contractors working parties were also on board for the first trip , busily checking over and calibrating their particular bits of equipment , but as virtually all the technology and systems in the lady s were of a proven design , most of gear worked as advertised first time , but as winter had well and truly set in in the north sea , my personal favourite place on that first trip turned out to be the observation lounge , especially when the stabilisers were switched off ; and youve guessed it the windscreen wipers worked perfectly as well .