USCGC Farallon
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 USCGC Farallon | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United States | |
| Name | USCGC Farallon |
| Launched | 27 August 1985 |
| Commissioned | 21 February 1986 |
| Decommissioned | 2016 |
| Identification |
|
| Status | decommissioned |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type | Island-class patrol boat |
| Displacement | 163 tons |
| Length | 110 feet (34 m) |
| Beam | 21 feet (6.4 m) |
| Draft | 6.5 feet (2.0 m) |
| Propulsion | 2 Paxman Valenta diesel engines |
| Speed | 29.7 knots |
| Complement | 2 officers, 14 enlisted |
| Armament | |
USCGC Farallon (WPB-1301) is the lead ship of the Island-class cutters of the United States Coast Guard. She was launched in 1985. Farallon spent most of her career fighting drug smuggling and illegal immigration into Florida and Puerto Rico. In 2015 she was transferred to Valdez, Alaska before being decommissioned in 2016.
The Coast Guard began a process to replace its aging Cape-class cutters in late 1982. It determined that there was an urgent need for a new class of patrol boats to police drug smuggling and illegal immigration, particularly in the Caribbean and Southeastern United States. In order to speed procurement and lower risks and costs, the Coast Guard required bids for its new Island-class cutters to be based on existing patrol boat designs, rather than brand new designs.[1]
On 11 May 1984 the Coast Guard awarded a $76 million contract to Marine Power Equipment Company of Seattle, Washington for the first 16 patrol boats.[2] Bollinger Machine Shop and Shipyard, Inc. of Lockport, Louisiana, the losing bidder, sued in Federal court to have the award overturned. Bollinger argued that Marine Power had violated the contracting rules by substituting 12-cylinder engines for the 20-cylinder engines in the "Parent Craft" that it based its submission on. The court agreed, and set aside Marine Power's contract.[1]
In August 1984 the Coast Guard awarded a $76.8 million contract to Bollinger for the first 16 cutters.[3][4] Its design was based on the Vosper Thornycroft Ltd. 33 metres (108 ft) patrol boat. Farallon was the first of these vessels produced. Her keel was laid on 26 December 1984,[5] and she was launched on 27 August 1985.[6]
Farallon has an overall length of 110 feet (34 m), a beam of 21 feet (6.4 m), and a draft of 6.5 feet (2.0 m) at full load. The patrol boat has a displacement of 163 tons at full load.[7] Her hull is constructed of high-strength steel, and her superstructure and main deck are constructed from aluminium.[6] The ship has twin active fin stabilizers. A stern flap was retrofitted during the 2000s to reduce hull friction and increase speed and fuel efficiency.[8]
Farallon is powered two Paxman Valenta 16 CM Diesel engines, each of which can deliver 2,880 brake horsepower.[9] These drive two 5-bladed fixed-pitch propellers which are 49.6 inches (1.26 m) in diameter.[10] At her maximum speed of 29.7 knots she has an unrefueled range of 900 nautical miles. Her range is 2,700 nautical miles at 12 knots.[6] One of the early challenges with this propulsion package was that her minimum speed was 9 knots, which was too fast to safely tow some small boats.[11][12]
She has two 99 kilowatts (135 PS; 133 shp) Caterpillar 3304T diesel generators for electrical power.[9]
Farallon was originally armed with a Mark-67 20mm gun which was later replaced by a Mark-38 25 mm chain gun. She also carries two Browning .50 Caliber Machine Guns.[6]
Farallon carries one 18-foot rigid hull inflatable boat with seating for 8 crew.[13]
The ship has berthing accommodations for 2 officers, 2 chief petty officers, and 12 enlisted crew, plus two extra personnel. Her potable water tanks hold 900 U.S. gallons (3,400 L), and she has a water maker aboard which can desalinate 600 U.S. gallons (2,300 L) per day. Her at-sea endurance is calculated at 5 days, but the ship routinely exceeded this in her patrols in the Caribbean.[9]
All of the Island-class cutters were named after American islands. Farallon's namesake is the Farallon Islands off the coast of San Francisco.[14]
