Hoverwork

Hoverwork, a sister company to Hovertravel, was involved with hovercraft pilot and servicing training as well as hovercraft charter work for many years and a number of modified hovercraft had been produced by their staff to meet specific requirements.

After Cushioncraft Ltd. removed from their site in Bembridge Harbour on St. Helens Duver, the workshops were taken over by Hoverwork to support the Hovertravel craft and other hovercraft related engineering work.

AP1-88 on the Hovertravel route

In 1981, under a joint Hovertravel/BHC/NRDC contract the new AP1-88 hovercraft was designed by BHC, the welded aluminium hull were produced by Fairey Allday at their Gosport boat yard and the hulls were fitted out at the Hoverwork's St Helens Duver works.

BHT130 on the Ryde-Southsea route

In the early years of the twenty-first century, Hoverwork designed a replacement for the AP1-88 for the cross-Solent route - known as the BHT130. The welded aluminium hull was fabricated at the Fishbourne works of Aluminium Ship Builders, and was fitted out at the St. Helens Duver works. The 'Solent Express', (the first of these 70 tonne, 130 seater craft) began trials in March 2007 and entered cross-Solent service on 14th June 2007.

A version of the BHT130 was built under license by Kvichak Marine Industries in Seattle USA. Designated 'Suna-X', it was a passenger/cargo configuration with an open cargo deck and a cabin for 47 passengers. It was used to serve remote Alaskan villages which were difficult to reach with other modes of transport.

In March 2009, Hoverwork and Griffon were merged to create Griffon Hoverwork Ltd, a world leading hovercraft producer with over 40 years of experience in the design, development, manufacture and operation of hovercraft.

The St. Helens Duver works closed in April 2012 when the activities were transferred to a new Griffon Hoverwork factory established at Woolston, Southampton.