Blunts Reef Lightship LV83 WAL508

YEAR BUILT: 1904

BUILT AT: Camden (NJ)

BUILDER: New York Shipbuilding Co

APPROPRIATION: $90, 000

CONTRACT PRICE: $85,000

SISTER VESSELS: LV 78,79,80,81,

DESIGN: Steam screw; steel hull; 2 steel masts

with wood spencers; stack amidships

LENGTH: 129'0" (loa); BEAM: 28'6";

DRAFT: 12'6"; TONNAGE: 668 displ

PROPULSION: Steam - one compound reciprocating engine,

16" and 31" bores x 24" stroke, 325 IHP;

2 boilers 9'3" dia x 16'4" long, 100 psi; propeller

79" dia; max speed 9 knots; also rigged for sail

ILLUMINATING APPARATUS: Cluster of 3 oil lens

lanterns raised to each masthead

FOG SIGNAL: 12" steam chime whistle; hand operated 1000 lb bell

CONSTRUCTION NOTES - MODIFICATIONS - EQUIPMENT CHANGES & IMPROVEMENTS: LV 83-
1906: Submarine bell signal installed-
1906: Fitted with special submersible

mooring buoy (see LV 69 for earlier use)-
1918: Equipped with radio-
1922: Equipped with radiobeacon-
1930: Illuminating apparatus converted to electric operation-
1930: Submarine bell discontinued-
1932: Fog signal changed to steam diaphragm horn (Leslie 17" typhon)-
1934: Fog signal changed to air diaphone; radiobeacon synchronized with fog
signal for distance finding-
1945: Fitted with detection radar-
Radio and visual call sign NMGF (1940-1960)

STATION ASSIGNMENTS: LV 83/WAL 508
1905-1930: Blunts Reef (CA)
1930-1942: San Francisco (CA)
1942-1945: Examination Vessel, WWII

1945-1951: San Francisco (CA)
1951-1960: Relief (West Coast)

(1942-1945: during WWII withdrawn from station

and based at San Francisco as examination vessel;

no armament provided. Classed as "YN" - net tender during the period)

HISTORICAL NOTES: LV 83-
Delivered late 1904 or early 1905 (date not found)-
1905: Feb 14, cleared New York

for San Francisco in company with LV 76. Capt
Robert Quinton commanded LV 76,

Capt E.M. Trott commanded LV 83 and designated
senior Master for the voyage. Each Master "was furnished instructions,
credentials, and means for prosecution

of his voyage to the Pacific Coast."
(Date of arrival at San Francisco not found)-
1906:Placed on Blunts Reef (CA) off Cape Mendocino-
1906: Dragged off station in heavy storms Nov 3-7, Dec 9ã11-
1907: Dragged off station in heavy

storms Jan 6ã8, Feb 24ã27, Mar 22-25,
Jun 19-28; off station for repairs during April-
1915: Jan, during a storm registering

110 mph winds, dragged 2 mi off station-
1916: Jun 15, between 0145 and 0330,

155 people were taken aboard the lightship;
being the passengers and crew of the

steamer BEAR, stranded in dense fog nearby;
people later transferred to other vessels in the vicinity-
Remained assigned to Blunts until i929-
1929:Assigned to San Francisco until 1942 when withdrawn during WWII-
1945: Reassigned to San Francisco

station until 1951, then assigned Relief duty
until 1960

RETIRED FROM LIGHTSHIP DUTY: 1960; AGE: 54

SUBSEQUENT DISPOSITION: Decommissioned Jul 18, 1960;

donated Oct 1, 1963 to Northwest Seaport, Seattle WA

for use as floating museum, marked RELIEF;

currently being restored; one of 3 oldest surviving lightships

and the oldest on the West Coast; retains original steam propulsion system

COMMANDING OFFICERS: LV 83 / WAL 508

1905-?: E M Trott, Master
1905-1906: Nicolas Lawrence, Mate
1906-?: Thomas Jobson, Mate
?-1915: Owen F Fisher, Mate
1915-1917: August Nilson, Mate
?-1917: Henry C Pierotti, Master 1917-19i8 John B Sorensen, Master
1917-1918: John J Coleman, Mate
1918: Herman Arendt, Mate
1918-1920: Herman Arendt, Master
1918-1919: Ole S Christensen, Mate
1919: James J Kleher, Mate
1919-1920: William Canrinus, Mate
1920-?: Olaus Strom, Mate
1920-?: Peter E Henriksen, Master
1935-1941: Thomas Curtis, Master

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