As an aside, when the civvy cross channel services stated in the 60s, my father, a Merchant Navy Officer aplied for a job but they all went to airline pilots. What exactly they had to do to qualify on hover craft I don't know. But I hope it was more than just the short exam I had to do in "Seamanship", actually Rule of the Road, that I had to do to validate my US seaplanes rating for the CAA.