New dinghy

[Condi]

No doubt the RN will be delighted to have another ship to man and maintain.

Needs the masts removing too, they look like a pair of tits stuck to the top. Given as we have just spent £270bn or whatever on Covid, where is the money coming from for this, as even when Blair had reasonably balanced books they didn't consider it worthwhile? Or is the debt now so big that another £100m or so won't even get noticed? Seems an outdated idea, yet more "flag waving" and harking back to the 1920's when Britain ruled the waves. The world has moved on, wouldn't an UK branded Airbus A380 be better for the 21st Centaury?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-57293882

[Equus]

I note that it is being referred to as a 'national flagship', rather than a 'royal yacht', and there is very pointedly no mention of royal use.

Also that there appears to be a bit of a rush, since they're promising to have it in service within the next four years.

I'm guessing that Boris' ego is big enough for him to think he'll be in power long enough to do a Prime Ministerial world tour?

[Condi]

Equus said:

I'm guessing that Boris' ego is big enough for him to think he'll be in power long enough to do a Prime Ministerial world tour?

If we're not careful it'll be christened HMS Boris Boat

[Equus]

Condi said:

If we're not careful it'll be christened HMS Boris Boat

Or if it's opened up to a referendum, that would make it HMS y Mcface, wouldn't it?

Not sure if that's better or worse than the current proposal of HMS Old Racistbd.

[HocusPocus]

I would wet myself laughing if it was subject to post Brexit import VAT, or temporary export VAT and red diesel testing when visiting our neighbours. HMS Rule Britannia what what!!

Better still Boris could demonstrate true Brit and spend the money feeding our underprivileged kids.

[GliderRider]

Considering the new 'dinghy' isn't going to be needing to load and unload a lot of deck cargo, the UK's green credentials could be highlighted with a couple of wingsails covered in solar panels.

[Simpo Two]

Thus thread should be subtitled 'New Dinghy (bitter political content)' so people can avoid it.

[Evanivitch]

Needs masts, where's the SIGINT kit going otherwise?

[GliderRider]

There is no mention of its size, so the new yacht may be this with an alternative superstructure.

[hidetheelephants]

Looks like one of the bloody awful tubs CalMac lumber themselves with; ugly floating boxes designed by people who hate ships.

[Equus]

The problem is, you look at the picture on the OP of this thread, you look at some of the designs on the 'super yachts 60 million plus' thread, and you wonder just how much this promotes our national prestige and our 'cutting edge' design and engineering capability.

Compared to your average Russian oligarch or dot com billionaire's latest toy, it looks rather staid, old-fashioned and sad.

It kind of makes the statement: 'we used to be important, but now we're just desperately trying to cling to faded glories'.