PT Boats on History Channel...
10-15-2002, 02:27 PM
#21
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Iggy, there is an old ELCO pleasure boat up near me.
I have never heard of anyone else knowing that builder before! You certainly know your history!!
There was also a converted PT by the name of "Firebird" from here.
Last time I saw them, I was boating in the Bahamas & they were tied up to commercial dock with several 4 & 6" pump hoses sticking out of it.
They were crossing the gulf on the way to the Bahamas at night & they think they hit a submerged container.
They came inches away from the water getting over the deck before the USCG dropped pumps to them.
I never saw the boat again but heard it was in South FL
I have never heard of anyone else knowing that builder before! You certainly know your history!!
There was also a converted PT by the name of "Firebird" from here.
Last time I saw them, I was boating in the Bahamas & they were tied up to commercial dock with several 4 & 6" pump hoses sticking out of it.
They were crossing the gulf on the way to the Bahamas at night & they think they hit a submerged container.
They came inches away from the water getting over the deck before the USCG dropped pumps to them.
I never saw the boat again but heard it was in South FL
10-15-2002, 02:33 PM
#22
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I just found a web site with pics of the VA PT boats!!!!!
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/mandm/ptva.htm
Check it out
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/mandm/ptva.htm
Check it out
10-15-2002, 03:07 PM
#23
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That's them.
They were purchased for a yet to be made movie and will be destroyed in filming.
They are Vietnam era Fast Patrol Boats (PTF) "Nasty" class.
Length 80'4", beam 24'7", weight 75 tons, speed 43 knots, engines twin 3100 hp 18 cylinder (36 piston) diesels, fuel 6100 gal..
Pics were taken this year...
They were purchased for a yet to be made movie and will be destroyed in filming.
They are Vietnam era Fast Patrol Boats (PTF) "Nasty" class.
Length 80'4", beam 24'7", weight 75 tons, speed 43 knots, engines twin 3100 hp 18 cylinder (36 piston) diesels, fuel 6100 gal..
Pics were taken this year...
Last edited by Iggy; 10-15-2002 at 03:25 PM.
10-16-2002, 12:36 PM
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I just heard back from the guy with the PT boat web site. He said the VA boats were recently moved & may be having some work done to them.
It figures, they have been there for 15-18+ years & right when I get interested, there gone.
I have been toying with the idea of picking up one or two of them & rebuild one to military standards (of that time) with help from an investor.
It figures, they have been there for 15-18+ years & right when I get interested, there gone.
I have been toying with the idea of picking up one or two of them & rebuild one to military standards (of that time) with help from an investor.
10-16-2002, 01:02 PM
#27
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One of the web sites I saw yesterday had a list of boats that were for sale. Prices were high and one site mentioned approxomately what a restoration costs, 750K+.
Most of the boats out there won't have the original superstructure and will require major rebuilding. One boat (80' ELCO) was fully restored right down to the engines (very rare!!). The engines are a big problem. I don't think there's any Packard Marine engines left outside of a museum. Installing diesels is an option but it won't perform anywhere's near what it used to.
Those PTF's in VA. had twin 3100 horse (very temperamental) diesels that went out of production almost 30 years ago. What would you use?
They're out there, keep looking.
Most of the boats out there won't have the original superstructure and will require major rebuilding. One boat (80' ELCO) was fully restored right down to the engines (very rare!!). The engines are a big problem. I don't think there's any Packard Marine engines left outside of a museum. Installing diesels is an option but it won't perform anywhere's near what it used to.
Those PTF's in VA. had twin 3100 horse (very temperamental) diesels that went out of production almost 30 years ago. What would you use?
They're out there, keep looking.
10-16-2002, 01:11 PM
#28
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Crazyhorse,
Not 100% sure if Packard made a merlin but most merlin motors were made by Rolls-Royce, had the chance a few years ago to see a Lancaster Bomber with 4 merlins the last flyable one do some high speed low fly passes and to say the sound was awesome would be a understatement.
Not 100% sure if Packard made a merlin but most merlin motors were made by Rolls-Royce, had the chance a few years ago to see a Lancaster Bomber with 4 merlins the last flyable one do some high speed low fly passes and to say the sound was awesome would be a understatement.
10-16-2002, 01:24 PM
#29
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The Packard Marine engine was based on the Liberty Aircraft engine from WWI and the Allison aircraft engine looked similar to the Rolls Royce Merlin but vastly different on the inside.
Pic of Packard Marine engine...
Pic of Packard Marine engine...
10-16-2002, 01:40 PM
#30
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WANTING TO BUY A P.T. BOAT ?
PT Boats, Inc., has attempted to keep up with these boats; but they have changed hands many times in over fifty years. At one time headquarters had reports of over 40 boats that we believed were different hulls, In 1996-97 three were known to be for sale. Prices ranged from $90,000 to $200,000.
Any one looking for a PT should not expect to find one that looks like it did during the war. These boats have been heavily converted. Essentially, one would be purchasing a hull and many of the hulls have been cut down to 65 feet.
For comparison, PT Boats, Inc., completed the restoration of Elco 617 in 1985 at a cost of $700,000. These 1987 dollars put the boat on static display. Putting a PT back in the water would cost even more.
Building your own PT replica is possible. PT Boats, Inc., has a collection of factory blueprints and microfilm reproductions. Copies can be purchased. The list is available by regular mail, not email.
Some information is several years old.
Prices are not guaranteed.
PT Boats, Inc. does not sell boats.
PT 615 Elco - Philadelphia, Flagship III, $90,000 or $125,000, maybe more. Box 2621, Lincoln Univ. PA 19352. Coated with fiberglass.
PT 761 80' Elco - Jacksonville FL, Taurus V, approx $200,000 Bob Whyte, 904 241-8131. Contract pending as of 3/20/02.
PT 801 78'Higgins - Argentine Navy, $20,000, gutted. Hull reportedly strong in 1995-96. Beached in Tiera del Fuego. Reports are over 5 years old.
PT 8 - Ray Tyler, Franklin LA 800 269-9382. $1mil, includes trailer. Restored and operational. Registered in LA.
MTB 69?- 70' probably Vosper, but owner says it's Higgins that took part in Anzio. No superstructure, 2 diesels. No leaks. Altered above and below deck. L50,000 worth of work. May have some original instruments. $35,000. May have changed hands. Report about 9 yrs old.
Tim Oakes, 70 St. Peters Street, St. Albans, Herts, AL1 3HG, Great Britain
ASR - P 581 - Army rescue/crash boat. Tom Ziol, Miami, $45,000. High Country Development LLC, 954 785-3881.
PTF - General Propulsion, Palm Springs CA, 760 770-4333. Several PTFs in Chesapeake area.
PBR Mark I - available from Naval Historic Center. [email protected] 202 433-7874
If you acquire any of the above, please inform seller where you got info and let PT Boats, Inc. know, so we can update our records.
Other PTs are owned privately and by non-profit groups, 3.12.2002
Today roughly 18 US PTs have been located. These boats are in various states of repair and disrepair. PTs 617 and 796 are on static display in Newberry Hall, the PT Boats Inc. museum at Battleship Cove. Restoration of 617 cost over $700,000 and was completed in 1985. 796 restoration was finished in 1975 at a lesser cost. These two boats are on the National Historic Landmark Registry.
PT 309 was bought by the Admiral Nimitz Museum, Fredericksburg Texas in 1995 and is currently cradled near the battleship Texas outside Houston.
PT 658 was given to a group in Oregon in 1994; they are working to restore the boat.
A Vosper, PT 728, has been reconfigured to look like an Elco and is currently in Key West where it is operational. A few others are on the market.
Many PTs were auctioned and otherwise disposed of after the war and have been greatly modified. Many have been chopped to 65 feet. Some have had their deck lowered; most have had the original charthouse/bridge removed. Packard engines were replaced with diesels except in museum restorations.
PT Boats, Inc., has attempted to keep up with these boats; but they have changed hands many times in over fifty years. At one time headquarters had reports of over 40 boats that we believed were different hulls, In 1996-97 three were known to be for sale. Prices ranged from $90,000 to $200,000.
Any one looking for a PT should not expect to find one that looks like it did during the war. These boats have been heavily converted. Essentially, one would be purchasing a hull and many of the hulls have been cut down to 65 feet.
For comparison, PT Boats, Inc., completed the restoration of Elco 617 in 1985 at a cost of $700,000. These 1987 dollars put the boat on static display. Putting a PT back in the water would cost even more.
Building your own PT replica is possible. PT Boats, Inc., has a collection of factory blueprints and microfilm reproductions. Copies can be purchased. The list is available by regular mail, not email.
Some information is several years old.
Prices are not guaranteed.
PT Boats, Inc. does not sell boats.
PT 615 Elco - Philadelphia, Flagship III, $90,000 or $125,000, maybe more. Box 2621, Lincoln Univ. PA 19352. Coated with fiberglass.
PT 761 80' Elco - Jacksonville FL, Taurus V, approx $200,000 Bob Whyte, 904 241-8131. Contract pending as of 3/20/02.
PT 801 78'Higgins - Argentine Navy, $20,000, gutted. Hull reportedly strong in 1995-96. Beached in Tiera del Fuego. Reports are over 5 years old.
PT 8 - Ray Tyler, Franklin LA 800 269-9382. $1mil, includes trailer. Restored and operational. Registered in LA.
MTB 69?- 70' probably Vosper, but owner says it's Higgins that took part in Anzio. No superstructure, 2 diesels. No leaks. Altered above and below deck. L50,000 worth of work. May have some original instruments. $35,000. May have changed hands. Report about 9 yrs old.
Tim Oakes, 70 St. Peters Street, St. Albans, Herts, AL1 3HG, Great Britain
ASR - P 581 - Army rescue/crash boat. Tom Ziol, Miami, $45,000. High Country Development LLC, 954 785-3881.
PTF - General Propulsion, Palm Springs CA, 760 770-4333. Several PTFs in Chesapeake area.
PBR Mark I - available from Naval Historic Center. [email protected] 202 433-7874
If you acquire any of the above, please inform seller where you got info and let PT Boats, Inc. know, so we can update our records.
Other PTs are owned privately and by non-profit groups, 3.12.2002
Today roughly 18 US PTs have been located. These boats are in various states of repair and disrepair. PTs 617 and 796 are on static display in Newberry Hall, the PT Boats Inc. museum at Battleship Cove. Restoration of 617 cost over $700,000 and was completed in 1985. 796 restoration was finished in 1975 at a lesser cost. These two boats are on the National Historic Landmark Registry.
PT 309 was bought by the Admiral Nimitz Museum, Fredericksburg Texas in 1995 and is currently cradled near the battleship Texas outside Houston.
PT 658 was given to a group in Oregon in 1994; they are working to restore the boat.
A Vosper, PT 728, has been reconfigured to look like an Elco and is currently in Key West where it is operational. A few others are on the market.
Many PTs were auctioned and otherwise disposed of after the war and have been greatly modified. Many have been chopped to 65 feet. Some have had their deck lowered; most have had the original charthouse/bridge removed. Packard engines were replaced with diesels except in museum restorations.
