The ''Trenton'' was an auxiliary motor

pilot boat A pilot boat is a type of boat used to transport maritime pilots between land and the inbound or outbound ships that they are piloting. Pilot boats were once sailing boats that had to be fast because the first pilot to reach the incoming ship ...

built in

Essex County, Massachusetts Essex County is a County (United States), county in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Massachusetts. At the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, the total population was 809,829, making it the third-most populous county in the stat ...

for a company of New Jersey Sandy Hook pilots in 1907. She was formerly the fishing schooner ''Kernwood,'' designed by

Thomas F. McManus Thomas Francis McManus (September 11, 1856November 14, 1938) was a fish merchant who became a naval architect, who introduced a shortened bowsprit and long stern overhang to make his vessels faster. He was well known for revolutionizing the Glou ...

of Boston in 1904. As a pilot boat, she spent twenty-five years in pilot service before being placed out of service in 1934.

Construction and service

The pilot-boat ''Trenton'', No. 4, was an auxiliary motor pilot boat purchased for the New Jersey pilot service in late 1907. She was formerly the fishing schooner ''Kernwood,'' which they renamed ''Trenton''. Captain Herbert Thompson was captain of the schooner ''Kernwood'', that went out on her maiden voyage in June 1904. The ''Kernwood'' was designed by

of Boston and was built by Oxner & Story in

. The boat was 87 ft. in length, 83-tons, and had a round bow. Captain Charles O. Beebe was assigned to the pilot boat ''Trenton,'' and sailed to

Long Branch, New Jersey Long Branch is a beachside City (New Jersey), city in Monmouth County, New Jersey, Monmouth County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States census, 2010 U.S. census, the city's population was 30,719,< ...

on 10 October 1910, looking for incoming steamers. The ''Trenton,'' had a crew of six and six

Apprenticeship Apprenticeship is a system for training a new generation of practitioners of a Tradesman, trade or profession with on-the-job training and often some accompanying study (classroom work and reading). Apprenticeships can also enable practitioners ...

boys under the instruction of Captain Beebe. Captain Walter Earl, of

East Orange, New Jersey East Orange is a City (New Jersey), city in Essex County, New Jersey, Essex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 U.S. census, the city's population was 69,612. The city was List of municipalities in ...

was one of the pilots. Charles Beebe was the son of James D. M. Beebe, who sailed with his father, one of the best known pilots in the

New York Harbor New York Harbor is at the mouth of the Hudson River where it empties into New York Bay near the East River tidal estuary, and then into the Atlantic Ocean on the east coast of the United States. It is one of the largest natural harbors in t ...

. In 1931, in place of what was once thirty pilot boats, there were only three steam pilot boats, the ''Trenton'', ''New York'', and ''Sandy Hook'', remaining in the pilot fleet.

End of service

During 1934, the reserve pilot boat ''Trenton'', was judged unfit for pilot use and was replaced by the auxiliary schooner ''Wanderer''. On the November 22, 1934, the Trenton and two other boats, sailed from

New Bedford, Massachusetts New Bedford (Massachusett language, Massachusett: ) is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, Bristol County, Massachusetts. It is located on the Acushnet River in what is known as the South Coast (Massachusetts), South Coast region. Up throug ...

Cape Verde , national_anthem = () , official_languages = Portuguese , national_languages = Cape Verdean Creole , capital = Praia , coordinates = , largest_city = capital , demonym ...

Islands off the

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...

n coast with passengers of

Portuguese Portuguese may refer to: * anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Portugal ** Portuguese cuisine, traditional foods ** Portuguese language, a Romance language *** Portuguese dialects, variants of the Portuguese language ** Portu ...

and African descent. On December 29, 1934, the Trenton was the only boat that arrived safely at Cape Verde after a five week journey. On February 6, 1935, the Trenton struck a reef, which caused her to

capsize Capsizing or keeling over occurs when a boat or ship is rolled on its side or further by wave action, instability or wind force beyond the angle of positive static stability or it is upside down in the water. The act of recovering a vessel fro ...

. The crew on board were able to escape in lifeboats and reached land near

Dakar Dakar ( ; ; wo, Ndakaaru) (from daqaar ''tamarind''), is the capital and largest city of Senegal. The city of Dakar proper has a population of 1,030,594, whereas the population of the Dakar metropolitan area is estimated at 3.94 million in 2 ...

, a city in

West Africa West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of Africa. The United Nations defines Western Africa as the 16 countries of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, Maurit ...

References

{{List of Northeastern U. S. Pilot Boats Individual sailing vessels Schooners of the United States Service vessels of the United States 1904 ships Pilot boats Ships built in Essex, Massachusetts

Construction and service

End of service

See also

References