ABOUT USCGC BAINBRIDGE ISLAND (WPB-1343)

BAINBRIDGE ISLAND is the 43`d "Island Class" cutter to join the fleet, and is named after Bainbridge Island, which is located in Puget Sound near Seattle, Washington. The island, once the private hunting ground for Chief Kitsap, was later named Bainbridge Island by Captain George Vancouver. Bainbridge Island combines the historic charm of lumber mills, strawberry fields and World War II military bases with the rural, pastoral ambiance that sets it apart from the bustle of downtown Seattle. Bainbridge Island supports a diversity of cultures that includes young families, singles and senior citizens.

The cutter was built by Bollinger Machine Shop and Shipyard in Lockport, Louisiana and is equipped with state-of-the art machinery and electronics. BAINBRIDGE ISLAND's design is based on the internationally known Vosper Thornycroft Patrol Boats of Great Britain. Her twin V-16 Caterpiller diesel engines move the ship at speeds in excess of 28 knots. Designed as a highspeed, heavy weather craft, BAINBRIDGE ISLAND also employs active-fin roll stabilizers to minimize ship motion and crew fatigue.

Although built primarily as a law enforcement platform, BAINBRIDGE ISLAND, like all Coast Guard units, is considered a multi-mission resource. From search and rescue to homeland security and international defense, this cutter and crew are ready and able to respond to any call.

BAINBRIDGE ISLAND is homeported in Sandy Hook, New Jersey and is part of the First Coast Guard District. This cutter normally operates in the waters from the Gulf of Maine to New York Harbor and engages in search and rescue, homeland security, and enforcement of fisheries regulations. Additionally, BAINBRIDGE ISLAND has been deployed to the Caribbean Sea for counternarcotics and alien migrant interdiction operations and to the Mediterranean Sea in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

CUTTER CHARACTERISTICS

Length - 110 ft
Beam - 22 ft
Draft - 7 ft
Displacement- 154 tons
Maximum Speed - 28 knots
Operational Range- 1800 miles
Unsupported Endurance - 5 days
Crew Complement - 2 officers, 1 CPO, 13 crew