P1000-class picket boat
 BRNC Picket Boat on the River Dart
| |
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name | Picket Boat |
| Operators |  Royal Navy |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | patrol / training vessels |
| Length | 12.8 [1] |
| Propulsion | 2 shafts |
| Complement | 5 |
The picket boat of the Royal Navy, (also sometimes called a P1000) is a twin screw boat in use at Britannia Royal Naval College in Dartmouth primarily to train Officer Cadets, in boat handling and seamanship.
History
Although these boats were once carried on Royal Navy Ships of the Destroyer class and above, they now serve only at the college in Dartmouth and can be seen flying the white or the blue ensign regularly on the River Dart and near the coast close to Start Point.[2]
The Significance of the colour of the ensigns is based on the use of the vessel, but generally when the vessel is on official Royal Navy business through the training of Officer Cadets then it flies the white ensign, when it is not, it flies the blue ensign.
Prince William trained on Picket Boats as part of his Officer Training at Dartmouth, which he undertook from June, 2008. [3]
Picket Boats took their place in history once again by falling into place on the River Thames for the Jubilee River Pageant in 2012. On this occasion the crews were commanded by BRNC graduates, Officers on the Warfare Course at Dartmouth known as IWOF, and crewed by Officer Cadets from Lancaster Division, undergoing Initial Naval Training (Officer). [4]
See also
- Archer class patrol vessel
- Britannia Royal Naval College
- CB90 class fast assault craft
- Patrol Craft Fast - the "Swift Boats"