The 85' Vista started its long and varied history in 1944 in the Wilmington boatyard. It was one of many built as ASRs (Air-Sea Rescue) for the Army Air Forces. It was equipped for its primary mission to rescue downed airmen with smoke screen equipment and motors that let it reach up to 40 knots. After WWII, it spent a period as a Coast Guard boat before being converted to use as a private yatcht. Next the Marine Sciences Institute used it as a floating classroom in the SF Bay for many years until they custom-built a larger replacement. Now the boat has returned to being a private vessal again and is slowly undergoing renovation. Below are a few pieces of the boat's history (graphic quality is poor due to repeated copying over the years). If you have any questions about the boat, contact us via email:
|
 |
 |
A copy of the original instruction manual from 1945.
|
A page from the manual. Shows how the boat was configured before conversion to a private yatcht in the 1960s. |
 |
 |
The boat during its years as the Inland Seas.
|
Owned by the Marine Sciences Institute, the Inland Seas took school groups out on the SF Bay for educational science fieldtrips. |
 |
An old newspaper clipping about another Wilmington Air-Sea Rescue boat - notice how it appears intact after landing on the highway during a storm. Built to be dropped 30 feet from aircraft carriers in the middle of the ocean, this is one sturdy boat. Another Wilmington ASR had ten feet of its nose clipped off by a freighter but managed to limp back into port. Ironically, the boats probably weren't too safe to be on while in operation in WWII due to the tremendous amount of fuel they carried in order to reach speeds of 40 knots. They were basically floating firebombs (but with bullet-sealing tanks as a precaution). Today, the Vista uses diesel fuel and has lighter engines (twin Detroit Diesal 671's). |
