Spinnaker Tower and HMS Warrior - 19 May

 

HMS Warrior 1860

As you arrive at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, the stunning sleek, black lines of Britain’s first iron-hulled, armoured warship, take your breath away.

Warrior, launched in 1860, was the pride of Queen Victoria’s fleet. Powered by steam and sail, she was the largest, fastest and most powerful ship of her day and had a profound effect on naval architecture. Warrior was, in her time, the ultimate deterrent. Yet within a few years she was obsolete.

Warrior’s survival was possible because of the extraordinary durability of her construction and the vision of Sir John Smith and those others who determined to save this great ship. She is one of the most influential warships ever built and the sole surviving member of Queen Victoria’s Black Battle Fleet, Warrior was used as an oil jetty at Milford Haven before being restored to her former glory as the sole surviving 19th century capital warship in the world.

When she was originally built she was, quite simply, bigger, faster and more heavily armed than any other warship afloat. Warrior was the world’s first iron-hulled, armoured warship powered by steam as well as sail and constructed of wrought iron. She was the ultimate deterrent. She never once fired a shot in anger. Her strength was her ability to keep the peace. She represents Pax Britannica at its zenith. However within a decade she was obsolete, her technology surpassed.

The aim of the Warrior Preservation Trust has been to restore the ship, as near as possible, to her 1860s condition and, as you step on board and explore her four vast decks, you enter another world – that of the Victorian sailor in a 19th century warship.

When HMS Warrior 1860 made her triumphant return to Portsmouth in 1987, she was fully restored to her Victorian glory and changed the panorama of the City, sitting proudly in the Harbour.

Spinnaker Tower

Soaring 170 metres above Portsmouth Harbour and the Solent, the Spinnaker Tower is taller than the London Eye, Blackpool Tower and Big Ben and has already established itself as a national icon for Britain.

A world class visitor attraction, the much-admired, elegant viewing Tower stands proud over one of the most fascinating seascapes in the world. Situated on the waterfront at Gunwharf Quays, it offers amazing 350º panoramic views of Portsmouth Harbour, the South coast and the Isle of Wight, with views stretching out for up to 23 miles – breathtaking by day and a glittering sea of lights by night.

View Deck 1 boasts Europe’s largest glass floor, where visitors of all ages can dare to ‘walk on air’! View Deck 2 has self-contained multimedia ‘Time Telescope’ stations showing the history of the harbour and View Deck 3 – The Crow’s Nest – is open to the elements, enabling visitors to feel the wind in their hair.

Schedule

We will berth at Haslar and from there walk to the ferry, take the ferry to Gun Wharf and walk to the nearby Spinnaker Tower where we will spend about two hours. From there we will have a light lunch in a nearby pub and then walk to the HMS Warrior and visit the ship.

Returning in the afternoon to our boats for dinner and on boat entertainment or local pub.

Please contact Allan Howlett to register your interest in this event

Boat	Length	Name	No.
Halyards	M38	Allan & Liz Howlett	2
Moon Shadow	Eclipse 33	Geoff & Val Lucas	2
Svecia	Malö 36	Tony & Eleanor Redshaw	2