The Stockton Youth Activities was specifically incorporated in 1991 to start up the old Stockton Sea Scout ship. The first Stockton Sea Scout ship was called the Albatross. The Albatross was formed in 1929 and designated as Ship 13. The unit did well even during World War II. All of the crew members old enough to join the Navy signed up to fight in the war. One of them was a young Sea Scout by the name of Vernon Anderson. Unfortunately, he was killed in action. His fellow Sea Scouts then decided to rename their ship the Vernon Anderson in his memory. The ship did well until 1976 when all interest was lost and the unit disbanded. In 1991 interest was regained again when Commodore Bob French saw the need for a ship in the Stockton area. Stockton Youth Activities, Inc. was specifically formed by him to revitalize Ship 13.

In April of 1992 the largest Sea Scout base in the world was obtained by that organization. Soon afterwards we found and obtained an 82 foot vessel just like the point class Coast Guard cutters. We named it the Reliance. We found the ship at the Naval Weapons Research Station in Port Hueneme, CA. The Reliance was in rough shape when we got her. After much work and refitting, we cruised the new Ship 13 to Stockton in June of 1992. We then found an even larger vessel for our program.

We have purchased a new and improved Sea Scout vessel for our unit (Ship 13 of Stockton, CA). This new ship was 180 feet in legnth and was built in 1942 for the U.S. Coast Guard as an oceangoing bouy tender. The ship cost $952,103 to build in 1942. She was completely refitted by the Coast Guard at a cost of $4.2 million. We cruised this new ship 180 foot vessel while the Morris Project continued.

Our new vessel was the largest operational Sea Scout ship in the world. The ship was large enough to carry multiple Sea Scout units at the same time. Unfortunately, it turned out to bee too large and costly to operate. We had to eventually get rid of it.

The preliminary design of this vessel was initiated by the U.S. Lighthouse Service prior to its amalgamation into the U.S. Coast Guard. The final design was made by the Marine Iron & Shipbuilding Corp. of Duluth, MN. For the first time other features were added to bouy tenders. This particular ship was also designed to participate in search and rescue operations. This meant that the beam to length ratio was reduced to increase vessel stability and the bows were narrowed to increase speed. Icebreaking capabilities were also incorporated into the design. The ship's endurance was increased, and the superstructure was modified for this. The deckhouse was extended to the sides to icrease the livable space. Our particular ship was re-engined with two EMD 8-645 diesels for more speed. These engines produce electricity to power a single motor which in turn rotates the main shaft and propeller. A 200 horsepower bow thruster was installed to help increase maneuverability. The ship has an endurance of 12,000 nm at a speed of 15 knots.

This vessel was named the Cutter Sorrel while in the Coast Guard. She was home ported on the East Coast of the U.S. in Baltimore, MD. when we acquired the vessel. We had many work parties on board our new ship while we prepared her for the long cruise to our base. We have successfully cruised her to our Stockton, California base via the Panama Canal in 2000.

The new Reliance is equipped with an icebreaking hull.

Sorrel Coast Guard Record

Cutter SORREL History:

Built by Zenith Dredge Co., Duluth, MN. Keel laid on 26 May 1942, launched on 28 September 1942, and commissioned on 15 April 1943. 18 Mar 1943 to 25 Jul 1947 stationed in Boston, MA, and used for aids to navigation and icebreaking, frequently working out of Argentina, Newfoundland; 25 Jul 1947 to 25 Oct 1948 stationed at Rockland, ME, and used for aids to navigation and icebreaking, frequently working out of Argentina, Newfoundland; 8 Dec 1948 freed the USS Whitewood from ice at 60* 00' N, 45* 54' W; 25 Oct 1948 to 1 May 1954 stationed in Boston, MA, and used for aids to navigation and icebreaking, frequently working out of Argentina, Newfoundland; 23 - 24 Oct 1950 rescued eight survivors from the MV North Voyager at 45* 40' N, 52* 17' W; 29 Nov 1951 assisted following a collision between the MV Ventura and the FV Lynn near Boston, MA; 12 Jun 1952 assisted FV Sunapee at 41* 42' N, 66* 37' W; 20 - 21 Jul 1952 towed the disabled FV Richard J Nunan to Portland, ME; 19 Feb 1953 towed the disabled FV Geraldine and Phiyllis; 14 - 15 Mar 1953 towed the disabled FV Neptune from 42* 10' N, 66* 35' W to Boston, MA; 4 Apr 1953 towed the FV John J Nagle from 43* 15' N, 68* 47' W to Portland, ME; 25 Apr 1953 assisted FV Serafina off Boston; 9 - 10 Sep 1953 escorted distressed FV St. Anthony to Boston, MA; 16 Nov 1953 fought a fire on the FV Jane and Patricia; 23 Nov 1953 assisted the FV California at 41* 54' N, 69* 55' W; 18 - 19 Dec 1953 towed FV Adelek to Portland, ME; 1 May 1954 to 1 Jul 1965 stationed in Sitka, AK, and used primarily for aids to navigation; 12 - 13 Sep 1956 assisted the FV Valencia near Sitka, AK; 18 Jun 1958 assisted the FV Guardian 120 nm west of Sitka, AK; 10 - 11 Jul 1958 assisted at Lituya Bay and Yakutat Bay following an earthquake; 9 Jun 1959 towed FV Galina to Kodiak, AK; 10 Jul 1959 assisted the FV Edrie in Lisianski Inlet; 6 apr 1961 medevaced crewman from MV Martha Bakke; 22 Oct 1962 assisted in the rescue of 102 survivors after the diching of a DC-7 at 1 nm north of Biorka Island in Sitka Sound, AK; 5 Jun 1963 unsuccessfully searched for survivors of a Northwest Orient Airlines crash; 1 Jul 1965 to 18 Apr 1973 stationed in Seward, AK, and used primarily for aids to navigation; 13 Sep 1966 assisted towing the distressed FV Jo Ann to Cordova, AK; 6 Nov 1967 fought a fire at Shelter Cove, AK; 4 Nov 1969 medevaced two crewmen following a fire on the FV Koshin Maru 5; 11 Feb 1970 towed the disabled FV Mermaid to Ketchikan, AK; 21 Nov 1970 medevaced a crewman from the FV Lee Ann to Seward, AK; 18 Apr 1973 to 31 Mar 1976 stationed in Cordova, AK, and used primarily for aids to navigation; 31 Mar 1976 to 1982 underwent a major refit at the Coast Guard Yard in Curtis Bay, MD; 2 Dec 1982 to 1990 stationed at Governors Island, NY, and used primarily for aids to navigation and icebreaking; 21 Jun 1996 decommissioned; 28 Jan 2000 purchased by Stockton Youth Activities, Inc. for use in Sea Scouting.