Americans React: The UK'S Hovercraft Ferry Service - This is Awesome! 

Dude, this one is a baby. You should have seen the ones that used to operate from Dover and Ramsgate to France carrying cars. They were monsters!

"HOW MUCH COULD GO WRONG?" They have two engines, two fans, and even if both systems fail you are in a boat floating on the water. Most of the other stuff is either for comfort&efficiency (ballast) or high-speed navigation - which you don't need just to stay afloat. Hovercraft's default state is 'safe' unlike even more complex aircraft that have a default state of "how do we identify the body parts".

Steve, this hovercraft service is the last surviving of many on the south coast of England. There were Bigger craft that carried vehicles as well as foot passengers across the Channel to France. Original hovercraft were built by Saunders Roe and designated SRN1, SRN2 & SRN4. Do a search for the SRN4 that is the big one with 4 engines and fans that carried vehicles to France, a real monster of a hovercraft.

Been over to France by Hovercraft, and back, a few times, 35 minutes. Used it to go to the Isle of Wight a few times too. It was then like a bus service, paid a conductor as you got on for your ticket. Such a beautiful machine and British. Always remember a programme where one hovercraft was bult for the, I think, Norwegian army, they tested it on the sands and it flew over a raw egg without damaging it. The egg not the craft.

I've been on it & they do have Ferry's that also run to the Isle Of Wight to be able to take vehicles but it taken a out 60-90 minutes in the normal Ferry verses 10 minutes by Hover Craft

When I was a kid, our family would take a hovercraft to France with the car instead of the slower traditional ferries. It was 40 mins to cross, so I remember liking that we arrived back in England 20 mins before we'd set off from France.

I remember as a teenager we were on a family holiday on the IOW sat on the sands at Ryde when across the water from the mainland came the very first hovercraft. It skimmed over the water then up the sandy beach about maybe 100 yards from where we were sitting. There was no prior warning to my knowledge. After the engines were stopped it settled down onto it's cushion and some "aircraft style steps" appeared from somewhere then the passengers disembarked. My dad who was a keen photographer took lots of photos but they at some time in the last almost 60 years have disappeared. It's good to know that we were witnessing history being made. 😊

Been on these between Jersey in the Channel Islands and France. Brilliant.

The US Navy also use Hovercraft air cushioned vehicles. Look up Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC) and Ship-to-Shore Connector (SSC), also known as the LCAC 100 class.

There used to be two hovercraft services to the Isle of Wight - one from Portsmouth Harbour (rail) Station (HM2 craft) , and one from Southsea (Portsmouth) and Stokes Bay (SR.N6). Both were fast journeys. My school ran a couple of educational trips on the SR.N6 service (first educational hovercraft trips ever). The HM2 service has since ended and the SR.N6 flrrty has been replaced by that big, white monster. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SR.N6 😉

The SR.N4 (Saunders-Roe Nautical 4) Hovercraft which travelled across the English Channel between Dover and Ramsgate in the UK to Calais in France. It was a lot bigger than this one and carried cars as well as passengers. I remember travelling on one on a school trip to Belgium in 1969. It was an amazing experience I can tell you. I'm sure the US Marine Corps have played with hovercraft in a landing craft role which would carry armoured vehicles and tanks. I know the USSR definitely had them as part of their Black Sea Fleet, maybe try looking into that. Peace guys!

10 miles down the coast westwards at Lee on Solent there is a hovercraft museum

Statistically hovercrafts were the safest form of transport in the UK, the services never lost a customer.

I can’t believe you haven’t seen the car carrying Hovercraft that used to run out of Dover UK

This used to be the ferry to France … quite big but not nearly as big as the red jet to the Isle of Wight now … some people commute to London via the red jet to Southampton and then cross the street to the train…

If you like these hover craft you should have a look at the cross channel ones from the 80s and 90s.. they dont run anymore as far as i know but they were absolute beasts that could take cars and people

Ghey used to br used to travel between czlais and dover. I went on one it was great 20 minutes to travel from the UK to France

You should definitely check out hovercraft racing! Sooo much fun!

Heard you wonder if they travel at night. I think they have to go in the dark because people on the island often commute to work on the mainland and it would definitely be dark in winter at the beginning and end of the working day.

I have seen the British Army use these to transport men and equipment fast into the battle Zone. I am sure American troops use them as well. I thing they are expensive to run.

us military used hovercrafts

ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-f16kPy2MDiQ.html See the link this is one of the 2 largest Hovercrafts in the world that operated between the UK and France for a number of years .

I am not sure they still use them, remember steaming round isle of wight where they were built . But believe most civilian ferry services closed years ago. Royl navy ran them in scotlands naval bases as supply vessels and were in mine clearance, dont think they do this either. I believe the us navy were interested in them to during the 1980s. Hes wrog, they are jet engines use afgas aircraft fuel bit like parafin.

Many years ago I took the hovercraft from Calais to Dover. It was known as "The Time Machine" because the crossing took 45 minutes but the time difference in the UK is 1 hour behind French time so you arrived 15 minutes before you left.

Hovercrafts were invented in 1955 by Englishman Christopher Cockerell!

I live on the Isle of Wight. We are just off the south coast. Seeing the hovercraft is 2nd nature to me. Love seeing people excited to see it

The Isle of Wight is my home and Hovertravel is my public transport ..it’s fast and is for foot passengers…for use when you don’t want to take your car …I use it most weeks for trips to the mainland and I get excited every time …it’s marvellous ❤😂

I also as a kid travelled Dover to Calais on the fabulous Hoverspeed. I still remember that feeling of raising upwards when the skirt filled with air. Fantastic experience, and miss it. This was a large Hovercraft that also took cars. Check it out.

I'm from Portsmouth and I live in Southsea. I have travelled on this hovercraft many times and it still gives me the thrills, even as an adult.

I remember going to France on a school trip on one of the big ones and the captain welcoming us life a plane captain “… and today we will be cruising at a height of approximately 6 inches” always loved that.

Haven't you seen military hovercrafts? They can carry tanks and troops. They don't set off mines, can traverse water, bogs and low lying land with no change in speed, and as landing craft they are fast, mobile and can hover above any underwater or ground ordinance. In short they are very useful, but notoriously difficult to control, although automated intelligent control systems can drastically reduce the complexity, just like on aircraft. The beauty of a hovercraft is you don't need a pier, bay or any special facilities to operate one. Short of high winds they are reasonably practical. Especially over uneven terrain, shallow water or anywhere with under water obstacles.

I once spoke to a ferry captain in the solent near Portsmouth. He told me the company that makes the Isle of Wight hovercraft ferry also makes military hovercraft, including some used by the US. He also said the company manufactures and subsidizes the hovercraft ferries partly as a demonstration for potential military clients.

In the words of Al Murray, another beautiful British invention!

OMG I'm strangely excited to see you guys doing something on the island! Proud islander here who loves your channel! ❤ It's strange to me to watch people reacting because to islanders the hovercraft and the ferries are just another form of public transport. It is speedy though. On a rough weather day it does feel a bit like being on a rollercoaster. 😊

I live on the Isle of Wight . The hovercraft was developed here and they were built here . They are brilliant. My late father in law made parts for them

My Dad as young mechanical engineer worked with Sir Christopher Cockrell on the development of the hovercraft something he was very proud of.

RNLI in Merseyside use a hovercraft to get across the mud flats - glad you don't sound like the exorcist anymore x🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

If you think that is a big hovercraft, I have news for you... the craft on this video only hold about 80 passengers. Back in the day, the cross-channel hovercrafts (SR.N4 mountbatten class) used to hold over 400 passengers before they were retired.

I've been on the Dover (UK) Calais (France) Hovercraft quite a few times with our car before it stopped running.

Hello form Portsmouth /Southsea. I see the this hovercraft all the time when taking walks along Southsea beach 😄

Peace love from England ❤ You can get two seater hovercrafts for sport racing or just for fun

The hovercraft is approx 28 pounds day return , and takes just 10 mins to cross. The normal ferry is approx 20 pounds day return and takes approx 22 mins. Used this a lot as a child to go on days out to the I.O.W , as lived very close to southsea.

Nothing EVER has gone wrong in all the years since the Hovercraft was first brought into action. Imagine you need to go to the Isle of Wight and the sea is rough! The hovercraft skims over the waves instead of plunging through them. Before the Channel Tunnel was opened this was a quick and very popular way to go from England to France. An amazing invention.

You can still feel like a bit of a celebrity as you disembark on Southsea beach! No matter how many years this service has been in operation, during the summer months it still draws a crowd of onlookers when it's coming ashore.

Before the building of the Channel Tunnel between England and France, there used to be GIGANTIC hovercraft ferries taking cars and vans over as well as hundreds of passengers - I travelled in one in 1973. I also travelled in one in 1982 between 2 of the islands in Madeira (Madeira to Porto Santo and back)

The sheer looks of amazement on your faces made this video a treat to watch. I love hovercrafts but watching your faces was as compelling as the actual footage.

"I think it's down south, let us know in the comments". Dude, you literally have a map behind you 😂😂😂

Why do Americans think about all the things that could go wrong! I don’t understand that. Otherwise love you, Lindsay and Sophia! Watch all your videos. Take care! X

It's not like a rubber raft. The rubber thing around it is a curtain that just stops the air spilling out around the sides of the craft, there's literally nothing under the craft but air. They use the thrust to turn on a dime on land. So when they turned to re-enter the water it would've just spun on the spot to face the sea.

Southampton mention! But to answer your question, hovercraft literally do a U turn on the ramp to go bacj out to sea. The hover doesn't work as fast on land from what I understand but it can still move fine

I live on the Isle of Wight and have used the hovercraft many times. A thick leather skirt is attached to the base huge fans inflate the base & you lift off. On your ticket it states your flight times. TBH it works perfectly but it is not a perfectly smooth ride but it is impressive. 😊 when your flight ends the craft lowers by about 1- 2 feet.

The Princess Anne is the largest hovercraft ever built; and could indeed carry cars...60 of them, as well as 400 passengers. The cross-Channel hovercraft were discontinued after the opening of the Channel Tunnel in 1994.

Have been on this a couple of times and is a fun experience, was also lucky enough to ride the much bigger cross channel hovercraft from Calais to Dover when they were running years ago

Because any movement is up and down rather than side to side on a boat, the hovercraft that used to go from the uk to France is the only time I haven’t been seasick crossing the channel!

Interestingly, an ex-Isle-of-White hovercraft used to run from from Freetown Airport, Sierra Leone, to the Aberdeen peninsula in the city. It ran for a couple of years before unresolved technical problems put it to bed. It was one of the more comfortable and very convenient ways to travel, I remember.

Hi. When I was a kid we used to travel as a family of 4 with our car on the big hovercrafts across the English Channel to France to drive to either Italy or Spain on our summer holidays. Not as comfortable as the cross channel ferries, but much quicker.

Plan on taking this hovercraft to Isle of Wight for a family trip this year. When there used to be big car carrying hovercraft between Dover and France, my uncle brought us back from a holiday, taking the car on the hovercraft. On that, as it was pretty open water, imagine sitting on a washing machine during a spin cycle. Using the hovercraft was about a quarter of the time of the ferry.

I just loved your faces watching this!! Like it was an alien spacecraft! I remember when the idea was being trialled, decades ago. A very useful rescue craft around the coast where we have dangerous shifting sand and mud. Keep going - love your channel! Nana Karen UK

I live on the Isle of Wight. It’s amazing to think how lucky we are to get to see the hovercraft on a regular basis. We are as far south as you can get (certainly not north 😂) I recommend you watch some videos about the island. It’s an amazing place with some great countryside and coastlines. Great video as always 👍🏻

There was a hovercraft service across the Channel from Dover to Boulogne from 1968 to 2005 using larger craft (185 feet long and 78 feet beam, 3,800 hp) that could carry up to 418 passengers and 60 cars and was capable of speeds up to 70 knot (130 kmh). The service was eventually wound up because of competition from cheaper cross channel ferries and the Eurotunnel.

Steve, Lindsey, when I a teenager back in 1974, I went on an exchange camp with the Scouts to a group of German Scouts and we travelled on a hired coach all the way from West Yorkshire down to Dover and then our coach was driven aboard one of several giant hovercraft that served as cross channel ferries on three or four regular routes to Calais from places on the British coast such as Dover and Ramsgate. Once the cars and coaches were loaded onto the hovercraft we were lead from the terminal building onto one of the two large passenger cabins about the size of the cabins in a jet aircraft. When everything was ready the engines were started and the skirt filled with air and the hovercraft reared up raised by approximately 8 feet and it swung around to face out to sea. Very quickly we were out to sea , speeding along on a super calm sea. After some time the state of the sea developed into a slight chop, which caused some passengers some discomfort due to the way the hovercraft rode the waves in a very jerky motion , crashing down into each trough then slowly rising up on the next wave. After a couple of hours we arrived in France and we were gathered in the arrival lounge while the vehicle’s were unloaded then we were allowed to resume our journey. My story is in order to tell you both to be aware that travelling on a hovercraft can be very uncomfortable but it is over pretty quickly.

Southsea is on the island of Portsea, as is the city of Portsmouth. Southsea is the main centre for the Royal Marines and Portsmouth is the headquarters of the Royal Navy. Portsea Island is linked to the mainland by a landbridge. It is north-east of the Isle of Wight and east of Southampton. I have travelled on these many times. The original Hovercraft ferries were the SRN4s, you can still see these at the museum a few miles away. The SRN4 was much bigger than the one in this video. The location of the Isle of Wight is on the coast of Hampshire - it isin the south central part of England. The water seen here is part of the Solent and forms a part of the English Channel. The Hovercraft, many were buoilt in Southampton at their factory adjacent to the old Supermarine works (home of the Spitfire) and also in the factory on the Isle of Wight. These craft have been adopted by the militaries of many countries and at different sizes for different purposes. The largest can carry vehicles, the smallest are used to travel over marshy areas for landing personnel.

In the late 70s we went on a school day trip to Calais by Hovercraft. It was much bigger than the one in the video and I think could also take cars onboard. Although it was a sunny day it was quite choppy on the way over and it felt like we bounced all the way to France as we hit all the tops of the waves. One of our teachers was violently seasick and throwing up in sick bags for much of the journey. The return journey was very smooth as the wind had died down and the sea was calm. At the time we enjoyed the experience, but didn’t think too much of it, as we assumed, wrongly, that they’d always be around. Now I realise how privileged I was to ride in one of these amazing vehicles as I’m the only person I know, apart from my classmates, who has ever been on a large Hovercraft.

Interesting fact. To the left of the hover centre is the very spot lord nelson left to board HMS Victory for what would be his last battle. If you want to see more of the hovercrafts ( the only hover ferry service in the world ), the isle of white ryde live cam covers a good view of them and portsmouth.

Been on this service a few times, it's excellent! Hovercrafts are ingenious machines and a great British invention. That's why the US Navy use them!

It's a hovercraft - a craft that hovers above the water or the land. No wheels, no floating (unless it breaks down, just fans at the back to propel it forward and fans beneath to lift it from the surface. In the 1980s I went on the hovercraft run by Hoverspeed, to France. That was a MASSIVE craft!

Many years ago I was teaching, and as an out of school activity we obtained a hovercraft. It was a kit that had been started by its previous owner, but not very well done and not finished. We spent months rebuilding it. It was quite large; about 12 feet by 6 feet, made of plywood and fibreglass with one central petrol engine for lift, and a smaller one at the stern for propulsion. It was INCREDIBLY noisy! Only room for one small person on board. It lifted ok although it threw out a continuous cloud of muck and dust from under the skirt. But it wouldn’t move forward at anything above a slow crawl. It had its premiere at a school open day when the kids pulled it across the school field on a rope! I guess these days health and safety would prohibit such a venture, but in those days things were different. If I can dig out any photos of it I will send them to you guys.

I live 5 mins down the road from these. It's awesome seeing them go out. They are SO loud. Proud to have been the creators of it too. They were invented in Cowes on the Isle of Wight. The US navy is a big proponent for hovercraft. They are used in landings, can carry tanks. We used to run a MASSIVE one between dover and calais. It could take cars!

I have been on the cross channel hovercraft years ago. I was 2 years old and the absolutely awe inspiring sight of that thing coming up onto land out of the sea is actually one of my earliest memories. Just so you know, a hovercraft balloon is not a solid rubber dinghy under there, it's more like a rubber curtain. The hovercaft is basically an air-hockey puck, and I think it is technically an aircraft.

We built a single seater hovercraft at school in the 70's had a Flymo lift engine and a 2CV drive engine.

I used to live on the Isle of Wight for the first 21 years of my life (in my 40s now) and I got to use the hovercraft service a few times. It's quite the experience.

Please note this was an uk invention which the vehicle floats on a cushion of air across both water and land. The pilot therefore flies the vehicle.The sensation is like a magic carpet. These hovercraft are built locally are really fantastic,traveling at a very high speed, The marine core do have some for assault landings. Jet boats in Florida are not a patch on these planes.

12:20 Currently, a day returm costs about £32 ($41) per adult. It takes like 10 minutes to get to the Isle of Wight, super quick.

Er yes you can find hovercraft pilots anywhere, not only are they used all over the world, in fact I believe the US military has some, The RNLI has a few. There are also homebuilt one man havercrafts used for racing, so essentually you can become a hovercraft pilot, no license needed for use on private land and none needed for use over open waters. So despite his previous statements the are hovercraft pilots the world over. Just not many commercial pilots.

The weight of the hovercraft is sprad so evenly by the air-skirt that they can run over an egg without breaking it. There is a video about that on YT. The benefit of this on this route is the speed. and also even if the sea is choppy, it is a very smooth ride. Also, because they can operate on water or on land, they would be ideal for somewhere like the Florida Everglades where the water is so shallow preventing an ordinary boat operating, but also this can float over the dry bits as well. Also, they can be used over land where landmines have been planted because they exert so little pressure on the surface.

Took my grandson on this hovercraft service a few years ago. He absolutely loved it. Living as close as I do to Dover, my wife and I regularly took the hovercrafts to France for an afternoon which cost us just one pound. We qualified for full duty Free allowance which was one of the draws. The Dover Calais service ws killed off by the removal of Duty Free and The Channel Tunnel. Those Hovercraft carried cars and were probably fout times the size of this on on the Southsea IOW route.

In the 70's my family and I once crossed the English channel to France in a hovercraft. Outward journey was fine. Return journey was a nightmare. A major storm caused hugh waves to pummel our craft. The pilot had his work cut out that date to bring us back to shore, but due to his skill we made it back eventually. I will never forget that return journey, everyone on board was ill and all were praying for survival.

It floats on air , that’s the whole point . Steering can be a problem you have to plan change of direction early . This service is on the south coast and yes they do Cary cars .

I grew up on the Isle of Wight - lived just up the hill from where the hovercraft come in, so they were literally an everyday thing! They are still really cool, though! You should definitely have a look at the Island. Beautiful scenery, great beaches, a castle with a donkey well, Queen Victoria’ house, one of the world’s top music festivals, the Needles, and dinosaurs!

One advantage the hovercraft has at this location was the fact it didn't require any harbour or pontoons to be built, as it can come right up onto the beach only really needing some concrete apron to sit on. So it could take the shortest route without the issues that would be obstacles for a normal ferry. When the tide is out (twice a day) and any normal boat wouldn't be able to dock without some kind of channel being cut, or a pontoon to moor alongside, the hovercraft can just ride over the sands until it comes ashore. This section of the Solent, separating the Isle of Wight from the mainland is quite narrow and while there are a number of conventional ferry services to the island, this is the fastest way to cross the solent, as long as you don't need a car. There are car parks and buses from the hovercraft terminals so it is easy to get around. I live in the area and when I have visitors from overseas I usually try and take them to Southsea to see the Hovercraft coming in. I dont usually tell them what to expect and they are usually amazed when it doesn't slow down but instead revs up its engines and glides up onto the beach! 🙂 If you want to visit the Isle of Wight for a day and visit places like Osborne House or the Botanical Gardens, a day return ticket is £31.50 (March 2024) Family ticket is 2 adults and 3 kids for £78. Not the cheapest way to get there, but quick and definitely a unique experience.

See the one they built for the Canadian Coast Guard....

Take a piece of paper and put it on a table, now put your head level with the paper. Blow gently and watch the paper rise and move across the table. You now know what was the start of the Hovercraft invention.....Nice video DG. Uk.

There used to be a super hover craft called the Mountbatten class that carried cars, people, and goods from Dover England to Calais in France it had 4 gas turbine engines driving 4 lift fans and 4 thrust propellers, The SR.N4 hovercraft was a combined passenger and vehicle-carrying class of hovercraft. The type has the distinction of being the largest civil hovercraft to have ever been put into service. Work on the SR.N4 was initiated in 1965 by Saunders-Roe. In service: 1968 retired 2000.

I went on the Princess Anne, taking my car to France and back. It was about the size of about 4 of these Isle of Wight babies put together. You could hear it coming across the sea about half an hour before actually seeing it! You dudes in the USA have the LCAC used by the Navy and Japan also uses it. Check it out, it’s an absolute beast 😅

Oh, wow. Memories. I used to live in France for a few years in the mid seventies and came home a couple of times on one of these. It said you 'floated' but I seem to remember you could feel every wave!! I preferred the ferry to be honest.

Ferry takes about an hour and twenty minutes

I saw another video on hovercraft and a commenter said thatthe Dover to Ostend hovercraft couldhold 60 cars and 480 passengers .What a beast

Theres a map on the wall behind you guys.... bottom centre of England.... or Google it Isle Of Wight.... one other thing, the funniest thing I've ever heard "does it have wheels ?" Really on a Hovercraft ???? 😂😂😂

The American army have them....

The map on the wall is back to front.......why ? The UK is facing the entire wrong way....😂😂😂

They Hover just above the water

The US Marines have them to land on beaches and transport Main Battle Tanks guys..... how does a Brit know that and you dont even think they are real. Ive driven a single seat hovercraft and driven it across a set up course that includes a shallow lake, hills and fields. Great fun but i was covered head to toe in mud and i was soaking wet..... id do it again anytime as it was great fun !

Southsea is the seaside bit of Portsmouth, (next to Clarence Pier) the funfair :)😀

It hovers on a cushion of Air

My grandparents lived on the Isle of Wight and I have travelled on the hovercraft loads of time, they are great fun to be on!!

I remember taking the hovercraft ferry from Southampton to the Isle of Wight in the 70s. Great fun!!

My first ever job when I was 16 (back in 1985) was as a cleaner for Hoverspeed in Dover. I worked on all their hovercrafts at the time and it was a temporary job to tide me over until I joined the army in September that year. I remember getting £60 per week lol Btw, they are noisy, bumpy af modes of transport. They only thing they had going for them was the 45 min crossing, vs the 90 minutes it took on a ferry. They went out of business once the Seacat Catamaran ferries came on the scene - same time to cross and much more comfortable

The British Army used to have Number 60 Hovercraft Squadron of the Royal corps of Transport. The Unit famously 'explored' the Darien Gap, led by Major Blashford-Snell.....

I once took my car over to France on a hovercraft. The service ran from 1951 to 2ooo. Is was incredibly fast and smooth!

@8:59 - 'can't carry cars'. Nope, but the huge Mountbatten Class, the SRN-4, could carry 60 cars or up to 609 PAX, depending on configuration. The VERY largest ever were the Soviet-era AIST type - humungous beasts. They carried tanks. Check 'em out!