What equipment for Naval vessels?

[hptmurphy]

Yeah that was the standard practise for all out board s..problem being the boarding boats engines were inboard.

[Vice Admiral]

The boarding boats all have air cooled engines, I know I drive one a few times a year.

Tales of taking the piss out of seasick soldiers and Guards sound good and in my experience are entirely plausible. One thing never lacking on ships crews is a sense of humour, you couldn't do it otherwise.

As regards troop carrying on the Eithne, she can be operated with a reduced crew of fortysomething but can accomodate almost 90 by design. If she had ASW, missile systems and goalkeepers she would need this 90 people.

So 45 troops med to long term, as for the hangar add another 25 short to medium term stay only - 2003 is fully booked, book now for 2004!

As for getting troops into the rib's, the new Deltas might make it a bit easier.

[Come-quickly]

How about three blokes with a HVM a MILAN and a depth charge with a pull chain on the end?

[hptmurphy]

back in the bad old days when I was a mere lad the troops were berethed in the hanger in sleeping bags ...must have been cold and uncomfartable.It was lovely and snug down in cabin 514 except when the evac system packed up and mor than our fair share of water came in trough the sink and flooded the cabin.i remember distinctly putting on my life jacket before going to sleep only to wake to find Alaan Kenna and Jim Morrissey bailing the gaff out

I must be mis taken as i can remember not being alowed to start the boarding boat before she was in the water.We used to run hoses from the hanger and attach them to the searider engines to run them.The boarding boats were rarely used and the only occassion we used one for an actual boardind both seariders were away visiting trawlers and when we launched the boarding boat it calved.No reflection on the individual but Jim Morrisey was coxn.