Anyone help me with some research: when did a government entity in the United States discontinue the use of its LAST wind powered vessel in law enforcement or other capacity? I presume none are in service today, but I may be wrong. Yet, a century and some ago, most enforcement vessels must have been fast sailers or a combination of steam and sail. I have seen info on “revenue cutters” pre-dating the United States Coast Guard in 1915. And I’m discounting training or museum vessels like USCG Eagle and USS Constitution. Anyone know of wind powered enforcement vessels in another country?
The NYPD version of the USCG rigid inflatable Defender class. The NYPD version lacks the 50mm machine guns.
NY State Police Marine Detail uses this jet-pump vessel.
USCG in the harbor maintains at least one ice breaking tug, like the 140′ Penobscot Bay.
Liberty IV operates for the National Park Service in New York harbor. I don’t know anything about this boat but suspect it started life in a different government service.
HSV Osprey is a lab vessel monitoring harbor water quality.
My opinion: a lot of government boats ply the harbor, maybe a higher proportion than –say — 30 years ago. Agree?
All photos by Will Van Dorp.
tugster: a waterblog 
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July 16, 2007 at 3:25 pm
Ron Huber
Government sailboats?
In 1892 Jack London served as a member of the California Fish Patrol – which used sailboats to police San Francisco Bay fisheries.
See “Tales of the Fish Patrol” for great tales of government sailboats in action
http://www.literature.org/authors/london-jack/tales-of-the-fish-patrol/
August 24, 2013 at 3:01 pm
mike
Liberty IV was built brand new for the Ellis island and statue of liberty operation for moving personel. She was built in 1989 by Washburn and dourgherty shipbuilding. She is 65′ long. Originally powered by two 12V92 Detroit diesel, she now has two cummins diesels in her.