USCG 65' Small harbor tug

The USCG 65' small harbor tug is a class of fifteen tugs used by the United States Coast Guard for search and rescue, law enforcement, aids-to-navigation work and light icebreaking. The tugs are capable of breaking 18 in (0.46 m) of ice with propulsion ahead and 21 in (0.53 m) of ice backing and ramming.^[2] They were designed with steel hulls to replace the 64 ft (20 m) wooden-hulled tugs that had been in service since the 1940s and were built by Gibbs Gas Engine Company, Jacksonville, Florida;^[3] Barbour Boat Works of New Bern, North Carolina;^[4] and Western Boat Builders Corporation, Tacoma, Washington^[5] from 1961 to 1967. They were originally powered by a single 400 horsepower diesel engine, however several have been re-powered with 500 horsepower main drive engines since they were constructed.^[1]

USCGC Bollard breaking light ice.
Class overview
Builders	Gibbs Gas Engine, 1961–1962 Barbour Boat Works, 1962–1963 Western Boat Builders, 1966–1967
Operators	United States Coast Guard
Preceded by	64 foot harbor tug
Built	1961–1967
In commission	1961–
Completed	15
Active	11
Retired	4
General characteristics (1961)
Type	Small harbor tug (WYTL)[1]
Displacement	74 tons
Length	64 ft 11 in (19.79 m)
Beam	19 ft 1 in (5.82 m) max
Draft	9 ft (2.7 m) max
Propulsion	(1) 400 hp diesel, single screw
Speed	10.6 knots max (1964)
Range	1,130 miles at maximum sustained speed of 10.6 knots 3,690 miles at 7.0 knots economic speed (1964)
Complement	5 men
Sensors & processing systems	SPN-11 (1964)
Armament	none

Ships

Name and hull number	Builder[6]	Commissioned[6]	Disposition or homeport
USCGC Capstan (WYTL-65601)	Gibbs	19 July 1961	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania[1]
USCGC Chock (WYTL-65602)	Gibbs	12 September 1962	Baltimore, Maryland[2]
USCGC Swivel (WYTL-65603)	Gibbs	27 October 1961	Decommissioned on 14 April 1995[Note 1]
USCGC Tackle (WYTL-65604)	Gibbs	1962	Rockland, Maine[1]
USCGC Towline (WYTL-65605)	Gibbs	27 March 1962	Decommissioned in 1995[Note 2]
USCGC Catenary (WYTL-65606)	Gibbs	April 1962	Decommissioned on 1 May 1995 [Note 3]
USCGC Bridle (WYTL-65607)	Barbour	3 April 1963	Southwest Harbor, Maine[1]
USCGC Pendant (WYTL-65608)	Barbour	August 1963	Boston, Massachusetts[1]
USCGC Shackle (WYTL-65609)	Barbour	7 May 1963	South Portland, Maine[1]
USCGC Hawser (WYTL-65610)	Barbour	17 January 1963	Bayonne, New Jersey[1]
USCGC Line (WYTL-65611)	Barbour	21 February 1963	Bayonne, New Jersey[1]
USCGC Wire (WYTL-65612)	Barbour	19 March 1963	Saugerties, New York[1]
USCGC Bitt (WYTL-65613)	Western	27 May 1963	Decommissioned on 4 October 1982[Note 4]
USCGC Bollard (WYTL-65614)	Western	10 April 1967	New Haven, Connecticut[1]
USCGC Cleat (WYTL-65615)	Western	10 May 1967	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania[1]