USS Boothbay, later Grampus (YX-11)

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S.S. Boothbay circa 1917
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Class:        BOOTHBAY (later GRAMPUS) (YX-11)
Design:        Ferry, 1907
Displacement (tons):        334 gross
Dimensions (feet):        126.0' oa x 33.0' x 8.4' mn, 10.0' aft
Original Armament:        None
Later armaments:        --
Complement:        28 (1918)
Speed (kts.):        12
Propulsion (HP):        700
Machinery:        Vert. triple expansion, 1 screw

Construction:

YX	Name	Acq.	Builder	Keel	Launch	Commiss.
11	BOOTHBAY	6 Dec 17	Neafie & Levy	--	1907	14 Dec 17

Disposition:

YX	Name	Decomm.	Strike	Disposal	Fate	MA Sale
11	BOOTHBAY	11 Dec 30	30 Dec 30	1931	Sold	--

Class Notes:
This steel-hulled personnel ferry and small package freighter originally served the Eastern Steamship Corp. of Boston, Mass., from which she was commandeered by the Navy in late 1917 for service as a ferry between the Washington Navy Yard and the Naval Ordnance Proving Ground at Indian Head, Md. She was ordered delivered at the Boston Navy Yard 30 Nov 17 and was delivered and commissioned there in December. She was stationed at the Washington Navy Yard as a ferry for her entire Navy career, although she was listed as a tug in 1918 and 1919. Her name was changed to GRAMPUS by a letter dated 15 Nov 20.

This vessel was put in the "District Unclassified" category without a hull number when the Navy's standard hull classification scheme was implemented on 17 Jul 20. She was described as a "freight and passenger steamer" and was not classified YFB (ferryboat). In 1922 the Navy Filing Manual assigned the symbol YX-11 for filing correspondence relating to GRAMPUS, but unlike IX the YX numbers never became hull numbers. Three other "freight and passenger steamers" were on the District Unclassified list when it was established in July 1920 but they were gone before the YX file symbols were assigned in 1922. These were CLIO (ID-2279), GEORGE F. PIERCE (ID-648), and SAMOSET (ID-2000).

After her sale by the Navy in 1931 this long-lived craft served three owners under the name DEEPWATER between 1931 and 1944. The Navy acquired her again on 12 Apr 44 and classified her as YFB-53 for service as a ferry in the 3rd Naval District. At this time she was listed as measuring 140.0' x 33.0' with 650 HP. She was stricken from the Navy List on 21 Jan 46 and was returned to her previous owner on 22 Jan 46. Rebuilt with a diesel engine, she then served under the name LIBERTY with lines associated with the Statue of Liberty between 1946 and 1965 and then operated for the New Bedford Bay Lines under three names into the 1980s.

Ship Notes:

YX	Name	Notes
11	BOOTHBAY	Ex merc. BOOTHBAY (SP-1708, completed Jun 07). To GRAMPUS 8 Nov 20. Sold to the Buxton Line of Norfolk, Va., merc. DEEPWATER. To USN as YFB-53 12 Apr 44. Merc. DEEPWATER 1946, LIBERTY 1948, ISLAND QUEEN II 1965, PROVINCETOWN 1966, ST. THOMAS 1967, last in U.S. register 1981, unlisted 1989.