The largest gathering of student training boats in a decade took place in rather lumpy seas off Portsmouth as the budding sailors went through their summer exercise period.

Ten of the 14 Archer-class patrol boats made an impressive entry in formation to Portsmouth Harbour, the others being delayed for technical reasons.

Many of the class of vessel, also known as the P2000s, are based as close as possible to their affiliated universities, where they act as training ships for the relevant University RN Units (URNUs), but the gathering in Portsmouth was possible because they are part of the way through their annual summer exercise.

Each of the vessels has a ship’s company of five Naval personnel, but that can be pushed up to 17 when a full complement of students is on board.

The university summer holiday is used to take the student sailors to sea on a rolling programme of exercises around the UK and sometimes ending as far afield as France, northern Spain and the Baltic.

“The sight of the vessels coming into Portsmouth together was quite something,” said Lt Trish Kohn, Commanding Officer of HMS Tracker, which is affiliated to the Oxford universities.

“We are the largest squadron in the Royal Navy and as this has been such a rare event, it’s been a big day in the squadron’s history.”

Apart from the nautical activities, the Naval personnel took part in a sport day before heading out to sea on their various deployments again.