Yonkers Fireboat Feature In FAJ

[x635 4,066]

Check out this months (Jan/Feb '05) Fire Apparatus Journal for a feature on Yonkers FD Fireboat 1.

[JBE 328]

Ahhh tis a nice boat, ain't it?? A former USCG(much like myself) 41 foot Utility Boat. Powered by two Cummins VT-903 Turbo charged Diesel Engines with a pto driven pump rated at (I think) 250 gpm. Top speed of 30 knots(Approx. 35 MPH). Twin fixed pitch 13 inch props. Deep V planing hull. Draft of 4' 1" if I remember correctly. Normal crew of 3, Coxswain, Engineer, Crewman. Max Range of approx. 300 miles. Built in the early to mid 70's and slowly being phased out. Yours truly had the opportunity to be a crewman/engineer on CG 41300, the first one built of approx 210??

I would presume the monitor is now prepiped, whereas we had a 3 or 4 inch line supplying it. the monitor could be stowed in the void of the bow, and attached to the front tow bitt, which is where the anchor chain and line was stored. It was cool, you could pull the cap off the tow bitt and there was the anchor chain attached to it by a hook. There's a bracket adjacent to the towing reel for a barrel that carried the portable dewatering pump. The steering linkage was just aft of the towing bitt, and could be easily taken apart with the push of a button if the rudder got jammed. Just have to be careful with the strainers because if you improperly seat the cap to the strainer, you will burn out the freshwater cooling and smoke the muffler. It's also got a nifty little valve that pumps hot water from the exhaust into the freshwater intake so it doesn't ice up.

If I remember correctly, it can carry 17-21 passengers on top of the crew, and has ample space below decks to accomodate 6 seated people. The only drawback is that engine room is tight and royally cramped, the engines and fresh water cooling systems leak like sieves and the bilges fill up quick.

Not bad for a guy who took his last ride on one of these things almost ten years ago. By any chance, did they mention where it was last stationed before being retired by the CG?? And if I am not mistaken, NRPD has one as well.

[billfitz 109]

The Boat was stationed at South Portland - Maine and routinely saw duty off of Kennebunckport when President Bush was in town