Are i pods and smoking actually allowed on Royal Navy patrol boats which I presume are on some sort of ...?

Question

war footing and meant to be alert when so near a known agressor`s territrory?

remember these boats weren`t much bigger than a dinghy.

SMALL BOATS

ON PATROLL

Answer 1

can't smoke in the missile room or listen to i pods on the radar desk i guess !

Answer 2

So far as I know, both are allowed.

I'm basing this on the way the Canadian Navy runs its show, and it's a way that makes sense.

You're allowed IPods, personal DVD players, laptops and whatnot when you're on ship, but you want to secure them when you're not using them. However, you must use only one headphone when you use them, so you have one ear free to hear alarms and pipes when they make them.

As for smoking, there is most likely a spot designated as the ship's smoke pit on the uppers. On the Halifax-class frigates, it's in the Port Breezeway, which is the only place to smoke at nighttime, but in the daytime, you can spark up anywhere on the upper decks and toss your butts over the side.

However, you can't have you IPod with you when you're working, since you need both your ears to do your job normally, and you must be able to go without a smoke for extended durations when you go from ready-cruising to any kind of alert state, let it be emergency, boarding or action stations.

Answer 3

My knowledge is based on 15 yrs with the US Navy (pre iPod, but we did have Walkman):

Use of an iPod would be absolutely forbidden while on WATCH !! Your attention is to be focused entirely on your job. Smoking would be permitted depending on the watch... there were / are ash-trays build into most Combat Information Center consoles !!

When I started flying, there WERE ash-trays in our aircraft (all but fighters/attack). During double 4 hour patrol flights I would often be called up to the flight-deck by a "non-smoking" pilot who wanted to bum a smoke. The CNO banned smoking in Navy aircraft about 1989... though it is still at pilots discretion (shhhh).

When I left in 1999, smoking was restricted to a SMALL exterior portion of the ship. No smoking at all inside the ship.

On OFF duty hours, an iPod, Walkman, etc is TERRIFIC !! Great way to relax and find some private "space" after 12 hours on duty. In the 90's I had my laptop for music and movies... just make sure you have a SECURE place to lock it up !!

Answer 4

smoking can be done on the decks and ipods are fine as long as they are not near radar equipment.