National Historic Ships UK (NHS-UK) has appointed four very different historic vessels from around the country to act as its Flagships of the Year for 2026 and ‘fly the flag’ for UK maritime heritage.
NHS-UK’s annual Flagship Awards have been running since 2009 and provide an opportunity to demonstrate and celebrate the value of historic vessels to the wider public. This can be through a variety of online activities, special events, open days, workshops and tours.
Flagships promote the role of NHS-UK by publicising its annual Photography Competition, Excellence in Maritime Conservation and Marsh Volunteer Awards. NHS-UK will work closely with each of the Flagships to promote their vessel and offer support and advice.
Flagships receive a special broad pennant to fly at the masthead, and an engraved brass plaque for their vessel, courtesy of sponsor Engraving Studios.
Hydrogen (1906 Spritsail Barge – Maldon, Essex)
www.nationalhistoricships.org.uk/register/208/hydrogen
Awarded as the vessel celebrates 120 years afloat with an exciting season comprising a mix of day cruises, workshops and events. Located on the popular Maldon Quay which received 250,000 visitors in 2025, Hydrogen was also named No.2 Icon of Essex last season and is expected to attract similar levels of interest this year.
Built by John Gill & Sons of Rochester, and originally a large boomie (gaff ketch) rigged coasting barge, Hydrogen originally carried tar, creosote and oil from the Thames and Medway to Grangemouth on the Firth of Forth. In 1941 she was requisitioned for war service on the Clyde, and worked as a motor barge taking cargo from ships in the sea locks into the Glasgow docks. After the war, she continued to carry cargo until 1976, and in later years sailed around the UK promoting Bells Whisky. Now owned and operated by Topsail Charters Ltd. of Maldon, Hydrogen has a packed sailing season planned. Trips include sailing the Blackwater Estuary, up the Thames to London, the Clacton Air Show, plus Birdwatching, Cream Tea, and Sunset Cruises. You can join the crew for one of this summer's famous Barge Matches and also charter her for private hire.
Redshank (1936 Narrowboat, Bristol)
www.nationalhistoricships.org.uk/register/332/redshank
Awarded on the occasion of the vessel's 90th anniversary, Redshank will be offering daily 45-minute cruises throughout the season, along with private charters, and will take part in the Bristol Harbour Festival. Archive material on social media and a feature article in NarrowBoat Magazine will celebrate her long life, with an anticipated 10,000 passengers to be carried this year.
Built by WJ Yarwood, Northwich, for the Grand Union Canal Carrying Co., Redshank originally transported cargoes such as coal, timber and Rose’s Lime Juice between Birmingham and London. In 1974 she and her butty Greenshank were both brought to Bristol to launch Bristol Packet Boats, and Redshank was soon at work again, this time carrying passengers. In 2023, she was converted to electric power, a pioneering conversion believed to have been the first of its kind for a passenger vessel of this type in the UK. Still owned and operated by Bristol Packet Boats, Redshank celebrates her 90th Anniversary in 2026. She undertakes a variety of pleasure cruises and charter trips in the Bristol area, including educational tours of the harbour throughout the summer, and is also available for private hire.
Sea Scamp (1936 Racing Yacht, Southampton)
www.nationalhistoricships.org.uk/register/1840/sea-scamp
Awarded in recognition of the vessel's 90th anniversary when she will be attending multiple events including the Cowes Spring Classics, the Classic Channel Regatta, Offshore Cruising Club Regatta, and the Little Ship Club Fast Cruises. Sailing between the West Country, Channel Islands and North Brittany, with a new promotional film under way, there will be plenty of opportunities to see this vessel afloat.
Built by Abeking and Rasmussen, Germany, and originally named Zeisig, she was used by the Luftwaffe for navigator training and recreation in the Baltic. In 1945 she was brought to the UK as part of war reparations, one of around 200 such vessels which became known as 'Windfall Yachts'. Offered to the services yacht clubs on her return, she was successfully raced for many years by the Royal Marines, and was later used for Sea Cadet training. Sold into private ownership in 1984, the Sea Scamp Syndicate was subsequently set up to sail and maintain her, and now has around 110 members of all ages and abilities. She has taken part in many races and regattas, regularly attends maritime festivals, and sails around the Solent in the spring and autumn with a long summer cruise further afield. Sea Scamp celebrates her 90th anniversary with a special Open Day this April.
The Golden Hinde (1973 Galleon, London)
www.nationalhistoricships.org.uk/register/2589/golden-hinde
Awarded as the ship celebrates 30 years since her arrival at St Mary Overie Dock, welcoming the public through a wide range of workshops, events and community engagement. With over 30,000 visitors annually and up to 95,000 passers-by daily, the ship offers many opportunities to raise the profile of maritime heritage in the heart of London.
Built at Hinks Yard, Devon, in 1973, The Golden Hinde is a full-size reconstruction of Sir Francis Drake’s Elizabethan galleon - the first English ship to circumnavigate the globe. Having completed her own circumnavigation in the 1970s and taken part in the 1986 World's Fair in Vancouver, she arrived at St Mary Overie Dock in Southwark in 1996 to begin a new life as a heritage attraction. Since then, millions of visitors, schoolchildren, and families have stepped aboard to experience life at sea, discover the story of Sir Francis Drake’s circumnavigation, and take part in living history on the Thames.To celebrate their Pearl Anniversary, The Golden Hinde has launched a year-long programme of events, workshops, and community projects, including a weekend of celebrations marking the arrival of the ship sailing into the dock on 14th September 1996. Alongside celebrating the past 30 years, the Pearl of Bankside programme looks firmly to the future - supporting the long-term preservation of the ship and her role as a museum, learning space, and cultural landmark for generations to come.
Congratulations to our 2026 Flagships!
Photo credits: Nick Ardley, Bristol Packet tours, John Green, The Golden Hinde
