, no.
That noise in the begininning of every one of your videos in REALLY annoying.
Oh, I'm SO sorry, I'll edit all of my videos to suit you and issue a refund ASAP. 😭
Good advert as you walk in a bearded dosser leaning on a brush talking to a bearded dosser behind counter mm think again hover travel
Better not look at those faces.
Poor man's airliner
The problem is....it keeps breaking down and is unreliable.
It doesn't break down very often but it does have to stop operating in high winds. 98.16% uptime in October, which isn't bad given the storms we had!