The Dreadnought Project

[GPaulC]

Dreadnoughts carried quite a few ship's boats for utility purposes, captain's gig, Admiral's barge etc but in many, particularly the earlier designs, the boat deck was often close to or even shared with the midships turret(s). In action muzzle blast would have reduced the boats to matchwood and in those designs with staggered cross-firing midships turrets the boats as stowed would have hindered turret traverse and elevation/depression of the guns. So where they dumped overboard as part of clearing for action? Were they lowered and towed on long painters? Where they simply blown to pieces with the first salvo? I have read a fair number of books on Jutland and the others on Coronel , Falklands, Dogger Bank etc but I cannot remember any mention of how the ships boats were dealt with going into action. Anyone know? Or educated guesses?