Photos
Photos of AVRs from around the Nation and World
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An AVR at flank speed in Navy Grey, circa 1943
Ten AVRs at Stockton, CA - ready to be transferred for civilian use, circa 1946
The 1940s AVR builders in Florida - circa 1942
Flank Speed US Navy AVR off the California West Coast, circa 1943
Inboard Plan, AVR 63
Port Quarter View, Navy Grey Underway, circa 1943
Aerial view of three AVRs underway, circa 1945
An AVR being transferred to the USSR as a patrol vessel, circa 1942
Five AVRs (four astern and one taking the photo) on sea trials, circa 1943
U.S. Sea Scout AVRs
Ship 40, SSSCaptain Chester T. Wruckeof Palo Alto, California (served 1948-1980)
Six Sea Scout AVRs
(L,R) Farallon, Tiger Shark, Revenge IV, Sea Witch, Compass Rose, Chaser
1984 AMR Rendezvous, East Garrison, Angel Island, San Francisco Bay, California
Sea Scout ShipTiger Shark
San Francisco Delta, circa 1969
Sea Scout ShipWinDee(akaSurf)
Sacramento Delta, Circa 1971
Sea Scout ShipRevengeIV
San Francisco Bay, California, circa 1972
Sea Scout Ships'Northland(outboard) andMarian J Baine(inboard)
Sacramento Delta, California, circa 1969
Sea Scout ShipSea Foxof Alameda (foreground) with the AVRNorthlandof Oakland (background)
Oakland-Alameda Esturay, California, 1965
Former Sea Scout Ships'Neptune,Farallon, andRevengeIV
Sacramento Delta, California, circa 2001
Sea Scout Ship Compass Rose,circa 1972
Sea Scout ShipSurf(akaWinDee)
Clockwise: At dock, Skipper on the fly bridge, At Sea Base. Circa 1969.
The AVRWinDeewas the first known AVR in the San Francisco Bay having been acquired from the US Navy in 1947.
Sea Scout ShipRevenge(akaPhoenix) at the Oakland Army Base, Oakland, California. Circa 1980
MORE SEA SCOUT AVR PHOTOS TO BE POSTED
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More AVRs
Beautiful re-conversion of an AVR to all original lines and configuration. Owned by Randy Cunningham of British Columbia
(Started life as the P-619, then Sea Scout ShipNorthlandof Oakland, CA and now back to here original namesake and re-conversion as the P-619)
An AVR at Glacer Bay, Alaska. Circa 2005
AVR Defenderat the Redwood City Harbor, April 2009
Note the ASR 85 in the background (akaInland Seas- one of my former charter skipper assignments in 1985). The fly bridge on this AVR will eventually be removed.
There are many more AVR photos to be posted ...stay tuned...
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Another photo of theP-619in "dressed ship" mode
Former Sea Scout ShipNorthland, theP-619cruises by another retired US Navy Destroyer, Circa 2008
AVR Society Vessel - Defender(aka Kihaku)
In the "dressed ship" colors for the annual South Bay Opening Day
4 April 2009, Redwood City Harbor, CA
Two Historic Ships:
Hawaiian Chieftain, ship of the mid 1850s (upper left corner)
and the
Defender, ship of the World War II 1940s
Painting of Palo Alto Sea Scout AVRCaptain Wrucke
by a Captain Wrucke Alumni, circa 1958
AVR Conversion - possible Florida or CA Delta vessel
AVR Conversion - former Sea Scout AVRSurf(akaWinDee)
San Francisco Delta, CA circa 1980s
Trailerable AVR!
The futureP-619being towed from the California Delta
toBritish Columbia, Canada, 2006
AVRDelta 63
(formerly Sea Scout AVRRevenge) undergoing restoration, circa 2001
P-619,ready for the move North, 2006
AVRs P-619and63 Delta, 2006. Cal. Delta.
Original WWII galley area - AVRDefender
Pilot House of the AVRDefender
Day Galley of the AVR Defender- formerly the area of the lower pilot house. However, the dog house is not the original design of AVRs - instead, the dog house has been moved forward, the shape is slightly different, and portholes instead of windows forward.
Port Side, midship quarters, AVRDefender. On the AVRCaptain Wruckethis was the galley area with a long counter that also housed an oven/stove combination and a deep sink and facet opposite the porthole. Cleaning dishes while looking over the other yachts at Avalon Harbor (Catalina Island) was one of the best views I ever had on galley duty.
Midships quarters - port side featuring a chest-of-drawers and a hanging locker. AVRDefender.
Before and After: pilot house of the formerNorthland(left) and the restored pilot house of theP-619
TheP-169at British Columbia - ready for night cruising, 2009.
Here is the original WWII USAAF (United States Army Air Force) Symbol that was covered over by the US Navy and later hidden under coats of white paint when serving with the Sea Scouts. Some sixty-eight years later, theP-619icon is reborn thanks to the labor-of-love owner and WWII historic preservationist, Randy Cunningham.
AVRVegawas refloated but sadly was eventually scrapped.
Sea Scout ShipTiger Sharkcruising up the inner harbor, Richmond, California, 1970.
AVRSkyVigilof Portland, Oregon, Circa 2006
Top and right: this is the Sea Scout ShipTridentcruising the San Francisco Delta in the Summer of 1973. Note the two crew members on the port quarter: one is likely a stern tow lookout and the other likely keeping him company. A tradeoff of enclosing the aft cockpit for more berthing below was less protected on-deck space for the crew. The Sea Scout AVRCaptain Wruckekept the original cockpit aft (an area I enjoyed using when off watch on the three-week run to San Diego and back) while theCaptain Wrucke'ssmall cutty-cabin forward of the cockpit provided berthing for six: two bunks opposite each porthole and two bunks below that were wide enough to berth two crew members each. In addition, looks like theTridentmounted a Con chair on the starboard side of the open bridge while the helmsman is at his midship steering station.
AVR Sea Scout Ship ASR 313 - Mark IV Design, built 1954
Kearny, New Jersey
Home Base: West Hudson Sea Scout Base
Photo: Harborfest, New York, 1978.
Vessel active with unit from 1972 until 1992 - now on the hard and under restoration as of 2008
Unit ASR 313 training with ROTC - 1984
Sea Scout Ship 1357 - an AVR Mark IV (aka Unit ASR 313)
West Hudson Sea Base, circa 1974
Photo sent in by WWII AVR veteran David Morgenstern
Part of David's training included a stint at the Berkeley Pier training site, 1943
David is front row, far left
Last active-duty NAVY AVR63 built in 1948 (5/2011)
CINCPAC Admiral's Barge
Pearl Harbor, Oahu
Photo and information thanks to Gordy Fowler of Honolulu Shipyard
CINCPAC ADMIRAL'S BARGE
USN, PEARL HARBOR, OAHU
AVR63San Juanout of Los Angeles, circa 1980s
AVR63 Dive Boat out of Los Angeles, California, Circa 1980s
In spite of all the superstructure, one can not hide the graceful hull lines of an AVR63!
Transom of Sea Scout Scout ShipRevengeIV
1980 Ancient Mariner Regatta, Government Island
Alameda, California
The new trailable AVR63 Series - NOT! (5/2011)
This is the AVR-C 9447 - formerly the AVR63Sky Vigilout of Newport, Oregon. The vessel has now been moved to Scappoose, Oregon under new ownership. Note the removal of the stern house as she is in the restoration process to return to its original design! Thanks to owner John H. Gresham for sending in these photos. Aye, another AVR63 being saved.
1941 South African AVR 63 Crash Boat - motor yacht style pilothouse
AVR 63 in the Disney movie Boatnik circa 1970 repainted for Coast Guard look, Newport Beach, CA
2012 - same AVR vessel as the one immediately above. She was anchored at Richardson Bay, Sausalito and formerly at the Valley Marina, California. I tried to save her but the new owners sold the vessel to an AVR wrecker who put the vessel ashore, stripped her of any usable equipment, and cut-up the hull. Sad end to a proud vessel.
2013 - the last Active Duty USN AVR 63 is an Admiral's Barge out of Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Great to know there is still one AVR 63 in the Navy. I had two uncles who were both Navy Pearl Harbor Survivors. It's fitting this World War II design still patrols "Pearl" all these years later.
Circa 2010: Sea Scout Ship Chaser of Napa, California. The vessel was going to be restored but the owner's plans changed. The Yard had the boat for sale for a while but no one stepped forward. The hull may have been too far gone and the vessel was stripped but this could have made for an excellent landship and meeting site. Sadly, money, space to put the vessel, and time conspired to seal yet another AVR to the chopping block. This was that proud AVR 63 that I observed in 1975 as her crew came in to San Francisco from Southern California and we left in our AVR 63 down bound to San Diego. Great vessel and an outstanding Skipper John Cluney and XO Mr. Young.
Circa 1943. Four AVRs on sea trials churning up the sea with their gas hallscott engines! Nice to see these boats getting on a plane!
1972 Sea Scout AMR Regatta at Government Island, Alameda California. Ten Sea Scout AVRs with the Captain Wrucke first vessel on the left and the Chaser, Revenge, Farallon, and Northland (all vessels that have been featured in other parts of this site) present too. Wonderful to see a fleet of AVRs back in the day!
USSR AVR 63 up to hull speed; circa 1943
