USCG Coastal Buoy Tender
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The United States Coast Guard commissioned a new Keeper-class of coastal buoy tenders in the 1990's that are 175 feet (53 m) in length and named after Lighthouse keepers.
These vessels and the 225 feet (68 m) Juniper class of seagoing buoy tenders replaced the World War II era 180' Seagoing Buoy Tender.
They were the first Coast Guard cutters equipped with Z-drive Azimuth thruster propulsion units instead of the standard propeller and rudder configuration. They are designed to independently rotate 360 degrees. Combined with a thruster in the bow, they give the Keeper-class cutters a lot of maneuverability.
With state-of-the-art electronics and navigation systems including Dynamic Positioning System (DPS) which uses a Differential Global Positioning System, and electronic chart displays — these buoy tenders maneuver and position aids more accurately and efficiently with fewer crew.
The following 175-foot WLMs in Service (as of 2006):
| Cutter | Homeport | Namesake |
|---|---|---|
| USCGC Ida Lewis (WLM-551) | Newport, Rhode Island | Ida Lewis |
| USCGC Katherine Walker (WLM-552) | Bayonne, New Jersey | Katherine Walker |
| USCGC Abbie Burgess (WLM-553) | Rockland, Maine | Abbie Burgess |
| USCGC Marcus Hanna (WLM-554) | South Portland, Maine | Marcus Hanna |
| USCGC James Rankin (WLM-555) | Baltimore, Maryland | James Rankin |
| USCGC Joshua Appleby (WLM-556) | St. Petersburg, Florida | Joshua Appleby |
| USCGC Frank Drew (WLM-557) | Portsmouth, Virginia | Frank Drew |
| USCGC Anthony Petit (WLM-558) | Ketchikan, Alaska | Anthony Petit |
| USCGC Barbara Mabrity (WLM-559) | Mobile, Alabama | Barbara Mabrity |
| USCGC William Tate (WLM-560) | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | William Tate |
| USCGC Harry Claiborne (WLM-561) | Galveston, Texas | Harry Claiborne |
| USCGC Maria Brey (WLM-562) | Atlantic Beach, Florida | Maria Brey |
| USCGC Henry Blake (WLM-563) | Everett, Washington | Henry Blake |
| USCGC George Cobb (WLM-564) | San Pedro, California | George Cobb |
[edit] See also
[edit] Bibliography and further reading
- Putnam, George R., Lighthouses and Lightships of the United States, (Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1933).
- United States Coast Guard, Aids to Navigation, (Washington, DC: U. S. Government Printing Office, 1945).
- United States Coast Guard, Aids to Navigation Historical Bibliography.
[edit] External links
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