The three Croatian built replacements for the 34 year old ‘C’ class ferries on Wightlink’s Lymington-Yarmouth service two are due into service this year with the third early 2009.

The new ‘R’ class ferry will be named Wight Light, Wight Sky and Wight Sun are only marginally larger than the ‘C’ class vessel they replace, Caedmon, Cenred and Cenwulf all built in 1973.

The ‘R’ class will carry only 15 more cars than the ‘C’ class with a smaller passenger capacity at 360 compared with the vessels they replace which can carry 500 passengers. Before entering service it is expected that extensive trials will take place in Lymington to establish operating speeds in the harbour against the vessels wave profile. The vessels will have a service speed of 11.5kts and will be 4m longer and 0.8m wider that the older vessels.
Black Jack, Quarterly Magazine, Southampton Branch, World Ship Society