Any power boats that look similiar to a PT boat?

[dannc]

I remember reading, somewhat recently, of a guy that wanted to starting building PT boats again.

Anywho, I found this link which has some interesting information, PT Boats, Inc.- PT Boat Trivia.

Later,
Dan

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by Wind459

Hello, I'm from the sailing side of things and joined the forums not to long ago, I'm actually shopping around for liveaboard sailboats right now, but Im a history buff, and I was curious. Are there any boats designed for private use that look very similar to a PT boat from WWII, as I know most of them were destroyed its impossible to find one.

A Huckins is pretty close. Correct Craft made some pretty close to a short PT boat.

Before anyone says they only make small fiberglass boats, CC. They made a 48 two 50s and two 52s. Circa mid 1956.

[Rhwins]

The Army Air Force used PT like boats for air rescue- no torpedo tubes, but otherwise look the same. There are two here in Long Beach's Alamitos Bay, Calif. in the water. One has added on to the cabin-bridge.

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by Rhwins

The Army Air Force used PT like boats for air rescue- no torpedo tubes, but otherwise look the same. There are two here in Long Beach's Alamitos Bay, Calif. in the water. One has added on to the cabin-bridge.

I think they called the Air Sea Rescue boats.

[paulajayne]

How about this?

https://www.classifiedads.com/boats-ad181529132.htm

[Steadman Uhlich]

Originally Posted by Terra Nova

The hull on my last powerboat, a 48' Grandy Marlineer, somewhat resembled the PT, except for having beautiful tumblehome aft.

Nice looking boat! WOW! I would love to drive that around.

[Terra Nova]

SH--thanks. I did a MAJOR refit on it!

[Steadman Uhlich]

This Wikipedia article has lots of good info in it and includes the original test results for the Huckins, Elco, and Higgins boat designs with interesting comments on them.

Good article on one of my favorite boats from WW2!

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/PT_boat

Excerpt of what I especially found interesting about the designs:
________

The average speed results from the 185 nmi (343 km; 213 mi) course were: Elco 77-footer (PT-21), 27.5 kn (50.9 km/h; 31.6 mph); Higgins 76-footer (PT-70), 27.2 kn (50.4 km/h; 31.3 mph); Higgins MRB and Philadelphia Navy Yard boat (PT-8), 24.8 kn (45.9 km/h; 28.5 mph). Accelerometers were again installed in the pilot house of each boat, but the readings were incomplete because the violent motion of the boats made observations extremely difficult and in some cases necessitated abandonment of the observing stations. Further, many of those taken were beyond the normal range of the instruments and were considered inaccurate. Elco boats were found to pound heavily and confirmed previous reports of their discomfort.[9]

Board of Inspection and Survey's findings Edit

The Elco 77-Footer Design Demonstrates:[9]

Ability to make a maximum sustained speed of 39.7 knots; maximum speed 44.1 knots with heavy ordnance load.
Maneuverability satisfactory except for a large turning circle of 432 yards.
Space available for four 21" torpedo tubes.
Structural weaknesses resulting in transverse fractures of deck planking.
Tendency to pound heavily in a seaway.
Fittings and finish unnecessarily refined.
Cost to the Government fully equipped $302,100.
The Huckins 72-Foot Design Demonstrates:[9]

Ability to make a maximum sustained speed of 33.8 knots; maximum speed 43.8 knots with light ordnance load.
Maneuverability satisfactory with a turning circle of 336 yards.
Space available for two 21" torpedo tubes and ten 300 lb. depth charges.
Structural weaknesses resulting in fracture of bilge stringers.
Very little tendency to pound in a seaway.
Fittings and finish appropriate for a motor torpedo boat.
Cost to the Government fully equipped $263,500.
_________
The Navy Yard Philadelphia 81-Foot Design Demonstrates:[9]

Ability to make a maximum sustained speed of 30.7 knots; maximum speed 33.9 knots with light ordnance load.
Maneuverability unsatisfactory due to inability to reverse outboard engines with a large turning circle of 443 yards.
Space available for two 21" torpedo tubes and ten 300 lb. depth charges.
Structural strength is adequate.
Tendency to pound severely in a seaway.
Fittings (Navy standard for combatant ships) entirely too heavy and cumbersome for this type of craft. Finish adequate.
Cost to the Government fully equipped $756,400.

__________
The Higgins 81-Foot Design Demonstrates:[9]

Ability to make a maximum sustained speed of 31.4 knots; maximum speed 34.3 knots with heavy ordnance load.
Maneuverability satisfactory with a turning circle of 368 yards.
Space available for four 21" torpedo tubes.
Structural strength adequate.
Moderate tendency to pound in a seaway.
Fittings and finish satisfactory.
Cost to the Government fully equipped $206,600.


_________
The Higgins 76-Foot Design Demonstrates:[9]

Maximum sustained speed of 27.2 knots in rough seas; maximum speed 40.9 knots.
Maneuverability satisfactory, turning circle not determined photographically, estimated 300 yards.
Space available for four 21" torpedo tubes.
Structural weaknesses caused failures in transverse bottom framing, separation of side planking from framing and extensive failures of deck fastenings.
Moderate tendency to pound in a seaway.
Fittings and finish satisfactory.
Cost to the Government fully equipped $265,500.

________________

Board of Inspection and Survey's recommendations and opinions Edit
The Board arrived at the following recommendations:[9]

That the Packard power plant having been found highly satisfactory be adopted as standard for future construction.
That the ordnance installation of future motor torpedo boats consist of two torpedo tubes, machine guns and depth charges.
That the Huckins 78-foot (PT-69) design be considered acceptable for immediate construction.
That the Higgins 80-foot (PT-6) design suitably reduced in size to carry such ordnance loads as are required by our Navy be considered acceptable for immediate construction.
That the Elco 77-foot design be considered acceptable for future construction provided changes in the lines are made to reduce the tendency to pound in a seaway, and the structure be strengthened in a manner acceptable to the Bureau of Ships.
That the Philadelphia 81-foot boat (PT-8') be stripped of excess weight and be re-engined with three Packard engines.
The Board also had the following opinion on structural sufficiency: "During the first series of tests (July 21–24) the Huckins design (PT-69), the Philadelphia design (PT-8) and the Higgins design (PT-6) completed the open sea endurance run without structural damage. The Higgins 70' (British) boat did not complete this run because of engine trouble. The Higgins 76' (PT-70) and boats of the Elco 77' (PT-20 Class) developed structural failures even under moderate weather conditions prevailing. In the interval between the first and second test periods the PT-70 was repaired and an effort made to eliminate the causes of the structural failures. However, during the second endurance run, which was made in a very rough sea for this size boat, structural failures again occurred in PT-70. PT-69 and PT-21 experienced structural failures during the second run though these were much localized as compared with those found on PT70. The Board is of the opinion that certain changes in design are required to enable PT-69 and boats of the PT-20 Class to carry safely their military loads in rough weather."[9]
____________
Analysis of the "Plywood Derby" findings Edit

The Board results provided very important benchmarks in the infancy of PT boat development. This type of craft presented design challenges that were still issues decades after, but there are some significant conclusions from the above recommendations and their order of merit. Those are:[9]

The Packard engines were the engines of choice.
The Huckins 72-foot (PT-69) and a reduced Higgins 81-foot (PT-6) design were to be placed into production. Following an October 1941 BuShips conference and its new set of navy design requirements which included room to support four 21 in (53 cm) torpedoes and an upper length restriction of 82', the next two orders for pre-war PT boats (PT-71 through PT-102) were awarded to Higgins and Huckins.

Even though the Elco 77-footers posted the fastest speeds, all seven Elcos suffered from structural damage and severe pounding causing the Board to recommend a redesign to correct these deficiencies. Elco competed for the PT-71 to PT-102 contract but did not win due to their higher unit price. After the start of the war and significantly revising their unit cost, Elco received the next PT boat order after Higgins and Huckins. This was to be their new Elco 80-foot design.

Elco and Higgins PT boats, as published in a 1945 training manual

Elco
The Elco Naval Division boats were the longest of the three types of PT boats built for the Navy used during World War II. By war's end, more of the Elco 80 ft (24 m) boats were built (326 in all) than any other type of motor torpedo boat.

The 80-foot wooden-hulled craft were classified as boats in comparison with much larger steel-hulled destroyers, but were comparable in size to many wooden sailing ships in history. They had a 20 ft 8 in (6.30 m) beam. Though often said to be made of plywood, they were actually made of two diagonal layered 1 in (25 mm) thick mahogany planks, with a glue-impregnated layer of canvas in between. Holding all this together were thousands of bronze screws and copper rivets. This type of construction made it possible for damage to the wooden hulls of these boats to be easily repaired at the front lines by base force personnel. Five Elco Boats were manufactured in knock-down kit form and sent to Long Beach Boatworks for assembly on the West Coast as part of an experiment and as a proof of concept.

_______

[roverhi]

You sure don't want to pay the fuel biil for those Packard engines. 2490 cu in, 1500hp of supercharged gas guzzling power and there were 3 of them.

The rescue boats had two engines, Detroit 6-71 diesels in the one I helped deliver as a target for the missile range on Kauai from Honolulu. Not particularly fast and something like 50' IIRC.

[Cadence]

I was aboard an ASR when about 7, 66 yrs. ago. It seems the power was a pair of 671 quads. A good set up since any engine could be taken off line for repair or maintenance and three of either set could remain in service. As I recall, those hulls were the first of cold molded plywood.

It is a shame Elco went out of business after the war when General Dynamics bought the yard, but the demise of wooden boats was on the horizon.

[zeehag]

chris craft and stevens both built pt boats. which ye want?? good article on elco. seems there were a few builders of pt boats. another cool boat is the navy captains gig.

[jmschmidt]

I'm confused, you started by saying you're a sailor but then shifted to buying PT boat.

Anyway, when I moved to Hawaii nearly fifty years ago there were several PT hulls in the state that were used as private yachts. I don't know how they were powered, I doubt if it was by the original Rolls-Merlin's at 50+ gals per hour per engine. I think there might be a couple still around. Good luck. If I see a PT hull with a mast I'll know it's you.

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by zeehag

chris craft and stevens both built pt boats. which ye want?? good article on elco. seems there were a few builders of pt boats. another cool boat is the navy captains gig.

I'm not sure what you are referring to as a Capt,s' gig. A whale boat up to a 50' utility boat? Maybe a whale boat with a cabin? I believe I had seen one of those.

[FilBrown]

Originally Posted by sharppractice

one at gunwharf quay Portsmouth UK. Also privately owned one at Kemps Quay on the river itchen southampton...

This is the one at Gunwharf in Portsmouth however it's not a fast boat only baking a top speed of 12 knots.

[PhiSig1071]

I would say Huckins is your best bet. They've been in business since 1928, and they built PT boats during the war. When I worked for Sea Tow in Jacksonville I used to go by their boatyard pretty regularly, they're beautiful boats.