Warship Wednesday March 28
Here at LSOZI, we are going to take out every Wednesday for a look at the old steampunk navies of the 1880s-1930s and will profile a different ship each week.
– Christopher Eger
Warship Wednesday, March 28
Here we have the 117-year old Harbor Cutter/Tug Spanky Pane on her way to be scrapped in November 2011 in Homer Alaska. (photo by Homer Harbor Master, to be published in Warship International)
Built in 1894 by Bells Steam Engine Works, Buffalo, NY
Commissioned as the US Revenue Cutter Calumet 18 October 1894
Transferred to the Navy during the Spanish American War
Returned to the Revenue Cutter Service, which in 1916 became the US Coast Guard.
Transferred again to the Navy 6 April 1917
Returned to the Treasury Department 28 August 1919
Renamed USCGC Tioga in 1934
Transferred to the Navy for a third time during World War II
Designated WYT-74
Decommissioned 14 October 1946
Sold 22 March 1947 to the New Haven Towing Co. of New York, NY and renamed John F. Drews
Sold in 1950 to the Whaling City Dredge and Dock Corp. of Groton, CT
Caught fire in 1950 off New Haven, CT in Long Island Sound while being towed to Groton, CT. Her wooden cabins and superstructure burned off. Rebuilt and converted to diesel
Sold in 1958 to C.A. Pitts General Contractor, Ltd. of Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Sold in 1962 to the Merritt-Chapman and Scott Corp. of Cleveland, OH
Sold in 1967 to the Dunbar and Sullivan Dredging Co. of Detroit, MI and renamed William J. Dugan
Renamed Spanky Paine
She was derelict in Homer Boat Harbor, Homer, AK for almost 20 years before being sent to scrap
After 117 years service in three centuries
Specifications:
Displacement 190 t.
Length 94′ 6″
Beam 20′ 6″
Draft 9′ 6″
Speed 13 kts.
Complement 14
Propulsion: One Babcock and Wilcox watertube boiler, one Compound reciprocating steam engine (converted to diesel engine in 1950), one shaft.
Armament- Carried a small gun during Spanish American War (probably a 6-pounder), and during WWI, the Rum Wars, and WWII most likely machine guns and small arms.
USRSC Calumet in 1914, note the USRCS flag, the volant eagle on her deckhouse, ornate scrollwork on her bow. This photo was taken almost 100-years before the one you see above. (USCG photo)
spanky paine was not a derelict vessel for the whole time she was in Homer Alaska, I conducted a after S.A.R boarding on the vessel after it ran into ruff weather west of Kodiak Alaska, I was stationed at the USCG Marine safety office in kodiak from 2000-2003 The young man running the vessel at the time had only a hand held vhs radio & also a hand held compass in the tiny unheated pilothouse. He stated he was hired to take the vessel to Bristol Bay. But after almost sinking in ruff seas he called the owner and quit. I do not recall who took the vessel back to Homer but she left under her own power.
L. Roberson