| Vessel Name: | Overfalls (LV118 / WAL539) |
| Built: | 1938 at Rice Brothers Shipyard, East Boothbay, Maine |
| Cost: | $223,900 |
| Mast: | Single |
| Dimensions: | Length 114′; beam (width) 26′; draft 13’4″, weight 422 tons. |
| Engine: | Single Cooper-Bessemer 400 hp, 8 cylinders with air starter. |
| Propeller: | Steel, 7′ 2″ diameter, gear-driven |
| Maximum Speed: | Nine knots (between 10 and 11 mph) |
| Primary Navigation Light: | Dual 375 mm electric lens lanterns located 57 feet above the water line and rated at 15,000 candle power (1,000 watts). Flashed every 3 seconds at night, visible for 12 miles on a clear night. |
| Fog Horn: | Dual air diaphones, switchable to single horn with a range of 5 miles, which would sound a three second blast every 30 seconds whenever visibility was less than two miles. |
| Radio Beacon (transmitter): | 25 mile range, which was synchronized with the fog horn (when in operation) so ships equipped with a radio direction finder could calculate the distance to the ship in obscure conditions. |
| Radar: | RCA surface unit installed 1943 with a range of 15 miles. |
| Anchors: | 7,000 pound mushroom type main, and 3,000 pounds auxiliary anchor. |
| Crew: | 14 men served 2 weeks on and one week off. |
| Fuel Capacity: | 12,400 gallons of diesel in 10 fuel tanks. |
| Fresh Water Capacity: | 6,500 gallons in 4 fresh water tanks. |
| Ballast Tanks: | 4 each with a total capacity of 10,000 gallons sea water. |
| Station Assignments: | 1938 – 1957: Cornfield Point (CT) 1958 – 1962: Cross Rip (MA) 1962 – 1972: Boston (MA) |
219 Pilottown Road
P.O. Box 413
Lewes, Delaware 19958
Phone: (302) 644-8050
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