A new installation on the important role of small boats has launched at a museum in Falmouth.
The National Maritime Museum Cornwall (NMMC) is introducing Small Boats, Big Stories, a permanent display of notable vessels from history.
It houses the National Small Boat Collection and will feature eleven small boats from Cornish, UK and global history.
Several small boats carry with them rich stories from the maritime world.
Among them, the smallest boat ever to cross the Atlantic (just over five feet long), a gold-medal winning boat used by Olympic sportsman, Sir Ben Ainslie and the Ednamair, a lifesaver for the Robertson family in 1972.
The ensuing 38-day shipwreck saga in the Pacific following a killer whale attack made this small dinghy a symbol of resilience and survival.
In line with its mission to reflect on the ongoing role of small boats in shaping history, the museum will display a Zodiac dinghy, recently included in the National Small Boat Collection.
Intercepted in the English Channel by a passing tanker in November 2018, the boat's occupants ended up in Falmouth.
Several lifejackets from UK Border Force will join the dinghy on display, marking one of the most critical social issues of recent times.
The exhibit will not be limited to historic vessels but will also shed light on small boats of the future.
Among them is the AutoNaut, a pioneering prototype for a sustainable, pollution-free research vessel powered by wave energy.
The Autonaut symbolises the innovative transformations small boats are witnessing in the 21st century.
Director of National Maritime Museum Cornwall, Richard Doughty, said: "We are delighted to launch our new exhibition, Small Boats, Big Stories, which brings together a rich variety of small boats from our National Collection, representing Cornish, UK, and global maritime history.
"By displaying historic boats alongside contemporary boats such as the Zodiac dinghy, we aim to encourage conversations about the important role of small boats, as well as provide an opportunity for debate, reflection and recognition of the human stories behind such objects."
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