Hovertravel was formed on 14th June 1965 and started their cross Solent services, Ryde to Southsea and Ryde to Stokes Bay (near Gosport) in July 1965 using SR-N6 hovercraft. The first year the service operated year round, but in 1966 they ceased at the end of the summer to resume the following April – since then they have operated year round.