Here’s a double-barrel post for all of you tech aficionados. It’s part history, part tech and, finally, lots of fun. As Julian Cope noted, “there’s no getting around getting around”. But if you have to shift it, you might as well do it in style. You know, impress your friends in a spectacular way. Nothing says “wow” like a hovercraft!
Hovercraft. A hovercraft (or air-cushion vehicle) is an amphibious vehicle that travels on a cushion of air, allowing it to float over land, water, mud, and ice, much like an aircraft rather than a boat or car. It uses powerful fans to force air downward, creating a high-pressure air cushion beneath its hull, which is contained by a flexible rubber skirt, lifting it slightly off the surface and reducing friction for smooth, fast travel. A separate propeller or the same system provides thrust for movement, with rudders used for steering.
In essence, it flies through the air, with the greatest of ease. If you’re even the slightest fan of toys, this is for you. And, us being us, we have ways to get you there. We have two ways to make you squeal with delight.
In the UK, The Princess Anne is still stirring up the waves, of sorts. The vessel is waiting for you. The Princess Anne is permanently stored at The Hovercraft Museum on the former HMS Daedalus naval base site in Lee-on-the-Solent, Hampshire, England. But you never know, they might just fire The Princess Anne up again.
Disappointed? Understandably. But if you’re really keen, you can fly half-way around the world to Japan, where a living, breathing hovercraft is on standby, just waiting to meet you. Japanese hovercraft currently operate primarily in Oita Prefecture, where a passenger service connects Oita Airport to Oita City, offering a fast, unique way to cross Beppu Bay, while the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) also uses military air-cushioned landing craft (LCACs) for transport. The Oita service uses modern, quieter hovercraft built in the UK by Griffon Hovercraft, featuring advanced tech for a smooth ride over water and land, reviving a service after a hiatus.
Here are highlights some of the key external features of the 12000TD hovercraft for Oita Prefecture Japan. If only it could fly all the way to Hampshire.
Really really want to go? In Estonia: A regular winter-only passenger service operates across the frozen waters of the Gulf of Finland and Lake Peipus when conventional ferries cannot break through the ice.
Want to surf the ice in Finland? Our affiliate partners, GetYourGuide have it for you. Too cold? Explore the winter landscape of the archipelago on this tour from Helsinki. Stop on an island, experience a survival suit swim between ice rafts, and enjoy a campfire lunch. Click here.
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