Rank has it's priveliges.

[Derrick Stephenson]

When someone is piped aboard a naval vessel, the no. of sidemen is dictated partially by the rank of the person boarding, but it's actually not just the rank, so what else?
This'll get you all. Heh, heh.
Derrick.

[HighlandSniper58]

I guess it is also related to the rank/flag of whose vessel they are boarding - i.e. whether the vessel is commanded by a Commander/Captain, or whether it is perhaps a flagship, and therefore an Admiral is present.

[Derrick Stephenson]

Sorry Highland Sniper,
The reason is not to do with rank, you'll just have to WAIT and see !!!!
Derrick.

[Zofo]

Hi Derrick
Piping aboard in the old days meant that an officer needed pulling onto the ship on a chair. As the rank increased, so did the girth or weight of the senior officer - therefore, more need for bodies to help pull fatty up and over onto the vessel. How's that?

[Viking]

more need for bodies to help pull fatty up and over onto the

good one ha ha ha :D

[Derrick Stephenson]

A.O.K. Zofo,
It goes back to when there were very few proper harbours anywhere abroad, and it was considered beneath an officers dignity to climb aboard.
There was also the point that the more men used, the less chance of the officer being dropped in the sea. No matter how much they would have liked too, who would dare drop an Admiral in the water?
Derrick.

[Zofo]

Hi Derrick,
My younger brother served in RN and was a chap with a pipe - in fact he finished his basic training as top "whistler" - I didn't ask him of course, below my dignity, but a good question - more like that please - not just because I got that right!!