High-powered, black-painted RIBs are being used by London’s Metropolitan River Police in the fight against terror, from their 200-year-old base at Wapping.

Since the London tube bombings in July anti-terror cover has been stepped up and boats will be boarded at random by police on the River Thames within the Met area.

While waiting to lock in to St Katherine’s Dock, in the Upper Pool, this weekend, I was paid a visit by the Met police who landed a PC on the deck of Minstrel Boy, my Contessa 32. He wanted to see my British Registry of Shipping document, and wanted to know my name, address and the boat’s home port. The PC explained: ‘The thing is this river is completely open and there is nothing to stop a potential terrorist coming in by sea.’

The whole affair took just a few minutes, but the skipper on another yacht told me he had been delayed by two hours while a thorough search of his vessel was made.