Two stripes of white foam strech out from the stern of the streamlined boat. Screams and laughter sound from the aft deck and on the screen in front of the control panel the digital numbers show that LCP 1 makes 30 knots.

As a part of “Under Sail For 1000 Years” in Odense, LCP 1 is allowed to speed up in Odense Canal – ten minutes of racing for nine passengers per trip.

At high speed in Odense Canal.  Photo: Martin Pedersen, SVN

LCP is an abbreviation for “Landing Craft Personnel”. The Danish Navy has a total of four of the small crafts, which have been built by the Swedish shipyard Storebro Bruks AB.

In Denmark the fast boats are normally carried by the support ships ABSALON and ESBERN SNARE with LCP 1 usually aboard the latter.

The powerful V8 engine in the small landing craft barely makes any noise and in the green seats in the cabin no movement is felt. On deck things are different. Here the passengers have wind in their hair.

There was room for both young and  old on board. Here Junior Rating Peter  Jørgensen helps one of the younger  guests aboard.  Photo: Martin Pedersen, SVN

“Luckily we are allowed to let you out on the deck. When you sit inside it’s not so funny to sail as fast as we do now” says Junoir Rating Peter Jørgensen. He is ingeneer aboard and part of the three man crew on the small craft.

The crafts are used for a wide range of tasks. These include rescue operations, insertion of special forces and transport of injured persons. Besides the crew the a LCP can carry 10 fully equipped soldiers or four strechers and two nurses.

In the canal LCP 1 suddenly turns around. The nine passengers on the aft deck hold on tight and even though some of them get sprayed with water everybody smiles. Kim, Søren and Rsmus, 8th graders from the city of Ejby are not i doubt: “This is the most cool thing we’ve seen today” says one of the boys while the two others nod supportingly as much as the movements of the boat allow. The LCP has turned arround which is easily felt. It jumps up and down when it crosses its own wake.

Tecnical Specification: L.o.a: 10.80 m Beam: 2.90 m Draught: 0.70 m Displacement: approx. 6.500 kg (excl.fuel and water) Fuel tank capacity: 650 litres Engine: Single SCANIA V8-Diesel 650-800 hp Drive: Rolls Royce Kamewa FF 410 Water-  jet Maximum speed: Over 40 knots, standard equipped with 2 persons and full load of fuel  Range: Approx. 200 Nm at full speed

Behind the steering wheel sits Cheif Petty Officer Vagn Nielsen. A few hundred meters off the pier he slows down in order not to bother the many other boats in the harbour and with a speed of seven knots the water jet driven boat ‘puffs’ by its mother ship ESBERN SNARE.

“At this speed its a bit difficult to control the boat but as soon as you speed up its possible to steer with just one finger” explaines the Chief Petty Officer while slowing down and steering towards the crowd of people waiting at the pier.

At the pier the LCP pushes its front to land and the hatch opens. Within a few minutes the passengers are switched with nine new, expectant guests. Its time for another trip.

Additional photos