Patrol Yachts ~ Shipbuilding History

Patrol Yachts

(PY, PYc)

Over the years, it has been a standard practice for various branches of the U.S. Government to acquire privately owned vessels for active service. This includes not only the Navy, the Army and the Coast Guard but also the various technological agencies. The Navy's practice in this regard has included the appropriation of large private yachts as coastal patrol vessels, 18 in the Spanish-American War, 8 in World War I and 73 in World War II. Fifteen of these boats were already out of service when the Navy started assigning numbers in 1920: of the rest, 32 were classified as Patrol Yachts, (PY), and 52 as Patrol Yachts, Coastal, (PYc). Note the size of some of the PYs, the famous names among the original owners and the leading builder - Krupp.

	Builder	Location		Name	Customer	Tons	LOA	Built	Acquired	Navy Name	Notes
	Harlan & Hollingsworth	Wilmington DE	255	Alicia	H. M. Flagler	301	180	1890	1898	Hornet	sold 1910
	Harlan & Hollingsworth	Wilmington DE	256	Almy	Frederick Gallatin	434	177	1890	1898	Eagle	sold 1920 as Reina Victoria, scrapped 1927
	Cramp Shipbuilding	Philadelphia PA	274	Columbia	J. H. Ladew	630	1,898	1894	1898	Wasp	sold 1921
	John Roach & Co.	Chester PA	227	Viking	George S. Scott	218	122	1883	1898	Viking	to US Army 1899
	Houston & Woodbridge	Marcus Hook PA		Restless		137	115	1887	1898	Restless	scrapped 1913
	Cramp Shipbuilding	Philadelphia PA	284	Thespia	David Dows, Jr.	472	174	1896	1898	Hist	sold 1911
	Ramage & Ferguson	Leith, Scotland	121	Cleopatra	J. Lysaght	975	185	1893	1898	Yankton	sold 1921, scrapped 1930
	Globe Iron Works	Cleveland OH	46	Comanche	Howard M. Hanna	607	165	1892	1898	Frolic	to US Army 1909 as El Aguila, sold 1923
	Hawthorne & Co.	Leith, Scotland	61	Eugenia		315	123	1897	1898	Siren	struck 1910
	George S. Lawley & Sons	Neponset MA	361	Inca	F. B. McQuesten	120	114	1898	1898	Inca
	Cramp Shipbuilding	Philadelphia PA	212	Stranger	George Osgood	369	165	1880	1898	Stranger	sunk 1915
	Alex. Stephen & Sons	Glasgow, Scotland	275	Sylvia		302	130	1882	1898	Sylvia	sold 1921
	John Roach & Co.	Chester PA	282	Aileen	Richard Stevens	192	120	1896	1898	Aileen	sold 1920
PY-1	J. & G. Thompson	Clydebank, Scotland	296	Mayflower	Ogden Goelet	2,690	273	1896	1898	Mayflower	sold 1931, reacquired 1941 as Battle, to USCG 1943 as WPG-183, sold 1947, Malla 1948, Israeli refugee ship Exodus, scrapped 1955
PY-2	Fleming & Ferguson	Paisley, Scotland	170	Hermione	James Allan	545	145	1891	1898	Hawk	scrapped 1940
PY-3	Robins Dry Dock	Brooklyn NY		Sovereign		775	213	1896	1898	Scorpion	scrapped 1929
PY-4	Lewis Nixon	Elizabethport NJ	16	Josephine	P. A. B. Widener	806	182	1896	1898	Vixen	sold 1923
PY-5	John Roach & Co.	Chester PA	295	Sylph		152	124	1898	1898	Sylph	sold 1929
PY-6	Pusey & Jones	Wilmington DE	360	Nokomis II	H. E. Dodge	1,265	243	1914	1917	Nokomis	initially SP-609, to USCG 1943 as Bodkin (WPG-182), scrapped
PY-7	Robert Jacob	City Island NY		Aramis	Arthur Marks	375	158	1916	1917	Aramis	initially SP-418, sold 1933
PY-8	Gas Engine/Seabury	Morris Heights NY	234	Vixen	J. D. Archbold	237	168	1913	1917	Despatch	initially SP-68, to State of Florida 1928
PY-9	Harlan & Hollingsworth	Wilmington DE	289	Niagara		2,690	282	1898	1917	Niagara	initially SP-136, scrapped 1933
PY-10	Bath Iron Works	Bath ME	73	Isabel	J. N. Willys	710	245	1917	1917	Isabel	initially SP-521, scrapped 1946
PY-11	George S. Lawley	Neponset MA		Wenonah	W. G. Ladd	470	163	1915	1917	Wenonah	initially SP-165, sold 1929 as Stranger, Blue Water 1938, HMCS Wolf 1940, sold 1946 as Gulf Stream
	W. F. Stone	Oakland CA		Hermes		340	89	1914	1918	Hermes	sold 1926 as Lanikai, HMAS Lanikai 1942, sunk by typhoon in Subic Bay 1947
	James Leary	Brooklyn NY		Patterson	Coast & Geo. Survey	719	163	1883	1918	Forward	sold 1919, wrecked 1938
PY-12	George S. Lawley	Neponset MA	1030	Intrepid	W. P. Murphy	810	205	1929	1940	Sylph	sold 1946
PY-13	Pusey & Jones	Wilmington DE	408	Lotosland	E. A. Deeds	720	196	1929	1940	Siren	sold 1946
PY-14	Krupp Germania Werft	Kiel, Germany		Haida		890	207	1929	1940	Argus	sold 1946 as Sarina, Rosenkavalier 1981, Haida G 2001
PY-15	Pusey & Jones	Wilmington DE	350	Sialia	J. K. Stewart	558	207	1914	1940	Coral	acquired 1917 as SP-543, sold 1920 as Yankee Clipper, reacquired 1940, scrapped 1947
PY-16	Pusey & Jones	Wilmington DE	405	Nakhoda	Fred J. Fisher	1,220	235	1929	1940	Zircon	sold 1947, pilot boat New York 1951, sold 1973
PY-17	George S. Lawley	Neponset MA	976	Athero II		562	171	1926	1940	Jade	to NDRF 1946
PY-18	Newport News SB	Newport News VA	265	Ohio	E. W. Scripps	565	172	1922	1940	Turquoise	initially PC-459, to Ecuador 1944 as Nueve de Octobre, sold as Esmereldas 1949, wrecked and lost 1953
PY-19	Bath Iron Works	Bath ME	137	Seventeen	R. W. Judson	500	191	1930	1941	Carnelian	to NDRF 1946
PY-20	Bath Iron Works	Bath ME	135	Sylvia	L. G. Thompson	750	154	1930	1941	Tourmaline	sold 1946 as Sylvia, Kyknos 1947, scrapped 1979
PY-21	Bath Iron Works	Bath ME	134	Placida	H. G. Haskell	500	190	1930	1941	Ruby	to NDRF 1946
PY-22	Krupp Germania Werft	Kiel, Germany	497	Vagabondia		1,080	211	1928	1941	Azurlite	sold 1947 as Azurlite, Pacific Reefer 1969
PY-23	Pusey & Jones	Wilmington DE	406	Rene	Alfred P. Sloan	1,400	225	1929	1941	Beryl	to NDRF 1946
PY-24	Krupp Germania Werft	Kiel, Germany		Happy Days		705	185	1927	1942	Almandite	to NDRF 1946
PY-25	Pusey & Jones	Wilmington DE	407	Cambriona	W. O. Briggs	1,400	225	1929	1942	Crystal	sold 1947
PY-26	Ramage & Ferguson	Leith, Scotland	205	Agawa		1,000	215	1906	1942	Cythera	acquired 1917 as SP-575, returned 1919, reacquired 1942, torpedoed and lost 1942
PY-27	Krupp Germania Werft	Kiel, Germany		Firenza		700	170	1926	1942	Girasol	to NDRF 1947
PY-28	George S. Lawley	Neponset MA	1033	Camargo		1,130	225	1925	1942	Marcasite	sold 1944 as Commando, Westminster
PY-29	Newport News SB	Newport News VA	303	Savarona	R. M. Cadwalader	607	181	1926	1942	Mizpah	sold 1946, reefed off Palm Beach FL 1968
PY-30	Spear Engine Works	Norfolk VA		Hydrographer	Coast & Geo. Survey	1,135	165	1928	1942	Hydrographer	returned to C&GS-1946
PY-31	Krupp Germania Werft	Kiel, Germany	516	Argosy	C. A. Stone	800	206	1931	1942	Cythera	sold 1946, Abril, Satira, Israeli refugee ship Ben Hecht, INS Maoz 1948, Santa Maria del Mare 1955, rebuilt 2009
PY-32	Consolidated SB	Morris Heights NY	2642	Lyndonia	Cyrus Curtiss	1,116	228	1920	1942	Seven Seas	sunk off Okinawa 1945
PYc-1	Consolidated SB	Morris Heights NY		Savitar	J. H. Seaman	104	96	1922	1940	Emerald	sold 1945, Savitar 1946, Bahama Queen 1951
PYc-2	George S. Lawley	Neponset MA		Comoco		500	165	1922	1940	Sapphire	to NDRF 1946
PYc-3	Long Beach SB	Long Beach CA		Samona II		525	147	1931	1940	Amethyst	sold 1946 as Samona II, Pudlo 1950, Explorer 1962
PYc-4	Mathis Yachts	Camden NJ	209	Arminia	W. W. Atterbury	185	110	1930	1940	Agate	sold 1946 as Vallarta Allegre
PYc-5	Consolidated SB	Morris Heights NY		Janey III		190	119	1924	1940	Onyx	struck 1945
PYc-6	Lake Union Dry Dock	Seattle WA		Infanta		260	120	1930	1940	Amber	sold 1945, Thea Foss
PYc-7	Pusey & Jones	Wilmington DE		Vasanta		215	124	1924	1941	Aquamarine	sold 1947, Miss Ann 1955
PYc-8	Krupp Germania Werft	Kiel, Germany		Coronet		590	185	1928	1941	Opal	to Ecuador 1923 as Manabi, scrapped 1960
PYc-9	Krupp Germania Werft	Kiel, Germany		Nancy Baker		645	172	1929	1941	Moonstone	formerly Lone Star, collision & sank off DE 1943
PYc-10	Luders Marine	Stamford CT		Doromar	W. G. McCullough	160	112	1931	1941	Topaz	struck 1944, bell found at JRRF, destroyed therea
PYc-11	Defoe Boat Works	Bay City MI	122	Comoco	R. W. Judson	395	132	1927	1941	Andradite	sold 1952, burned 1956
PYc-12	Krupp Germania Werft	Kiel, Germany		Queen Anne		640	175	1928	1941	Sardonyx	sold 1947
PYc-13	Lake Union Dry Dock	Seattle WA		Stranger		395	134	1938	1941	Jasper	to NDRF 1948, to Scripps Inst. as Stranger 1955, Explorer 1976
PYc-14	Herreshoff Mfg.	Bristol RI	172	Truant	H. H. Newberry	375	138	1892	1941	Truant	returned to owner 1943
PYc-15	Krupp Germania Werft	Kiel, Germany		Caritas		490	157	1925	1941	Garnet	sold 1947, laid up in Eureka CA, restaurant and now "Ship Ashore" in Smith River CA
PYc-16	Long Beach SB	Long Beach CA		Velero III	Alan Hancock	1,000	195	1931	1941	Chalcedony	scrapped 1946
PYc-17	Krupp Germania Werft	Kiel, Germany		Oceanus		490	156	1923	1941	Pyrope	sold 1947 as Oceania
PYc-18	Defoe Boat Works	Bay City MI	158	Bymar	B. D. Miller	300	145	1938	1941	Peridot	sold 1946 as Mimosan, Halimede 1953, Zimba 1959, Maha, Al Mojil 5 2003, Matahari, Maha
PYc-19	Bath Iron Works	Bath ME	144	Seapine	F. H. Goodyear	588	158	1931	1941	Rhodolite	to NDRF 1947
PYc-20	Defoe Boat Works	Bay City MI	139	Thalia	T. M. Howell	472	160	1930	1942	Jet	scrapped 1948
PYc-21	Mathis Yachts	Camden NJ	214	Alamo		385	148	1932	1942	Alabaster	sold 1947 as Alamo, Fiesta II 1960, burned and sank in Puerto Vallarta
PYc-22	Bath Iron Works	Bath ME	133	Bidou	J. A. Moffett	120	124	1930	1942	Olivin	scrapped 1946
PYc-23	San Diego Marine	San Diego CA		Navigation			90	1922	1942	Sard	reclassified YP-261 1942, struck 1944
PYc-24	Henry B. Nevins	City Island NY		Souris				1930	1942	Iolite	reclassified YP-454 1942, to NDRF 1946
PYc-25	Pusey & Jones	Wilmington DE	306	Celt	J. R. Maxwell	317	186	1902	1942	Phenakite	acquired 1917 as Sachen (SP-192), reacquired 1942, returned 1919, returned 1945 as Sachem, Sightseer, Circle Line V, sold for scrap 1984 but laid up in KY
PYc-26	Newport News SB	Newport News VA	316	Robador	Robert Law, Jr.	523	161	1926	1942	Cymophane	sold 1952 as Seaforth, scrapped 1956
PYc-27	Pusey & Jones	Wilmington DE	400	Colleen	S. A. Salvage	250	150	1928	1942	Colleen	sold 1947
PYc-28	Defoe Boat Works	Bay City MI	93	Sylvia	L. G. Thomson	280	133	1926	1942	Ability	to NDRF 1946
PYc-29	Pusey & Jones	Wilmington DE		North Star		350	177	1909	1942	Gallant	sold 1945
PYc-30	Bath Iron Works	Bath ME	207	Vagrant	H. S. Vanderbilt	425	118	1941	1942	Vagrant	returned to owner 1947
PYc-31	Robert Jacob	City Island NY		Caroline	Edward Ford	339	188	1914	1942	Lash	ex-Delphine, Stellaris, Sylph II, returned to owner 1945
PYc-32	George S. Lawley	Neponset MA	518	Calumet		185	150	1903	1942	Tourist	ex-Kehtoh, Dixie, YAG-14 1942, sold 1945 as Tourist, scrapped 1952
PYc-33	John Roach & Co.	Chester PA	302	Idalia	Eugene Tompkins	195	163	1899	1942	Palace	Wx-Malay II, Palace, YAG-13 1942, sunk as target 1944
PYc-34	Defoe Boat Works	Bay City MI	135	Rose B		194	139	1930	1942	Brave	sold 1946
PYc-35	Bath Iron Works	Bath ME	145	Felicia	J. H. Metcalf	447	148	1931	1942	Felicia	to Harvard U. 1945
PYc-36	Bath Iron Works	Bath ME	122	Paragon	Charles J. Davol	176	138	1929	1942	Paragon	sold 1945, wrecked 1949
PYc-37	Robert Jacob	City Island NY		Haida	Max Fleischmann	182	127	1941	1942	Mentor	sold 1952
PYc-38	Krupp Germania Werft	Kiel, Germany		Ripple		236	133	1923	1942	Carolita	sunk as target 1944
PYc-39	Defoe Boat Works	Bay City MI	137	Marnell	Alworth Investments	180	135	1930	1942	Marnell	scrapped 1947
PYc-40	Bethlehem Steel	Quincy MA	1472	Harvard	General Sea Foods	520	134	1938	1942	Captor	ex-Wave, ex-Eagle (AM-132) 1942, sold 1945
PYc-41	George S. Lawley	Neponset MA	773	Florence D		200	154	1914	1942	Iolite	sold 1945
PYc-42	White & Co.	Southampton, U.K.		Curlew		230	117	1927	1942	Leader	sold 1949 as Chito, Hyding, Paulla, Grace
PYc-43	William Mueller	Wilmington CA		Velero II	Alan Hancock	195	125	1922	1942	Sea Scout	sold 1945 as Velero II
PYc-44	George S. Lawley	Neponset MA		Gem	William Ziegler	190	164	1913	1942	Perserverance	ex-Gypsy Jo, Athera, Carolus, Condor, Bedford (WPYC-346), transferred overseas 1946
PYc-45	Bath Iron Works	Bath ME	131	Black Douglas	R. Roebling	371	133	1929	1942	Black Douglas	to FWS 1944, sold 1972 as Quest, Aquarius 1982, Aquarius W, El Boughaz I
PYc-46	Robert Jacob	City Island NY		Paragon	R. J. Davol	103	120	1915	1943	Impetuous	acquired 1917 as Sybilla III (SP-104), returned to owner 1918 as Arlis, reacquired 1940 as PC-454, reclassified PYc-1943, sold 1945
PYc-47	Herreshoff Mfg.	Bristol RI	394	Katoora	A. L. Loomis	83	96	1930	1943	Patriot	acquired 1940 as PC-455, reclassified PYc-1943, sold 1945
PYc-48	Consolidated SB	Morris Heights NY		Onwego		110	120	1931	1943	Persistent	acquired 1940 as PC-456, reclassified PYc-1943, to NDRF 1944
PYc-49	George S. Lawley	Neponset MA		Enaj IV		150	120	1923	1943	Retort	acquired 1940 as PC-458, reclassified PYc-1943, struck 1944
PYc-50	Consolidated SB	Morris Heights NY		Elda		380	154	1930	1943	Sturdy	acquired 1940 as PC-460, reclassified PYc-1943, to NDRF 1944
PYc-51	Herreshoff Mfg.	Bristol RI	390	Vara	H. S. Vanderbilt	190	150	1929	1943	Valiant	acquired 1940 as PC-509, reclassified PYc-1943, sold 1945
PYc-52	Consolidated SB	Morris Heights NY		Vixen	J. D. Archbold	138	110	1931	1943	Venture	acquired 1940 as PC-826, reclassified PYc-1943, to NDRF 1946