While inspecting the progress on my boat yesterday, I noticed a large
vessel being completed in the same shed.

It's about a 50-footer, wooden hull, and appropriately enough it
belongs to the US Forest Service. I was told the yard was contracted to
put a new stem on her, and some other work as well. I've requested a
complete synopsis of the work that was done and some photos of the job
in progress as it might make an interesting story for the magazine.

Got me thinking- How many wooden boats are still in use by any branch
of the federal government? Anybody know of additional examples? I
suspect this 50-year old wooden patrol boat must be pretty unique- and
would have been replaced by a boat of some other material if not for
the association with the Forest Service.

wrote in message
ups.com...
While inspecting the progress on my boat yesterday, I noticed a large
vessel being completed in the same shed.

It's about a 50-footer, wooden hull, and appropriately enough it
belongs to the US Forest Service. I was told the yard was contracted to
put a new stem on her, and some other work as well. I've requested a
complete synopsis of the work that was done and some photos of the job
in progress as it might make an interesting story for the magazine.

Got me thinking- How many wooden boats are still in use by any branch
of the federal government? Anybody know of additional examples? I
suspect this 50-year old wooden patrol boat must be pretty unique- and
would have been replaced by a boat of some other material if not for
the association with the Forest Service.


How about the obvious?

USS Constitution
Homeport, Boston, MA

RCE

"RCE" wrote in message
...

wrote in message
ups.com...
While inspecting the progress on my boat yesterday, I noticed a large
vessel being completed in the same shed.

It's about a 50-footer, wooden hull, and appropriately enough it
belongs to the US Forest Service. I was told the yard was contracted to
put a new stem on her, and some other work as well. I've requested a
complete synopsis of the work that was done and some photos of the job
in progress as it might make an interesting story for the magazine.

Got me thinking- How many wooden boats are still in use by any branch
of the federal government? Anybody know of additional examples? I
suspect this 50-year old wooden patrol boat must be pretty unique- and
would have been replaced by a boat of some other material if not for
the association with the Forest Service.


How about the obvious?

USS Constitution
Homeport, Boston, MA

RCE


Official US Navy website on the USS Constitution ... interesting read for
those not fortunate to have visited her:

http://www.ussconstitution.navy.mil/

RCE

RCE wrote:
wrote in message
ups.com...
While inspecting the progress on my boat yesterday, I noticed a large
vessel being completed in the same shed.

It's about a 50-footer, wooden hull, and appropriately enough it
belongs to the US Forest Service. I was told the yard was contracted to
put a new stem on her, and some other work as well. I've requested a
complete synopsis of the work that was done and some photos of the job
in progress as it might make an interesting story for the magazine.

Got me thinking- How many wooden boats are still in use by any branch
of the federal government? Anybody know of additional examples? I
suspect this 50-year old wooden patrol boat must be pretty unique- and
would have been replaced by a boat of some other material if not for
the association with the Forest Service.


How about the obvious?

USS Constitution
Homeport, Boston, MA

RCE


Chuck,
I know why the USS Constitution is being maintained, but why is the US
Forest Service maintaining an old wooden boat. I am glad they are,
because I love the look of a wooden boat, but it doesn't seem like the
best use of their money.

--
Reggie

"That's my story and I am sticking to it."

wrote in message
ups.com...
While inspecting the progress on my boat yesterday, I noticed a large
vessel being completed in the same shed.

It's about a 50-footer, wooden hull, and appropriately enough it
belongs to the US Forest Service. I was told the yard was contracted to
put a new stem on her, and some other work as well. I've requested a
complete synopsis of the work that was done and some photos of the job
in progress as it might make an interesting story for the magazine.

Got me thinking- How many wooden boats are still in use by any branch
of the federal government? Anybody know of additional examples? I
suspect this 50-year old wooden patrol boat must be pretty unique- and
would have been replaced by a boat of some other material if not for
the association with the Forest Service.

I believe that our navy continues to employ minesweepers with wood hulls and
bronze and stainless steel metallic parts to minimize their magnetic
signature for obvious reasons. See, for example,
http://www.navsource.org/archives/11/02idx.htm

Fred

Fred Miller wrote:
wrote in message
ups.com...
While inspecting the progress on my boat yesterday, I noticed a large
vessel being completed in the same shed.

It's about a 50-footer, wooden hull, and appropriately enough it
belongs to the US Forest Service. I was told the yard was contracted to
put a new stem on her, and some other work as well. I've requested a
complete synopsis of the work that was done and some photos of the job
in progress as it might make an interesting story for the magazine.

Got me thinking- How many wooden boats are still in use by any branch
of the federal government? Anybody know of additional examples? I
suspect this 50-year old wooden patrol boat must be pretty unique- and
would have been replaced by a boat of some other material if not for
the association with the Forest Service.

I believe that our navy continues to employ minesweepers with wood hulls and
bronze and stainless steel metallic parts to minimize their magnetic
signature for obvious reasons. See, for example,
http://www.navsource.org/archives/11/02idx.htm

Fred

Interesting. I know that wooden hulls were used for minesweepers for a
very long time. My cousin served aboard a wooden minesweeper when he
joined the navy in the early 60's. John Wayne's yacht. Wild Goose, was
a converted wooden minesweeper. I thought that modern mines, along with
advanced detection and hull technologies would have made the wooden
minesweeper obsolete by now..

Fred Miller wrote:
I believe that our navy continues to employ minesweepers with wood hulls and
bronze and stainless steel metallic parts to minimize their magnetic
signature for obvious reasons. See, for example,
http://www.navsource.org/archives/11/02idx.htm


I'm pretty sure that all the old wooden minesweeps have been
decommissioned.

http://federalvoice.dscc.dla.mil/fed...nesweeper.html

http://www.defenselink.mil/releases/..._bt549-97.html

The Navy started acquiring fiberglass minesweepers approx 20
years ago (and that's not new). Most minesweeping nowadays
appears to be done by helicopter, assisted by SEAL teams
(who in turn are assisted by specially trained real seals &
porpoises)

I don't know if this will work, but here is a link to a
MS-Powerpoint article about minesweeps & minesweeping that I
thought was excellent

navsci.berkeley.edu/ns401/NS401%20Fall%2005/Lecture18-Mine%20Warfare%20mjh.ppt

DSK

Here's the John Cobb, operated by NOAA.
Displacement: 250 tons
Dimensions: 93 x 26 x 11 feet/28.3 x 7.9 x 3.3 meters
Propulsion: 1 diesel, 325 bhp, 1 shaft, 9.3 knots
Crew: 7 + 4 scientists/mission crew
Notes: An aged, wood-hulled fisheries research ship. In need of
replacement. May be retired when Oscar Dyson enters service.

Builders: Western Boatbuilding, Tacoma, WA.

Number Name Year FLT Homeport Notes
R552 John N. Cobb 1950 PAC Juneau, AK

Here's the scoop on the wooden minesweepers- 14 Avenger class in
service:
Displacement: 1,360-1,440 tons full load
Dimensions: 224.25 x 39 x 11.25 feet/68.35 x 11.9 x 3.4 meters
Propulsion: 4 diesels, 2 shafts, 2,600 bhp, 13.5 knots
Crew: 81
Sonar: SQQ-32 mine detection
Armament: 2 12.7mm MG
Concept/Program: Large, highly capable multirole minesweepers/hunters,
capable of overseas deployment. They have suffered numerous technical
problems, some of which remain unresolved, and it is reported that
maintenance is being badly underfunded. Four are based overseas, the
others in Texas.

Builders: Peterson Builders, Sturgeon Bay, WI; Marinette Marine, WI
(MCM 2, 4, 7).

Design: Wooden-hulled minesweepers of relatively conventional design,
equipped with modern hunting/sweeping systems. Carry the SQQ-32
minehunting sonar, Mk116 mine neutralization system with 2 SLQ-48
minehunting devices, SLQ-37(V)3 magnetic/acoustic sweep array, SLQ-38
mechanical sweep, and mine disposal divers.

Number Name Year FLT Homeport Group
Notes
MCM 1 Avenger 1987 ATL Ingleside MCMRon2 NRF
MCM 2 Defender 1989 ATL Ingleside MCMRon2 NRF
MCM 3 Sentry 1990 ATL Ingleside MCMRon2
NRF
MCM 4 Champion1991 ATL Ingleside MCMRon2 NRF
MCM 5 Guardian 1989 PAC Sasebo MCMRon1/PhibRon11
MCM 6 Devastator 1990 ATL Ingleside MCMRon2
MCM 7 Patriot 1991 PAC Sasebo MCMRon1/PhibRon11
MCM 8 Scout 1990 ATL Ingleside MCMRon2
MCM 9 Pioneer 1992 ATL Ingleside MCMRon1 NRF
MCM 10 Warrior 1992 ATL Ingleside MCMRon3 NRF
MCM 11 Gladiator 1993 ATL Ingleside MCMRon3 NRF
MCM 12 Ardent 1993 PG Bahrain MCMRon3
MCM 13 Dextrous 1994 PG Bahrain MCMRon3
MCM 14 Chief 1994 ATL Ingleside MCMRon2

Also, it's not federal but the state of New Jersey operates an old
wooden buoy tender, about 75-80 ft. There are a lot of state marked
channels in the coastal rivers and bays and off the ICW.

snave wrote:

Here's the scoop on the wooden minesweepers- 14 Avenger class in
service:
Displacement: 1,360-1,440 tons full load
Dimensions: 224.25 x 39 x 11.25 feet/68.35 x 11.9 x 3.4 meters
Propulsion: 4 diesels, 2 shafts, 2,600 bhp, 13.5 knots
Crew: 81
Sonar: SQQ-32 mine detection
Armament: 2 12.7mm MG
Concept/Program: Large, highly capable multirole minesweepers/hunters,
capable of overseas deployment. They have suffered numerous technical
problems, some of which remain unresolved, and it is reported that
maintenance is being badly underfunded. Four are based overseas, the
others in Texas.

Builders: Peterson Builders, Sturgeon Bay, WI; Marinette Marine, WI
(MCM 2, 4, 7).

Who describes those ships as "wood"? They were entering
service when I was in the Navy (and that was a long time
ago, although it doesn't seem like it to me) and there was a
lot of hoopla about them being fiberglass.

I have also seen them described as "fiberglass reinforced
wood" construction.

And Navy ships maintenance is always underfunded.

DSK