Ultimate Wooden Boat

http://www.williammaloney.com/Aviation/PTBoat/index.htm

I'm a big fan of the Pt and thought I would share this site.

 

Pretty remarkable.

Were all PTs wooden?

 

Yes all the WW2 boats were wooden. In the US we had three primary builders: ELCO, HIGGiNS and Huckins. Some Vospers and ELCO kits were built in Annapolis MD. too.

All the Hulls were double layer Planks and on the ELCOs Aircraft fabric was glued in between the layers.

The Navy did order up an aluminum boat for testing but it didn't pan out.

 

During my service in the Italian Navy I was assigned to one of the 3 remaining Higgins built PT boats.
Also with a wooden hull, re-engined with 3 CRM W-18 engines, each developing 1,500 hp at 2,200 rpm and armed with 2-20 mm Oerlikon guns.
The stern of the boat was modified to look like a launch ramp and was being used to transport and launch the gear of the Incursori (the Italian Navy Seals).
The boat was otherwise similar in size and in layout to the Elco and much roomier and liveable that similar boats of the same vintage built in Italy.

 

I was watching a show on HD Theater - showed a guy named Van Dam, who builds some amazingly beautiful wooden boats. They look classic, but are modernized versions. Quite out of my price range though (I think his cheapest boat was around $250K)!

 

That is a fantastic story. I knew of some land lease arrangements with other countries after the war but I thought they were all 80 foot Elco boats. I have heard and read the same thing about the Higgins boats being a bit more user friendly.
I would love to hear more about your experience aboard the boats and would love to see any pictures if you have them.

 

I saw that show too- I have always thought that I would love to either restore an old wooden boat of actually buy the kits- I work with wood but .....not like Van Dam- his website is broken but you can still see some of his work.

 

I will try to dig out some pictures and will post them.
Like the Elco, the Higgins were also built with double mahogany planking with canvas in between.
The new engines were quite good, of Isotta Fraschini original design on triple banks (W) of 6 cylinders each and upgraded by CRM with fuel injection and superchargers.
Top speed was in excess of 45 knots.
I believe the Higgins were selected for the special role of transporting and launching the boats and gear of the Incursori, due to the fact they were quite beamy and therefore allowed for some good usable space aft of the engine skylights.
The three remaining boats were strategically located one in La Spezia, where the Incursori have their hadquarters, the second one was based in Ancona, on the middle of the Adriatic Coast and the third one was based in Brindisi on the South of the Adriatic Sea.
In those days the threats were mostly coming from Yugoslavia and Albania and the Italian Navy was always on the alert on the East Coast of Italy.
The other Torpedo Boats of the Italian Navy were instead armed conventionally with
2 X 40 mm bofors and 2 X 450 mm torpedoes.
Alternatively they could shed the aft 40 mm gun and the 2 torpedoes and carry depth charges instead.
The engines were the same 3 X CRM W 18 cylinders.
While the Higgins were planing hulls, the Baglietto were displacing hulls, thus speed was down a bit.

 

Sorry for the delay in getting back- Holidays are over and I am back to the grind. So I don't get online much during the week. I would love to see anything you can dig up!

 

Hello again,
I have found some pictures from my old files.
Unfortunately I do not know how to rotate them before uploading them.
However, if you have an Adobe Reader program, you can do it after you open them up.
The picture with a single boat is after the stern was modified.
The pictures with squad of PT boats and that of the boats escorting the Fletcher-Class destroyer are before the boats were modified.
These pictures are all late 60s early 70s vintage.
Regards,
Alfredo
View attachment Higgins # 443.pdf
View attachment Higgins squad.pdf
View attachment Destroyer with PT boats.pdf

 

Great stuff. Thanks.

What was the reason for the canvas between the wooden planking?

 

For decades after the war, several surplus PT boats were used as passenger ferrys from Bay Shore to the Villages on Fire Island, NY. I remember a buddy of mine used to water ski behind 1 or 2 of them. Now replaced, I have no idea what happened to them.

 

Alfredo,
Thank you so much for taking the time to find and scan those in. I truly appreciate it. Fantastic story as well.
Would you be opposed to me posting your pictures and story on a PT related forum I belong to?
Michael

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8tQP3s9DIQ

Here is a fantastic 3 part youtube series. The above link is the first one, the remaining 2 episodes are on the right.
The aircraft fabric was glued and ironed on the first layer, of mahogany, From my understanding it had to do with making the hull water tight and it added strength.
Seeing as the American Pts were powered by 3 Packard aircraft motors- they would sit up and do 45 knots.- I have read that they took a serious beating!

 

Most of them are gone. Just in the last year two of the last 80 foot elcos were cut up- they just couldn't be restored. The other issue is that there just doesn't seem to be the interest to restore them. No government funding. If I could I would re- do one in a heartbeat and retire on it! Just float around to all the boat shows and then catch a ride over seas to europe and tour there a bit!LOL

http://www.pt728.com/
This is Fleet obsolete, it is an organization that owns 4 boats and one is actually for sale. The bigger issue is that most parts have to fabricated and we are talking a 2 million dollar + cost on a restoration. Finding usable Packards and all the trimmings- very hard restoration project, plus the thing is 80 foot long.

In fact PT 728 was one of the original PT73s from McCales navy- the only US built Vosper left.


PT 658, Another Boat- a Higgins was restored out west by a mostly volunteer group or actual PT vets.
www.savetheptboatinc.com

 

in the early 60s in Melbourne their was a PT vosper built boat,the owner wad a large retail business that went broke in the early 60s.
Took the boat up to QLD and used it as a illegal floating casino,in those days the Australian water area limit was less then 40 odd miles,nothing could keep up with her.
When he died in the early 70s the boat was involved in lengthy litagation,sadly in a storm she broke in half and sunk.

 

I am not an expert on wooden hulls, but I believe the canvas had the double function of adding strenght and at the same time preventing moisture from seeping through.

 

Not at all Michael: I only wish I had better pictures.
Alfredo

 

Alfredo,
Once again, Thank you for your efforts- the pictures were fantastic. If you ever come across anymore or want to share anymore of your experiences, just PM me. I'm going to re-post your photos on my other board- they will get a kick out of your story and documentation.

Thanks again,
Michael