Former PSNI officer Jon Burrows joins a former British Army officer and submarine commander in the ranks of those who have enlisted to try to refloat the once mighty Ulster Unionist ship.
The party that was once akin to a political ocean liner that dominated Northern Ireland's political waters has been relegated to the role of a dingy struggling to stay afloat in troubled waters or much of the past 20 years.
In the most recent Stormont Assembly election in 2022, it emerged as the fourth largest party.
It won just nine seats, a third of the 27 won by Sinn Fein, 16 fewer than its main unionist rival the DUP and eight behind the Alliance Party.
The former police officer has taken a highly unorthodox journey to the role of Ulster Unionist skipper.
His name has never appeared on a ballot paper, and he's never been elected as he only entered politics six months ago when he was co-opted to the party's North Antrim seat last August following the shock resignation of his predecessor.
That remains the case as he also takes over the role as leader of the pack without a contest, as he was the only candidate.
That has left many in the party's ranks feeling a little queasy.
A sign of strength rather than weakness
But Jon Burrows is not a man short in confidence.
Rejecting criticism of his lack of political pedigree, he argued it can be viewed as a sign of strength rather than weakness as it demonstrates that anyone can rise to the top.
From Bangor in Co Down, he followed his father Colin into a career in policing, joining the Met in London in 1999.
In footballing terms, the Liverpool fan says they beat the RUC to his signature as he had applied to join both.
He moved back to Northern Ireland when he transferred to the PSNI in 2004 and held a number of roles including Area Commander in Derry and head of the PSNI's Discipline Branch.
He was discharged on medical grounds in 2021.
The terms of that discharge and his police pension are the subject of a complaint to the Northern Ireland Policing Board.
The complaint questions his continued eligibility for the award given his ability to take up a political job.
Lawyers for the former chief inspector have said he was "deemed medically unfit to perform the ordinary operational duties of a member of the police service" and that he will engage fully with any review of his case.
The switch from policing to politics took many observers and most Ulster Unionist members by surprise, but he was quickly being touted as a possible party leader.
As Belfast Telegraph political editor Suzanne Breen put it, that's a measure of how well he is regarded, as well as an indication of the dearth of talent in the party ranks.
His public profile has soared
He has rapidly gained a reputation as a skilled media performer and speaker, and his public profile has soared.
He is also a prolific user of social media, at times posting multiple comments daily on a wide range of issues, as well as issuing frequent statements to the media.
Some within the party rank and file, and many of his opponents, believe such a scattergun approach could be a major hindrance if it continues in his leadership role.
Former Royal Irish Regiment Captain and Military Cross recipient Doug Beattie and former Royal Navy submarine commander Steve Aiken have recently tried and failed to nudge the UUP back towards its glory days.
His most recent predecessor Mike Nesbitt was a former high-profile journalist and television presenter who was an accomplished communicator, but he also found himself engaged in a constant battle to steady the ship rather than chart a new course.
Now a former police officer hopes to arrest the slide and succeed where they couldn't.
Seeking election to his Stormont seat
He has many challenges in the months ahead before he faces the ultimate test of actually seeking election to his Stormont seat in the next poll, scheduled to take place next year.
That will be no easy task.
While the Ulster Unionists topped the poll in North Antrim in 2022, their candidate was former leader and health minister Robin Swann, who was widely regarded as having performed with distinction during the Covid pandemic.
He has since gone to Westminster as an MP.
Both the DUP and the Traditional Unionist Voice led by Jim Allister will seek to eat into that UUP majority from the political right, while Alliance will hope to attract some of its centre ground.
Both of his party's main unionist rivals have already signalled that they want talks about unionist unity, which could potentially lead to calls for a form of pact to maximise unionist representation.
That may prove difficult for a new leader who has publicly stated that his ambition is to restore the Ulster Unionist Party to what he considers is its rightful place as the largest within unionism.
He is also likely to face calls from some within unionism and loyalism to consider walking away from the Stormont Assembly as part of efforts to rewrite Northern Ireland's post Brexit arrangements and remove the so-called Irish Sea Border.
Reaching out to other unionists and soft nationalists
That would seem unlikely. Burrows is a declared committed devolutionist who has said collapsing the Stormont Executive would be a dereliction of duty which would play into the hands of those who argue that Northern Ireland does not work.
Articulating the benefits of Northern Ireland remaining within the United Kingdom will be a key focus of his leadership.
At a time of increasing talk about a potential border poll, that will require reaching out to other unionists as well as those regarded as soft nationalists and those who would describe themselves as politically non-aligned.
Jon Burrows, a political novice, believes he will bring a fresh approach that will appeal to those who have turned away from his party and politics in general because of what he has described as the stagnation of Stormont.
Today marks the start of his time at the controls as he becomes the latest to navigate the UUP back to the political fore. The only thing guaranteed is stormy waters ahead.
