Solent Enterprise

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Solent Enterprise (formerly named Gay Enterprise) was a vessel owned by the Gosport Ferry Company Ltd. It was built by Thorncroft of Woolston.

[edit] History

The vessel was built in 1971 to be used on cruise duty. It had a similar design to the company's two 1966 queens but the interior was more comfortable because of its different duty. It was painted in a blue livery with a large Solent Enterprise banner on its side barriers. In its later years of service, it was regularly used on ferry duty while a queen was out of service. Gosport Ferry Company purchased a new ferry, The Spirit of Gosport, to solve this, but the company wanted to replace the Solent Enterprise. So both queens eventually stayed. The Spirit of Gosport only had a few ferry dutys in its first few months. In 2005, another new vessel was purchased, The Spirit of Portsmouth. This was fitted out with a top covered deck and a bar and is intended for cruise duty. This finally spelt the end of the Solent Enterprise, which was withdrawn from service in 2005.