1930's Coast Guard Cabin Launch Restoration

Discussion in 'Boat Design' started by Capt. Robb, Jan 30, 2023.

  1. Capt. Robb
    Joined: Jan 2023
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    Location: Minneapolis, MN

    Capt. Robb New Member

    upload_2023-1-30_13-23-9.png
    upload_2023-1-30_13-23-9.png I came across this old thread from a while ago about a 25 foot Coast Guard motor launch supposedly designed and or built in the 1930s. It asked for more information. Here goes:
    In 1965, I was stationed at Plum Island Rear Range Light (Official name) otherwise known as Plum Island Coast Guard Station just north of the tip of Door County, Wisconsin between Green Bay and Lake Michigan. We had a 40 foot twin screw Utility boat that did about 18 knots at full speed, a one of a kind 41 Foot Motor Life Boat that is now in a museum in Massachusetts and ... a 25 foot Cabin Launch of the kind that was queried in the previous thread. We knew it to be a "Lighthouse Tender that had been there for years and was great for carrying batteries to restore automated lights at Summer and Poverty Islands to the north. She was single screw and had 4 cylinder Buda engine for power. Anyway, she was there and I cox'ned her many times. Nice boat with two large Sampson Posts aft in her quarters and one forward for mooring and other utility. It had two bench seats forward in the cuddy and was open going aft past the engine box. Fun boat. Her specs were according to an internally published CG Manual of Small Boats that I rescued from a waste basket many years ago. Her specs were reported as follows:
    Purpose: Logistics support to small stations and servicing Aids to Navigation (AtoN).
    Capacity: 10 Men, Crew: 2 Men, LOA: 25' 11 1/2", Beam (over rub strakes): 7' 11", Draft (Normal): 2'8", Full Load Displacement: 6845 lbs, With Outfit (268 lbs), Fuel - 210 lbs, + 10 men. Normal operating displacement: 5165 lbs, Hoisting Wt (from chain plates): 4835 lbs, Shipping Wt: 4720 lbs, Hoisted by 3 point sling/hooks, Distance between hoist fittings: 22' 4", Construction: Round Bottom, Carvel, Speed Max: 9.6 kts, Fuel Capacity: 30 Gals, Range at Full Power: 103 Nautical Miles, CG HQ Plan Number: 25 ML(C)-0103-1 and Set, Engine Details: Buda - Diesel - 4 cyl, Model 4-153, 35 hp at 2200 rpm, Reduction ratio: 2:1, Fresh water cooled, 12 V Electrical System, Prop Details: 20"D x 16"P by 1 1/8" Bore 3 blade type "A" bronze. The drawing shows a 3' 4" jack staff forward that carried a pennant with an all around anchor light on top and a combination P&S red and green light near the deck that plugged into a watertight brass screw in a 2 prong outlet on deck that made the staff easily removable. There was a trumpet style black metal fog horn atop the cabin approximately midships between two cabin top handrails that were stout and sturdy. Aft was another removable flag staff of about 48" with a 112 degree white stern light clamp mounted on the staff approximately halfway up the staff. The cabin sides profile were shaped by a French Curve with two sliding glass windows, and the forward side of the cabin was flat with two fixed windows and a man-sized tip up access hatch cover just forward of that. The engine box had two small (approx 4" diam.) fixed dead light portholes in the after side of the box, and there was a round steel deck plate just aft of the box for access to shaft components. The helm had only the most minimal instruments required for reasonable operation, with a cast metal helm with 8 wooden spoke handles, common in those days from almost any chandlery. The boat was hefty in its feel but was sea kindly with good manners. This would still make a fine picnic launch today with perhaps a Volvo Penta D1-30 or perhaps a Yanmar 3Ym30AE diesel depending your location in the world. There would be many others both new and used, but you get the idea. Hope this has helped. Wish I had found this thread back in 2017 where I first saw it but have not been able to relocate it. Fair winds.
     
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  2. fallguy
    Joined: Dec 2016
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    fallguy Senior Member

    I found an article in Motorboating magazine from 1941 that suggested these 26' cabin launches were built in the Great Kills, NY boat yard at least as late as 1941. Such boats saw hard use and would not likely have survived until today.

    The article only had a snippet which I cannot cut and paste and not much other detail other than they were awarded only 2 boats for lighthouse service.
     
  3. fallguy
    Joined: Dec 2016
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    Location: usa

    fallguy Senior Member


  4. rangebowdrie
    Joined: Nov 2009
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    Location: Oregon

    rangebowdrie Senior Member

    From the drawings that boat could easily have been any number of designs from the board of William Atkin.
    It has all the "looks" of his work.
    Could just as easily, (maybe,) come from Eldridge-McInnis.
    No matter, that's a good looking, (if dated,) utility boat.
     
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