Ranger 85?

[pjstevko]

Anyone ever fish the Ranger 85 out of San Diego?

I'm trying to find a trip on either side of my 1.5 day trip at the end of July....

[Swami805]

I fished on it out of Channel Islands. It's was fine

[Porthos]

It's been a while but if the lower decks haven't been reconfigured...bunks only...no staterooms.

[stoked4fishin]

I fished a 2.5 day a couple of years ago.  Nice boat and crew.  Open bunks, not staterooms.

[Vintage Offshore Tackle]

Same hull as the Pacific Queen. Both are WWII ASR (Air Sea Rescue) boats built at the Fellows and Stuart boat yard in San Pedro California and still going strong 80 years later.

Here's more than you ever wanted to know about the history of the ASR from the UScrashbosts.org website:

 
"ASR 85s were the ultimate and fourth group of rescue boats and, in reports, often referred to as "Class II" boats. These boats were designed by Diar Long, the same person that had earlier designed the AVR-63. When Mr. Long considered the success of his AVR 63 ft. rescue boat he basically scaled up that design when the U.S. Army Quartermaster Corps asked him for a boat faster than the 104, larger than the 63 and with transoceanic capability.  These boats were delivered to the AAF in 1944-1945. In practical rescue operations, with a range of about 800 miles, they had an operational radius of about 400 miles.
 
The space originally required for the twin Chryslers, or Fords, may have been a contributing factor in determining that  the main engines for the 85s were twin Packard Marine 4M-2500s rather than three, which powered the PT Boats. However, the 85s were lighter and had a top speed of 35 knots even with only two engines. The boat was originally armed with  twin 50 caliber machine guns in each of two tubs, and a 20 mm Oerlikon anti-aircraft gun immediately aft of the engine room.  Most sources indicate that a total of 140 of these boats were built but production records show 141.
 
Those boats assigned to the Aleutian Islands and Alaska during WW II and North Korean waters were very uncomfortable, even when modified by their crews with plywood on the inside of the ribs to create a dead air space and much larger heaters to deal with the extremely cold conditions. The condensation dripping off the ceiling had a tendency to short out what little electronics that were on the boats. It should be pointed out that severe condensation was also an issue on submarines, especially the old S-boats, serving in arctic waters during WW II. Although 85 ft rescue boats were originally built with four heaters, those heaters were long gone by the start of the Korean War, as the boats had originally been assigned to warm climates where heaters were not needed.  Bob Frankovich recalls that during the Korean War he requested more than the standard 2 blankets for his crew as they were living aboard their 85 and it had no heat. The request was denied but he has able to requisition more mattresses so his crew slept in a "mattress sandwich". They wrapped themselves in the blankets and then slipped between the two mattresses that were stacked on each berth. Typically an 85 carried a crew of 12 men; one master; two engineers;  one first mate;  one navigator; one or two radio oprs. three A/B seamen; one oiler; one medical tach; and one cook.
 
AAF crash boats were decommissioned on a massive scale following World War II. The USAF finally decommissioned their crash boat units in 1956. They would also serve in many military arms of other nations.   Many boats ended up in private hands for use as yachts or commercial vessels.  Many others were used as targets and sunk. 
 
 Those in private hands were generally repowered with diesel engines due to the high cost of operation of the gasoline engines and the non-explosive nature of diesel fuel. An ASR 85 burned 140 gallons per hour of 87-91  octane avgas (some sources state the octane rating to be as high as 140) with both engines at 2000 rpms. The Operator's Manual mentions 91 octane, but only in passing.

 
 

[Bill B]

Wow Randy, great information.  Bill

[Gobi King]

Randy, thanks for the specs.

140 gal/hr
at 2000 rpm, I am guessing around 16 to 20 knots?

[El Pescador]

Randy,

An excellent write-up, you make studying boat design and construction REELY enjoyable!!!!

I updated your website post here:   

                       https://uscrashboats.org/

PJ???    have you booked the day on the Ranger 85 in SD???


Wayne

[sciaenops]

Thnx Randy great historical info.

Have not been on either even though they're battle tested top ops. They just look "uncomfortable" but maybe one day...

[CI_Seawolf]

The worst trip I ever took was on the Ranger 85 back in the fall of 1973.  My dad took me out in a Santa Ana event.  When we boarded the boat, there was already the smell of diesel in the bilge and below decks.  Seas were big and mixed swells got everybody sick that night.  As a young lad of 13, my dad hung on to my belt as I chummed over the side.  Green water over the front of the boat, spent most of the night heaving and sitting on someone's big wood tackle box on deck.  Cold, wet, exhausted I finally went down and slept in my rack until about 10:00 am.  We had made it out to San Miguel Island, and hardly anyone fished.  I got up and had some crackers and soup in the galley, the cook had the radio on, Love Her Madly by the Doors was playing.  I felt better and took my big gold Penguin Spinner up to the bow and pitched out a Hootchy Toad.   Caught a big Johnny bass...... the ride in was much better.  Even most of the crew got sick on that night.    That was back when CISCO ran at least 3 overnight boats every day  Ranger 85, China Clipper, Electra, and Coroloma.