U.S. Coast Guard 110' Island Class
Anchor Bay 111

The 110-Foot Island Class is beautiful and sleek, but don’t let her smooth lines fool you. This vessel saves lives! Our artistic replica of the U.S. Coast Guard Patrol Boat TYBEE (WPB 1330), honors the brave crew and heroic escapades of the original vessel, stationed in San Diego, California.

You may recall the opening scene in the movie, "Clear and Present Danger." A brave U.S. Coast Guard crew descended on an abandoned yacht, maneuvered towards the vessel and secured the bobbing ship for investigation. Officers bounded to and from the yacht, conducting an investigation into the missing passengers and crew. The riveting scene would not have been the same without TYBEE in the leading role.

TYBEE and her crew performed magnificently, portraying the investigation in a true to life manner, following official rules and regulations while denying requests for maneuvers that would have gone against command. In turn, the Patrol Boat and its crew were sharp and professional in the movie, presenting a confident and accurate portrayal. 

If you are a fan of the hit television drama "The West Wing", you may have also seen TYBEE’s star shining once again! Millions of viewers saw the Shibboleth episode, a captivating story that highlighted the U.S. Guard’s involvement in alien migrant interdiction operations. The Patrol Boat added drama, excitement and realism to the scene, raising the public’s interest in our nation’s nautical division of the Armed Services.

Despite its movie and television stardom, TYBEE and its crew also have a “day job”! In fact, several incidents off the San Diego coast have spurred TYBEE into action. Whether the task is Search and Rescue, towing for disabled ships, tracking a Navy stealth boat, supporting the U.S. Customs Service or controlling traffic during the World Cup Sailing Races, the Patrol Boat gets the job done!

Crewmen received a Coast Guard Meritorious Team Commendation in 2000 for the perilous rescue of two persons from the P/C MESA DORA. The thirty-seven foot pleasure vessel had lost its anchor and was being repeatedly swept against the rocks on South Coronado Island, Mexico in wind gusts of 40 knots. The keel was ruptured, the hull was split along the entire port beam, and the shaft and propeller seals were flooding rapidly. TYBEE closed the ten nautical mile distance in 20 minutes despite 30-knot winds and ten-foot seas. The coxswain piloted a small powerboat, floating mere feet away from the dashing rocks, as the hypothermic passengers were loaded aboard. The expedient and well-trained crew saved two lives, then went on to supervise salvage efforts.

The 110-Foot Island Class TYBEE is a noble vessel currently patrolling the waters near San Diego, much to the relief of mariners. But the real “star” of TYBEE is its crew!