Big Ship Gives Little Ship A Lift

A little ship with a big history turned into a flying boat at the weekend. The 40ft Vere arrived on the Island on a low loader at Fishbourne last Friday and the next day was craned into the J. Samuel White Estate at Cowes for restoration. Built in 1905, Vere was a houseboat in Chichester in recent years before she sank and was sold by the receiver of wrecks. She was snapped up by Cowes powerboat racer Tony Hamilton, who will restore her to her former glory.He said: “She is a former teak naval pinnace converted first into a cabin cruiser, then into a houseboat and will be absolutely beautiful again. I have all her paperwork and she is a craft with a fascinating history. “She was one of the Dunkirk little ships, making crossing after crossing in 28 hours non-stop running and is credited with saving more lives than any other small craft in the evacuation of Allied troops from the French beaches in the early stages of the Second World War.”