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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

Dart (YFB-308)

Built by Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, CA

Laid down, 06 April 1899

Launched, 28 February 1900

Sponsor - Miss Margaret Fechteler, daughter of Lieutenant Augustus F. Fechteler, aide to Rear Admiral Louis Kempff, Commandant of Mare Island

Built at a cost of $15,000.00

Placed in service at Mare Island as Dart, 09 April 1900

Designated Yard Ferryboat (YFB-308), 17 July 1920

Placed out of service, 20 September 1930

Transferred to Department of Commerce for service with US Lighthouse Service

Placed in service as buoy boat Locust, 1931

Assigned to 18th Lighthouse District at San Francisco, 1931-1954

Renamed Locust (CGB-8) with merger of USLHS into US Coast Guard, 1939

Numbered CG-72013-D, circa 1943

Decommissioned, 30 December 1954

FInal disposition, fate unknown

Specifications:
Displacement unknown
Length 71' 10"
Beam 16' 7"
Draft unknown
Speed unknown
Complement unknown
Armament none
Propulsion unknown

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description	Contributed By
Dart (YFB-308)
	562k	*Dart* on the building ways at Mare Island, circa 1899. Naval History & Heritage Command photo NH 70606	Darryl Baker
	80k	*Dart* ready for launch at Mare Island, 28 February 1900. Navy Yard Mare Island photo	Darryl Baker
	2307k	Launching of *Dart, 28 February 1900, at Mare Island Navy Yard. Mare Island Navy Yard photo*	Darryl Baker
	85k	*Dart* at the end of the ways during her launching at Mare Island, 28 February 1900. Navy Yard Mare Island photo	Darryl Baker
	156k	Miss Margaret Fechteler, assisted by her father, LT Augustus F. Fechteler, christens the ferry launch *Dart* at Mare Island, 28 February 1900. Navy Yard Mare Island photo	Darryl Baker
	531k	*Dart* underway off Navy Yard Mare Island, circa 1900. National Archives photo 19-N-19-24-5	Darryl Baker
	68k	Broadside view of *Dart* at Navy Yard Mare Island, circa 1904. Mare Island Navy Yard photo	Darryl Baker
	208k	Stern view of *Dart* docked on the Vallejo side of the Mare Island straits, 01 August 1904. Mare island Navy Yard photo 379, 8/1/04.	Darryl Baker
	162k	*Dart* and Pike (Submarine No. 6) forward of and the civilian ferry Vallejo aft of Bennington (Gunboat No.4) in Drydock No. 1 at Navy Yard Mare Island, Vallejo, CA., 9 May 1905. The ship to *Bennington's starboard is also unidentified as well as the ship beyond the drydock at anchor. Mare Island Navy Yard photo*	Darryl Baker
	1012k	Real photo postcard of *Dart, taken while serving as a ferry between Vallejo and Mare Island Navy Yard, sometime before World War One. Naval History and Heritage Command photo NH 85733, courtesy of Alfred Cellier, 1977*	Darryl Baker
1435030813	115k	*Dart* underway, circa 1917-1918. Note her name and duty painted prominently on the bow.	Dave Wright
	743k	Dart (YFB-308) underway in Mare Island Channel, 1918. City of Vallejo is in background, with Southern Pacific Ferry *El Capitan* (1868-1925) at the docks. Naval History & Heritage Command photo NH 54643	Darryl Baker
	133k	Caption reads: "4131 Dept. PW. US Navy yard, M.I. Cal. Driving dolphins for relocation of *Dart* at outboard end of Montana (BB-51) ways. Yard Labor, allotment 124-3." Note: The two gaged masts of the *USS California* (BB-44)** being outfitted at Mare Island at the time can be seen in the background (left). A large number of four pipe destroyers can also be seen in the background. Shipyard log of 3/17/21 indicates that there were 24 destroyers at the yard at this time. Mare Island Navy Yard Public Works photo #4131	Darryl Baker
	180k	Tug operations and dispatch area at Mare Island Navy Yard with the main yard building ways in the background. Tugs Navigator (YT-39) [twin stacks] is inboard of Lively (YT-14) and to the right of these two tugs is the *USS Vigilant* (YT-25)*. Yard ferries Leslie* (YFB-7) and Dart (YFB-308) are to the right. The Tug Masters’ office is the house on the legs of the building ways overhead crane. The scaffolding on the building ways behind and below this office is the scaffolding for construction of the Montana (BB-51). The book A Long Line of Ships states that construction of the Montana was cancelled February 8, 1922 and it took another year to complete the scrapping of the ship. Based on this information this photo was probably taken from early 1922 to the middle of 1923. Photo from the collections of the Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum	Darryl Baker
Locust (CG-72013-D)
	809k	Ex-Dart (YFB-308) in service as Coast Guard buoy tender Locust (CG-72013-D), date and location unknown. United States Coast Guard photo	Dave Wright