I took all fotos in this post last week on Staten Island. Check out these 40-footers, and if I read the numbers right, these three all date from just over 60 years ago. Somewhere in the past seven years I posted a foto of two of these three in the Arthur Kill.
But this is an impressive adaption project, not restoration. And I’ve finally gotten a close-up look. Fred tug44 got these fotos some years back, but for a vessel that dates from 1929 . . . not that long ago. I wonder what her USCG-service name was.
I’m curious about the horizontal tab on the rudder. Enjoy the rest of these.
All fotos taken recently by Will Van Dorp, who’s still in the wilds of northwest Georgia, hoping though to get back to the sixth boro in time to see Miss Lis.
tugster: a waterblog 
11 comments
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December 29, 2013 at 10:12 am
Chris Williams
I’ll offer up a theory about the horizontal tabs. They look like they might be adjustable, and I suspect they function as trim tabs. A double ended hull as this former motor life boat manifests can squat at the stern quite a bit under load, such as when towing something, and so I suspect the tabs are used to boost the stern up a little bit when needed. My 2 cents, anyway.
December 29, 2013 at 10:18 am
tugster
thanks, chris. the stern squatting hadn’t occurred to me. i wonder if they were original equipment or later modification.
December 29, 2013 at 2:36 pm
Alan Haig-Brown
I agree, in Thailand the old rice barges with engines added have similar tabs built out from the stern but mounting on the rudder seems like it could be more effective.
December 29, 2013 at 11:10 am
Charles Danko
Looks like you hit a USCG 40 footer goldmine Will. These craft were the mainstay of the Coasties harbor patrol vessels back when i was a kid……..fastest boats in the harbor.and very pleasing to the eyes.
December 29, 2013 at 11:30 am
tugster
was the thin-skin ever a problem?
December 29, 2013 at 2:02 pm
JED!
The boats in the Pic #1 are not the same as the more photographed Motor Whaleboat. Is it in fact 40′ long?
December 29, 2013 at 6:36 pm
eastriver
Thanks for these, Will — where are they? Love to know more, must hit the inter webs. As for the trim tabs — wonder if they are adjustable? Looking at modern outboard motors, there is a similar construction on each side and forward of the screw.
Hope your New Year is a happy one!
December 29, 2013 at 6:49 pm
tugster
here’s some speculation written to me by someone who might choose to stay anon . . . “the wheel looked a bit big for the size of the boat and would have a large torque. I am wondering if the tabs are an attempt to reduce the cavitation across the rudder faces. ”
thanks and happy and prosperous 2014 to all . . . oh and the uscg 40s are in mariners harbor yacht club just off richmond terrace.
December 29, 2013 at 7:08 pm
eastriver
This is pretty good — mostly a slide show, some video. All steel! Video clip includes a couple of these former CG boats (identical CG numbers) underway at the Narrows.
December 29, 2013 at 7:16 pm
tugster
nice. i’ve always thought the 40s have lines similar to downeast lobster boats.
December 31, 2013 at 1:59 am
David Hindin
MISS LIS (updated ETA)
Support barge tow (departed Oakland Nov 8, 2013)
marinetraffic.com “MISS LIS”:
http://www.marinetraffic.com/ais/details/ships/367091160
Begin quote:
Info Received: 3 h, 45 min ago
Area: Atlantic North
Latitude / Longitude: 37.21675 / -75.59171
http://goo.gl/79dRn5
Speed/Course: 4.50kn / 29°
Destination ELIZEBETH,NJ
ETA 2014-01-02 11:00 UTC
Info Received 2013-12-31 02:17 (4 h, 30 min ago)
End quote
Happy New Year