USS California (SP-647) -- later known as USS SP-647 -- was originally a motorboat

Motorboat

A motorboat is a boat which is powered by an engine. Some motorboats are fitted with inboard engines, others have an outboard motor installed on the rear, containing the internal combustion engine, the gearbox and the propeller in one portable unit.An inboard/outboard contains a hybrid of a...

 used by the San Francisco Bar Pilot’s Association as a pilot boat

Pilot boat

A Pilot Boat is a type of boat used to transport pilots between land and the inbound or outbound ships that they are piloting.-History:The origins of the word pilot probably disseminates from the Latin word pilota, a variation of pedota, the plural of pēdón which translates as oar...

. She was leased by the Navy, and outfitted as an armed patrol craft, assigned to patrol and protect San Francisco harbor. At war’s end, she was returned to the pilot’s association.

A California pilot boat

California, a 58' 2" motorboat, was built in 1910 at San Francisco, California

San Francisco, California

San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...

, for local employment as a pilot boat. She was leased from the San Francisco Bar Pilot's Association and commissioned in the Navy as USS California (SP-647) on 28 April 1917.

World War I service

The fourth ship to be so named by the U.S. Navy, California (No. 647), served Section Patrol duties during the war. Later renamed USS SP-647, the motor boat performed harbor patrol duties and acted as guard boat for Pier 29 at San Francisco until 23 November 1918

Decommissioning

California (No. 647) was returned to the San Francisco Bar Pilot's Association on 23 November 1918.

Additional photos

The San Francisco Maritime Museum, located in the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park

San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park

The San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park is located in San Francisco, California, USA. The park includes a fleet of historic vessels, a visitor center, a maritime museum, and a library/research facility...

, holds additional photographs of the pilot boat California in its Livingston Collection.