A pilot boat is a type of boat used to transport maritime pilots between land and the inbound or outbound ships that they are piloting. Pilot boats were once sailing boats that had to be fast because the first pilot to reach the incoming ship got the business. Today, pilot boats are scheduled by telephoning the ship agents/representatives prior to arrival.
Wooden pilot cutter Lizzie May under sail in Brest, France
New York Sandy Hook pilot boat Pet, No. 9.
New York Pilot Schooner No. 17 Fannie, by Conrad Freitag
Pilot boat rounding lighthouse at Victoria, Canada and heading out to guide in a ship
A maritime pilot, marine pilot, harbor pilot, port pilot, ship pilot, or simply pilot, is a mariner who has specific knowledge of an often dangerous or congested waterway, such as harbors or river mouths. Maritime pilots know local details such as depth, currents, and hazards. They board and temporarily join the crew to safely guide the ship's passage, so they must also have expertise in handling ships of all types and sizes. Obtaining the title "maritime pilot" requires being licensed or authorised by a recognised pilotage authority.
A Nigerian pilot assists a U.S. Navy ship into the harbor at Lagos using nautical charts
Grandes Eaux, pilot vessels Anse-aux-Basques, Les Escoumins, maritime estuary of St. Lawrence, Canada
Five pilots sitting around a wooden table.
A pilot preparing to board a vessel by helicopter outside Durban Harbour in South Africa
