White-class buoy tender

The White-class buoy tender is a class of buoy tenders of the United States Coast Guard. Eight ships of the YF-257-class lighter were transferred from the United States Navy and were in commission from 1947 until 2002.^[1]

USCGC White Bush
Class overview
Name	White class
Builders	Niagara Shipbuilding Co. Basalt Rock Co. Erie Concrete & Steel Supply Co.
Operators	United States Coast Guard  Tunisian National Navy  Dominican Navy
Preceded by	Eagle class
Succeeded by	Casco class
Built	1944-1945
In commission	1947-2002
Planned	8
Completed	8
Lost	1
Retired	7
General characteristics
Type	Buoy tender
Displacement	600 t (591 long tons)
Length	132 ft 10 in (40.49 m)
Beam	30 ft 0 in (9.14 m)
Draft	8 ft 9 in (2.67 m)
Installed power	2 × shafts 3 × rudders 600 bhp (450 kW)
Propulsion	As built: 2 × Union diesel engines 1974: 2 × Caterpillar D-353-E diesel engines
Speed	10.5 kn (19.4 km/h; 12.1 mph)
Range	2,450 nmi (4,540 km; 2,820 mi) at 10.5 kn (19.4 km/h; 12.1 mph) 2,830 nmi (5,240 km; 3,260 mi) at 7.5 kn (13.9 km/h; 8.6 mph)
Complement	1 warrant, 20 crewmen (1947)

Design

According to her Ship's Characteristics Card dated August 30, 1965, the White-class buoy tenders were 132 feet 10 inches in overall length; 132 feet in length between perpendiculars; 30 feet 9.75 inches in extreme beam; 15 feet 8 inches in depth of hold; 6 feet 2 inches in draft forward fully loaded; and 5 feet in draft forward with a light load. Their one mast was 48 feet tall. The vessel displaced 600 tons and had a maximum speed of 9.2 knots (17.0 km/h; 10.6 mph) fully loaded. Their hulls, superstructure, decks, bulkheads, and frames were constructed of steel.  Auxiliary boats in 1965 included a fiberglass outboard and three seven-man inflatable lifeboats.  In 1965, they had original diesel engines built by Union Diesel Engine Company, Oakland, California, with two propellers, 300 horsepower (220 kW) each, and two auxiliary diesel generators.^[2][3]

They underwent a major renovation at the United States Coast Guard Yard in Curtis Bay, Baltimore, Maryland during the 1960s and 70s. These modifications included updated equipment to improve her AtoN capabilities. Before decommissioning, White Pine's length was 133 feet; beam, 31 feet; and draft, 8 feet. Her displacement tonnage was listed at 606 gross tons and her mast height as 37.5 feet. She had a lifting capacity of 20,000 pounds, using two hydraulic pumps. She had twin Caterpillar diesel engines, 375 horsepower each, twin propellers, and Detroit Diesel auxiliary generators. Cruising capacity was 10 knots. Her maximum time out to sea was twenty days at 8 knots. Her complement of officers and crew was 26.^[3]

Ships in the class

White-class buoy tender
Hull no.	Name	Builder	Laid down	Launched	Commissioned	Decommissioned	Fate
WAGL-540 / WLM-540	White Sumac	Niagara Shipbuilding Co.	1942	1943	19 September 1947	1 August 2002	Transferred to Dominican Republic as Capotillo (BA-2), 2002
WAGL-541 / WLM-541	White Alder		1942	1943	19 September 1947	-	Sank after collision on 7 December 1968
WAGL-542 / WLM-542	White Bush	Basalt Rock Co.	1943	1944	11 August 1947	16 September 1985	Returned to US Navy as USS White Bush (IX-542), 1985
WAGL-543 / WLM-543	White Holly		3 August 1943	8 April 1944	1 December 1947	30 September 1998	Sold to merchant service as MV White Holly, 1999
WAGL-544 / WLM-544	White Sage	Erie Concrete & Steel Supply Co.	29 March 1943	19 June 1943	9 August 1947	7 June 1996	Donated to merchant service, 1999
WAGL-545 / WLM-545	White Heath		4 June 1943	21 July 1943	9 August 1947	31 March 1998	Transferred to Tunisia as Turgueness (A-805), 1998
WAGL-546 / WLM-546	White Lupine		1943	1943	5 September 1947	27 February 1998	Transferred to Tunisia as Tabarka (A-804), 1998
WAGL-547 / WLM-547	White Pine		12 June 1943	28 August 1943	3 August 1948	29 June 1999	Transferred to Dominican Republic as Tortuguero (BA-1), 29 June 1999

References

• This article contains public domain text from the United States Coast Guard Historian’s Office website.
• http://www.uscg.mil/history/WEBCUTTERS/NPS_133_HAER_Report.pdf
• Cutter History File. USCG Historian's Office, USCG HQ, Washington, D.C.
• Robert Scheina. U.S. Coast Guard Cutters & Craft, 1946–1990. Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press, 1990.
• U. S. Department of the Interior. National Park Service. U.S. Coast Guard 133-foot (41 m) Buoy Tenders. HAER booklet. Washington, DC: National Park Service, February, 2004. [ HAER no. DC-57; Todd Croteau, HAER Industrial Archeologist (project leader); Jet Low, HAER Photographer; Mark Porter, NCSHPO Consultant (historian), and Candace Clifford, booklet design. ]

1. "U.S. COAST GUARD 133-FOOT BUOY TENDERS" (PDF). Washington: U.S. Department of the Interior National Park Service. February 2004.
2. L. Scheina, Robert (1990). U.S. Coast Guard Cutters & Craft 1946- 1990. Annapolis: Naval Institute Press.
3. Detail specifications for building freight and ammunition lighters (self-propelled) YFs 335-341, 415-421, 443-454 for the United States Navy. Washington: Government Printing Office. 1943.