Quick bit of Googling reveals her to be a Rodriguez RHS 70 hydrofoil built in 1972 in Messina. She was used on the Red Funnel line from Southampton to Cowes until 1992, when catamarans were introduced [http://www.redfunnel.co.uk/corporate-information/company-history/vessel-archive-1951-1980/ ]. She could carry 67 passengers and hit 32.5 knots, and was quite famous - there was even a Kellogg's corn flakes plastic model kit (five box tops and a few pennies) of her [http://www.modelwarships.com/reviews/ships/misc/hydrofoil/sheerwater-144-jb/cornflakes-hydro.html ]
Thanks for all the info Russ. It's interesting that she was built in 1972 - the slide had a date of 1969 so this could have been during trials - or possibly I misread the date. I'll dig it out again and check.
Quick bit of Googling reveals her to be a Rodriguez RHS 70 hydrofoil built in 1972 in Messina. She was used on the Red Funnel line from Southampton to Cowes until 1992, when catamarans were introduced [http://www.redfunnel.co.uk/corporate-information/company-history/vessel-archive-1951-1980/ ]. She could carry 67 passengers and hit 32.5 knots, and was quite famous - there was even a Kellogg's corn flakes plastic model kit (five box tops and a few pennies) of her [http://www.modelwarships.com/reviews/ships/misc/hydrofoil/sheerwater-144-jb/cornflakes-hydro.html ]
Thanks for all the info Russ. It's interesting that she was built in 1972 - the slide had a date of 1969 so this could have been during trials - or possibly I misread the date. I'll dig it out again and check.