With the PSP Southampton Boat Show officially opening on Friday 10th September it is time to see what is on in the way of special attractions for this year’s show.
Appearing at the Show this year will be the might of the Royal Navy with one of the fleet’s newest, most advanced warships in the world – HMS Dauntless.
Dauntless, a Type 45 Destroyer, will be open to the public during the Show allowing visitors to board this vessel and witness the workings of one of the world’s most advanced engineering projects. Tours of the Ship will last about 30 minutes and be on Sunday 12th & Monday 13th between 13:30 – 17:00.
Dauntless was commissioned in June 2010 and is fresh from a series of trials and trainings preparing her to be the first Royal Navy ship to fire the new Sea Viper missile later this year.
Within the 20 acre Show site the Navy will also have a land presence on a stand where visitors will have the opportunity to meet and talk to members of the Royal Navy who will explain the full range of activities in which the Royal Navy is involved today.
Fresh from sailing around the south coast of England for ITV1’s recent “All At Sea” three-part series, Dawn Porter and Nick Hancock will be sailing in to officially mark the opening of the PSP Southampton Boat Show in Mayflower Park on Friday 10 September. “All At Sea”, which aired in mid-May on ITV1 for three weeks, saw Dawn and Nick make the journey from Cornwall to Kent by sea in a variety of different vessels. Included in one programme was a stop off at Cowes and a visit to Alum Bay.
Taking advantage of their newfound sea legs, Dawn and Nick will arrive separately into the Show’s marina by an original World War Two Royal Navy gunboat and a World War Two RAF high-speed rescue launch to kick off the celebrations. After arriving on the marina, Dawn and Nick will declare the Show officially open.
This historic RAF boat, a 64 foot High Speed Launch was originally used to recover pilots during the Battle of Britain, which sees its 70th anniversary this year. The Royal Navy gunboat is a 71½-foot fast motor launch capable of reaching 40 knots which was involved in countering the German E boat raids on allied shipping and attacking German convoys in the North Sea and the Channel. Joining the Battle of Britain commemorations, an original Grace Spitfire ML 407 will fly above the gunboat as it approaches the Show marina, performing a spectacular demonstration over the Solent.