POINT BROWN, 1967
WPB-82362
Builder: J.M. Martinac Shipbuilding Corp., Tacoma, WA
Commissioned: 30 March 1967
Decommissioned: 27 September 1991
Disposition: Donated, 30 September 1991
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 Brown was stationed at Little Creek, VA, from 1967 to 1981. She was used for law enforcement and search and rescue operations. On 7 January 1968, she escorted distressed F/V Avalon to Hampton Roads, VA. On 14 March 1969, she provided escort following the collision between F/V Endeavor and M/V African Neptune off Virginia. On 5 March 1970, she towed the disabled F/V Our Lady of Fatima 60 miles east of Cape Henry to Hampton, VA. On 21 April 1970, she towed the disabled F/V Sea Queen to Hampton. On 4 July 1970, she helped fight fire in an oil-storage tank, Sewells Point, VA. On 7 October 1970, she medevaced a crewman from the Argentine M/V Rio Dulce off Cape Henry. On 22 November 1970, she towed the pleasure craft Nita Bee to Little Creek, VA. On 7 January 1979, she towed the disabled F/V Faith to Hampton, VA. On 23 February 1979, she assisted F/Vs Triton 7 and Margery Snow that were aground on Little Cobb Island.
From September 1981 to late 1988, she was stationed at Oregon Inlet, NC. On 23 July 1980, she towed a disabled naval skiff. On 24 April 1984, she seized the pleasure craft Sport Fishing northwest of the Windward Passage with 2,5 tons of marijuana on board.
From late 1988 to 1991, she was stationed at Atlantic Beach, NC.
Sources:
Cutter History File. USCG Historian's Office, USCG HQ, Washington, D.C.
"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