The Boat Shed has an impressive collection of over 90 boats, from classic yachts, motorboats, and lifeboats.(60 of which are on display). These tell the fascinating story of the maritime history of the Isle of Wight and Solent waters. It features dinghies, classic yachts, power boats, and lifeboats, including the Jessie Lumb and Queen Victoria. These can be viewed at close range – you can even touch them or go on board the Jessie Lumb.

 

There is an activity and play area for children. 

 

It also houses Green Light Isle of Wight, teaching wood carving to young people with special needs.

 

We have an in-depth display commemorating our ‘local hero’, yacht designer, Uffa Fox. We showcase his extraordinary contribution to dinghy and keel-boat design with the International 14, the Firefly, Flying 10 and Flying 12, and we exhibit Ankle Deep, a 25 foot open launch in which he cruised the Solent in his later years. Uffa’s ingenuity is especially demonstrated in the Airborne Lifeboat, which saved many downed airmen’s lives in WWII, and in Britannia - a robust rowing boat in which John Fairfax was the first person to row single-handed across the Atlantic in 1969.

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