POINT MONROE, 1966
WPB 82353
Builder: J.M. Martinac Shipbuilding Corp., Tacoma, WA
Commissioned: 27 December 1966
Decommissioned: (21 August 2001)
Disposition: Scheduled for transfer to NOAA
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 Monroe was stationed at Galveston, TX, in 1967 and 1968. She was used for law enforcement and search and rescue operations. On 26 July 1967, she escorted the disabled M/V State Star to Galveston. On 29 January 1968, she towed F/V Bryan Paul 30 miles northeast of Freeport, TX, to Galveston. On 11 February 1968, she rescued three from F/V Julie 90 miles southeast of Galveston. On 28 October 1968, she towed the disabled F/V Lyco 4 21 miles south of Freeport. On 30 October 1968, she dewatered and towed the disabled F/V Trawler 13 miles southwest of Freeport to that port.
From 1969, she was stationed at Freeport. On 23 January 1969, she escorted the distressed F/V Sassy Gal 120 miles southeast of Freeport to that port. On 18 March 1970, she towed the disabled F/V Little Paul 75 miles south of Port Aransas, TX, to safety. In May and June 1970, she assisted following an explosion and fire on an oil rig 10 miles off Galveston, TX.
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