laststandonzombieisland

Coast Guard Section Southwestern New England recently shared these images of an engine haul-out from the 110-foot Island-class patrol boat, USCGC Sanibel (WPB 1312). Stationed at Woods Hole, MA, Sanibel is an early “A” series 110 that was equipped with two Paxman-Valenta 16CM diesels along with two 99 KW Caterpillar 3304T diesel generators capable of parallel operation. The big engines are hauled out on occasion for rework and to check the engine mounts and refit.

Built at Bollinger, Sanibel was commissioned in 1987, funded under a DoD Augmentation Appropriation, and has spent most of her career fighting with that cruel mistress, the North Atlantic, enforcing laws, conducting Homeland Security and defense missions and performing rescues. Among her other service, on 22 July 1999, Sanibel served as land-to-ship transport for members of the Kennedy and Bessette families for burial-at-sea services for John F. Kennedy, Jr.

Designed for a 20-year service life, Sanibel and the other earlier “off-the-shelf” 110s were given a SHIPALT that installed intermediate frames in-between her yard original ones and she will continue to serve well into her 30s.

Under Deepwater, all of the 110s were supposed to be replaced by 2009. But anyway…