Wilmington in New Hanover County, North Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)
26-foot Motor Whaleboat, Mark II
| — | U.S.S. North Carolina | — |
Photographed by Brandon D Cross
1. 26-foot Motor Whaleboat, Mark II Marker
Length 26 feet
Beam 7 feet 5 inches
Draft 30 inches
Displacement 8,850 pounds
Speed 7 knots with full load
Fuel capacity 28 gallons
Range 110 nautical miles at full power and full load
Engine Buda, 4-cylinder diesel, 25 horsepower @ 1,430 RPM
Capacity 22 persons based on an average 165 pounds each, including clothing and life jacket
While the Navy built thousands of these small wooden boats, only a few survive today. It served as a utility boat transporting and picking up personnel, supplies, and mail. Two were on the Battleship during the war.
One boat was an "open" version like the one on display and was used for daily duties. It also served as a lifeboat and as a crash boat for emergencies involving the ship's float planes.
The second boat served as the captain's boat. It had two canopies, one in front and one in back where the captain sat.
About this Whaleboat
This whaleboat was found in California in 2003 and given to the Navy Museum. It was in poor shape. The Friends of the Battleship North Carolina provided the funds to restore the whaleboat
this page online
The Harvey W. Smith Watercraft Center, affiliated with the North Carolina Maritime Museum, Beaufort, NC, began work in 2005. Using a set of drawings from the Navy Museum, a team gutted the interior, removing everything that was not original. They repaired and replaced individual hull boards and then restored the interior.
Cape Fear Community College Engine Shop reworked the Buda engine while their Welding Shop designed and constructed a cradle for transporting and displaying the whaleboat.
In the meantime, a tiller, chocks and other parts arrived in Washington, DC, from California and were delivered to the Watercraft Center. At the end of September 2006, the restored whaleboat was placed on exhibit.
(captions)
Loan courtesy the Department of the Navy
Replacing the shaft in the 26-foot motor whaleboat,
Erected by Friends of the Battleship North Carolina.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: War, World II • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical month for this entry is September 2006.
Location. 34° 14.179′ N, 77° 57.237′ W.
Photographed by Brandon D Cross
2. 26-foot Motor Whaleboat, Mark II Marker
Regionally, this marker is in North Carolina’s Coastal Plain and on the Cape Fear Coast. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Upper South, in the Tidewater, and on the Eastern Seaboard. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the original Thirteen Colonies, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: 40MM Anti-Aircraft Guns (a few steps from this marker); 5-Inch 38 Caliber Twin Gun Mount
Photographed by Wikipedia Commons
3. 26-foot Motor Whaleboat, Mark II
via Naval History and Heritage Command, 1944
4. USS North Carolina (BB-55), 1941-1961
Naval History and Heritage Command
Click for more information.
Click for more information.
Credits. This page was last revised on May 13, 2025. It was originally submitted on May 4, 2025, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida. This page has been viewed 608 times since then and 258 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on May 4, 2025, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida. 4. submitted on May 13, 2025, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York. • J. J. Prats was the editor who published this page.
