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ť Forum Name: PT Boats - General
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ť Topic: ELCO tow pennants
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A couple of questions on later (486 + boats).
The tow pennant is attached to the bow towing eye and appears to route up over the bow to the tow cleat., but where was the rest of the pennant stowed? There is a small hatch right there, but it appears to dog down. Was the a hawes pipe for the pennant or perhaps a notch cut into the hatch?
Thank you.
Jonathan

Posted By: JEno | Posted on: Nov 22, 2019 - 8:16am
Total Posts: 72 | Joined: Oct 13, 2019 - 9:52am

The small rope locker deck hatch lid was held down by a single wing nut so it was easy to open.

The manual Detail Specifications For Building Motor Torpedo Boats, March 1944 ([url]http://archive.hnsa.org/doc/pt/specs/[/url]) for PTs 565-624 shows the following:

[green]SECTION Y-3.
WARPING, MOORING, AND TOWING FITTINGS.

Welded steel towing pad and eye, hot dipped, galvanized, shall be fastened to the stem with inside blocking and brackets as required, complete with bridle and release mechanism and pendant for high speed towing.

The hawse pipe shall be of cast bronze and combined with bow light, and with eye fin for life lines and antenna mast stay to be fitted at stem head, with flanges to guard, and good deck pad, through bolted to breast hook.

One bow towing bitt, two forward fueling-at-sea bitts, two after towing bitts and 4 warping cleats shall be provided. A rope deck pipe of brass shall be located above chain locker. (See forepeaksection W-1.)

SECTION W-1.
COMPARTMENTS.

W-1-a. Forepeak.-The forepeak is accessible through removable watertight hatch in the collision bulkhead, and on port side of center line is fitted with a slatted rack of hardwood for chain and anchor rope with fore and aft partitioning as per plan. Starboard side shall have removable solid flooring for miscellaneous small gear. A brass rope deck pipe of ample size with removable cover and keeper chain will be located on port side above rope locker, and a bitter end eye plate for anchor line to be bolted low on the bulkhead. A drain flange with threaded cap to be placed on each side of sampson post and accessible from the after side of bulkhead. Side ceiling battens of hardwood in way of chain and locker rope.[/green]

Here's a clip from one of the drawings on Dick Washichek's Elco drawing DVD showing the towing gear setup:

Posted By: Jeff D | Posted on: Nov 23, 2019 - 6:18am
Total Posts: 2200 | Joined: Dec 21, 2006 - 1:30am

Jeff,
Thank you. Your reply answers some questions. Mostly I was wondering where the towing pennant would have been stowed. i am guessing, from the diagram, that it ran from the bow eye, thru the hawes pipe to the towing bit and was then coiled on deck. There is a lot of assumption on my part, but it seems to fit. I don't see where there was a hawes pipe to allow the tow pennant into the fore peak without crimping it.
Jonathan.

Posted By: JEno | Posted on: Nov 23, 2019 - 5:01pm
Total Posts: 72 | Joined: Oct 13, 2019 - 9:52am