These vessels were ahead of their time in design and are valued highly today for their quality and speed. Arial shot of a large tanker heading south against the Gulf Stream. Wind is east at fifteen knots and the seas are pretty regular and running three to five feet. The rails at the forward half of the vessel is where the pilot will stand as the vessel pulls along side the tanker of freighter. Note the cabin side slant inward, this is so when the pilot boat rolls the cabin will not make contact with the side of the much larger commercial vessel.
Pilot vessel have to be fast, maneuverable and be able to operate in almost any weather.
The hardest part of the job of pilot and the most dangerous is getting on and off the vessels. At least our pilots do not have to climb a rope ladder cover with ice in freezing weather.