Looking for any info a 63' wooden rescue that some CG stations had possibly in the 50's, early 60's. These boats looked like a smaller PT boat. Station Manasquan NJ had an old areial photo with a 63' Aviation Rescue Boat, possibly a Navy model mark IV, R-37A. Growing up in Kearny NJ with the Sea Scouts we had a 63 from 1970 till 1993, hull #1357. Any info on any style of 63 would be welcome! Thanks! Glenn, MK1-Ret
Looks like a torpedo retriever, my brother owned one named "the losers" that they dived off of and morred in Gloucester, Ma. Nice wooden boat! Almost sank on thier maiden voyage bringing it up from Conneticut. I think they put into Scituate with the help of the Coast Guard. The first of many rescues of them by the guard. The boat had quite a reputation in the gloucester area for its general shabby condition and for flying a rebel as well as a pirate flag. This was all in the early seventies. Peace, Dick
I've done all the internet searches and have quite the extensive library on the 63 footers and at last count the CG received 12 or 15 of them but no records! The Army Air Force, Air Force, Army, and Navy all had them at one time or another. The only Definite CG involvement I came up with is in the Disney film "The Boatnicks", however also have been told that the CG 63xxxx was a movie prop. Any other info/help on photos? Thanks again! Glenn
I've got a photo somewhere of an AVR 63 footer that the Navy gave us to coordinate with jap ballons drifting to the U.S. USCGAS San Diego, time frame 1943-44. Also used it for photo on off-shore landing experiments with JATO and PBM-3C. I believe it had 2 Hall Scotts and burned AvGas. As a right arm rate on an air station I got to drive it a couple of times before I made ACOM.
One of the builders and designers was Miami Shipbuilding. The company is no longer there but the building still is, not far from D7. A search for Miami Shipbuilding or maybe Miami Ship Building may help.
Hi All! Just found out that my boat, the USAF R-37A-1357 was assigned to Wurtsmith AFB in Osconda Michigan from 1954 to 1956. Aquired by the Army Corps of Engineers in 1960 and rebuilt as a Water sampling boat (and party boat). My Sea Scout unit bought it in 1972, sailed untill 1993. Now she's being rebuilt again in Kingston New York to run with the PT's there. Glenn
Originally posted by fiszotcg: Looking for any info a 63' wooden rescue that some CG stations had possibly in the 50's, early 60's. These boats looked like a smaller PT boat. Station Manasquan NJ had an old areial photo with a 63' Aviation Rescue Boat, possibly a Navy model mark IV, R-37A. Growing up in Kearny NJ with the Sea Scouts we had a 63 from 1970 till 1993, hull #1357. Any info on any style of 63 would be welcome! Thanks! Glenn, MK1-Ret
