Why the Hovercraft's Time Might Have Finally Arrived

BBC ^ | 13th January 2024 | Mark Piesing

[nickcarraway]

Hovercraft were a quick way to zip across the world's waterways but were noisy and expensive to operate. Could they be about to enjoy a second wind?

The 12.30pm midweek hovercraft departure from Portsmouth is already respectably half-full when we step on board. Marketed as the world's only year-round scheduled passenger hovercraft service, the Union Jack-emblazoned machine flies for a thrilling 10 minutes, hovering just inches above the water’s surface. It is the fastest way to reach Ryde on the Isle of Wight, a Detroit-sized island off the south coast of England. A rival vehicle, the FastCat ferry, takes more than twice as long, around 22 minutes. The hovercraft's engines roar (no louder than an airliner on take-off) as its beefy cushion inflates, lifting the vehicle gently five feet (1.6m) into the air. Then, it turns and slides seamlessly into the sea on its dash to Ryde. The 78-seater craft's unique ability to fly over sand and mud without damaging the fragile ecosystems underneath means that passengers may board even at low tide.

Hovertravel, which runs this service, is the sister company of Griffon Hoverwork, a British manufacturer that traces its roots back to Sir Christopher Cockerell's invention of the hovercraft in the 1950s.

[Redcitizen]

If it has a 30mm cannon, I’ll take one.

[KarlInOhio]

Back when I was in college a professor had a hovercraft which many of his students spent time working on. The low friction that made forward motion so easy also made it like driving on ice when turning. Have they put in more active controls or do you still tend to keep going in your old direction even after turning the front to a new direction?

[dfwgator]

Mine’s full of eels.

[Magnum44]

Are they electric? Batteries and sea water go so well together....

[Retain Mike]

Here is an article about them. I talked to a Navy craft master, and he agreed it was like piloting a bar of soap around a bathtub.

Landing Craft Air Cushion

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landing_Craft_Air_Cushion

[qaz123]

What global see rise?

[wally_bert]

I’d like one of these.

https://gijoe.fandom.com/wiki/Killer_W.H.A.L.E.

[Lurker]

Dammit, you beat me to it.

L

[TChad]

Hovercraft landing and departure, Portsmouth to Ride:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87thE21qQHU

[yuleeyahoo]

Why did we get rid of these? They sported a 76mm and Harpoons.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Pegasus_(PHM-1)

[dayglored]

> Mine’s full of eels.

Ya beat me to it, i was gonna write "Does it come full of eels?"

[wally_bert]

The coast guard had one back in the 70s.

https://youtu.be/c6NV-ML8C_g?si=ifvS9AjsAs2_mafF

About 41 minutes in.

[Zuriel]

**If it has a 30mm cannon, I’ll take one.**

Just don’t put any ammo aboard. Lead is heavy.

[dayglored]

> Dammit, you beat me to it.

Same here....

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

Most people can not maneuver in two dimensions.

You think they can do it in three?

Check, please!

[Col Freeper]

The global rise in sea levels, and the blurring of the boundary between land and sea that will result, is set to grow its niche further.

Mark Piesing is not smart enough to pour urine out of a boot if the instructions were on the boot heel.

[Ranxerox]

Why did we get rid of these? They sported a 76mm and Harpoons. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Pegasus_(PHM-1)

Maintenance nightmares

[Celtic Conservative]

They are interesting. But they steer like a German shepherd on a frozen pond.

CC

[martin_fierro]

Always better in the original Esperanto