The always popular National Historic Ships UK Photography Competition is back for a 16thyear.

The theme is “Craft & Crew” and there are some fantastic prizes to be won, as well as the chance to be featured in the 2026 Calendar and accompanying exhibition at Historic Dockyard Chatham.

NHS-UK is hoping for entries which reflect the wide variety of historic craft, big and small, afloat and ashore. Photographers may also interpret the theme by capturing the traditional techniques and skills essential for maintenance or highlighting the people that operate and care for these wonderful vessels.

Visit the Events Page at: www.nationalhistoricships.org.uk/events to discover some of the many maritime and inland waterways events being hosted this year. In a country threaded with navigable waterways, where one is never more than 70 miles from the coast, there are many opportunities to explore this year’s theme and take a winning photograph!

The competition is open from 1stMay –31stAugust 2025.

Read more and enter: www.nationalhistoricships.org.uk/photocomp

Editor's note: The header photograph is by Kev Maslin