04-06-2016, 08:26 AM
1
The Hovercraft
Here in Ryde, Isle of Wight, the roar of a Hovercraft moving off towards the mainland is a welcome sound, and reminds one of Sir Christopher Cockerell. One of our former neighbours worked for him and said in the later days, speeds of up to 60mph were achieved on test runs. Went on one last week - and only eight minutes to Southsea.Today would have been his birthday.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Cockerell
04-06-2016, 10:02 AM
3
Re: The Hovercraft
The hotel I stayed at in Ryde last month was directly across the road from the hovercraft terminal ... luckily my room was at the back of the hotel so I wasn't disturbed by the noise at 6.30 am when the first trip of the day started.It is fascinating to watch the comings and goings and how they "take off" and "land". I went over to Southsea just for the experience of travelling on one
... loved it 
I would also have liked to have gone on the Catermaran too which leaves from the pier but didn't have enough time but I did stand and watch one arrive and depart
04-06-2016, 08:00 PM
5
Re: The Hovercraft
Originally Posted by Dobra
->
Here in Ryde, Isle of Wight, the roar of a Hovercraft moving off towards the mainland is a welcome sound, and reminds one of Sir Christopher Cockerell. One of our former neighbours worked for him and said in the later days, speeds of up to 60mph were achieved on test runs. Went on one last week - and only eight minutes to Southsea.Today would have been his birthday.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Cockerell
05-06-2016, 06:05 AM
7
Re: The Hovercraft
In the early days of hovercraft I was in Dover (near my home) when they got a relatively small hovercraft stuck up against the harbour wall on the shingle, In those days they relied on motion to steer.They asked people if they would help push it away from the wall, of course everybody was delighted to help so we all gathered round to do their bit. As soon as they started the engines the 'air cushion' threw up the shingle all around and people scattered because it hurt like hell.
In the end they had to get a police land rover and a tow line to pull it off the wall.
They were an invention that seemed to have a great future but in the end underwhelmed. I built a balsa wood one as a kid and the limitations immediately became apparent - the thing wanted to slide down any slope and was very difficult to control on anything but extremely flat ground (or water though mine couldn't go on water).
My parents took their car on one to France but swore never to do it again - the wheels were tied down and the slightly rough sea gave the suspension a real hammering (literally)
Enjoy 
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