Multi Role Boats (and other small boats thread).

[FJAG]

I'm guessing the RCN hasn't been interested in it, because they aren't normally tasked with patrolling internal Canadian waterways. Most of the sailing on the inside passages out West is training sails, not patrols.

The RCN's interest might change with the way the RCN managed trades are evolving. There may be more room for "patrol craft" specific occupations in the Nav Res, with most of the hard sea trades shifting to a structure where part-time service doesn't mesh with the work/training.

It was an interesting thing to watch the MCDVs evolving. I had a colleague who was a NavRes officer and a civilian lawyer in Edmonton who got his ticket and ran an MCDV for a year. On top of that I sat in as legal advisor on a number of projects to try to reform the PRes terms of service. These were primarily initiated by the RCN with a view towards creating a structure that would have the NavRes operating the majority of the MCDVs. (As an aside, I liked the ship but the concept of its operation had really not been well thought out in my mind because some folks just don't want to understand what "other than continuing, full time service" means)

Long story short, this was one of the first areas where it struck me that the concept of hybrid units needs to come from. Some capabilities, such as being the skipper of a 1,000 ton vessel, just isn't a thing that you can pick up and become proficient at on a weekend a month and two weeks in the summer. You absolutely need some RegF folks in the loop so you need to design a force structure from square 1 where the two can coexist and harmonize. That's not a strong suit in the CAF. (And in fairness, I don't see many other navies who are good at that)

I can see a coastal patrol squadron with a mix of RegF RCN and NavRes sailors and a mix of RegF and ARes soldiers, where the RegF folks patrol day to day while they train themselves - and possibly other RegF sailors - and then also work with the Class A NavRes and ARes folks. It's all a matter of scheduling so that jobs get done while people don't get screwed over. - I know, the CAF isn't great at that. It would take a sound plan, good leadership, and strong discipline. Service in such an organization could be a stepping stone to the continental corvette.