Patrol Yachts
(PY, PYc)
Most recent update: April 29, 2015.
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.
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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 |