POINT BONITA, 1966
WPB 82347
Builder: J.M. Martinac Shipbuilding Corp., Tacoma, WA
Commissioned: 12 September 1966
Decommissioned: 14 November 2000
Disposition: Transferred to Trinidad & Tobago, 14 November 2000
Length: 82’10” oa, 78’ bp
Navigation Draft: 5’11” max (1960)
Beam: 17’7” max
Displacement: 69 fl; 60 light (1960)
Main Engines: 2 Cummins diesel (see class history)
BHP: 1,600
Performance, Maximum Sustained: 18.0 kts, 542-mi radius (1,600 hp, 1963)
Performance, Economic: 9.4 kts, 1,500-mi radius (1,600 hp, 1963)
Maximum Speed: 22.9 kts (1963)
Fuel Capacity: 1,840 gal
Complement: 8 men (1960), 2 officers, 8 men (1965)
Electronics:
Radar: SPN-11, CR-103 (1960), or SPS-64
Armament: 1 x 20mm (1960), 5 x .50 cal mg, 1 x 81 mm mortar (Vietnam service)
Class history—The 82-foot patrol boats have mild steel hulls and aluminum superstructures. Longitudinally framed construction was used to save weight.
These boats were completed with a variety of power plants. 82301 through 82313, 82315 through 82317, and 82319 through 82331 were powered by two Cummins 600-hp diesels. Boats 82318 and 82332 through 82379 received two Cummins 800-hp diesels. The 82314 was fitted with two 1,000-hp gas turbines and controllable-pitch propellers. The purpose of this installation was to permit the service to evaluate the propulsion equipment. All units were eventually fitted with the 800-hp diesels. Units remaining in 1990 were re-equipped with Caterpillar diesels.
WPB 82301 through 82344 were commissioned without names; at that time the Coast Guard did not name patrol craft shorter than 100 feet. In January 1964 they were assigned names.
Ship's history:
The Point Bonita was stationed at Nantucket, MA, from 1966 to 1971. She was used for law enforcement and search and rescue operations. On 28 April 1968, she medevaced a crewman from M/V Selfoss off Nantucket. On 5 June 1968, she escorted the distressed M/V Siasconsett, which had grounded off Hyannis, MA. On 3 September 1968, she medevaced a crewman from M/V Jane and Ursula 67 miles east of Nantucket. On 4 October 1969, she rescued one from a disabled 14-foot pleasure craft 27 miles east-southeast of Nantucket.
From 1972 to 1988, she was stationed at Woods Hole, MA. On 2 October 1982, she helped rescue two from pleasure craft Adjustment and towed the craft to safety. On 22 May 1983, she seized F/V Linda 40 miles southeast of Cape Cod for fisheries violations.
From 1988, she was stationed at South Portland, ME.
Sources:
"The 82-Foot Class Patrol Boat." U.S. Coast Guard Engineer's Digest No. 133 (Mar-Apr 1962), pp. 2-5.
Robert Scheina. U.S. Coast Guard Cutters & Craft, 1946-1990. Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press, 1990