Glen Maye
 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
THE Classic Boat Museum and Gallery is an exciting and award-winning all weather attraction based on the waterside in East Cowes on the Isle of Wight, offering a fascinating collection of sailing and power boats of local and national interest to both family visitors and maritime enthusiasts. Open throughout the year, displays include photographs, films, tools, artefacts, models, books and many other items associated with the history of boating and associated industry in the Solent, over the past century. From unique trophies loaned by Dame Ellen MacArthur to classic wooden boats of international renown, there is something of interest to both children and adults. The Museum opened its doors in 1996 with just a handful of boats and now to has more than 40 craft available for visitors to see, including Uffa Fox's WWII Airborne Lifeboat, which saved more than 200 lives, Lord Brabazon’s autogyro rigged Bembridge Redwing and a boat fit for a Prince, 'Coweslip', HRH Prince Philip's Flying Fifteen class racing dinghy. Through its restoration projects - currently a copy of an 1872 American-style ‘Cat Boat' Glen Maye, or Glen Mea - The Luxuriant Glen - as it was once known, lies on the coast road south of Peel. The glen came into Manx national ownership in 1960. It comprises some 11 and a half acres situated on either side of the Rushen River, and contains as its main feature a magnificent waterfall. The glen's beautiful sheltered fern-filled woodland includes relics of the ancient forests that once covered the Isle of Man.is being built - the museum is helping to preserve specialist maritime skills for future generations. | |||||||||||||||||||||||