US Army Bridge Erection Boat (BEB)

Ships, Boats, Small Craft, Patrol Craft, Landing Craft, Amphibious Tracked Military Vehicles, Wanted, For Sale (NO AUCTION or EBAY) and Knowledge Base
User avatar
lowbonnet
G-Brigadier General
G-Brigadier General
Posts: 2173
Joined: Fri Dec 13, 2002 11:56 pm
Location: Holland

US Army Bridge Erection Boat (BEB)

Post by lowbonnet » Wed Aug 29, 2007 1:47 pm

At a dealer I saw an tugboat that exist of two halfs. The front and the back (with the huge engine). It looks like an US navy tug and I think it is made from aluminium. I think it is 8 meters long.

Does anyone know what type of tug this is? any pictures?
Last edited by lowbonnet on Tue May 27, 2008 2:03 am, edited 1 time in total.
June 1942 Ford GPW (script)
Transportation Equipment Co. T1, 1/4 ton trailer


User avatar
petesilfven
G-General
G-General
Posts: 8933
Joined: Tue Mar 09, 2004 2:07 pm
Location: Dearborn, MI

Post by petesilfven » Mon Sep 03, 2007 9:06 am

It's a ponton bridge erecting boat. Made in two pieces for easier transport.
MVPA 21473, GLMVPA
USN 1959-65 USS GALVESTON CLG3
NRA Benefactor Member

User avatar
tipdog
G-Lieutenant Colonel
G-Lieutenant Colonel
Posts: 1191
Joined: Wed Jun 02, 2004 4:44 pm
Location: SF Bay Area, CA

Post by tipdog » Tue Sep 04, 2007 1:47 pm


User avatar
lowbonnet
G-Brigadier General
G-Brigadier General
Posts: 2173
Joined: Fri Dec 13, 2002 11:56 pm
Location: Holland

Post by lowbonnet » Sun Sep 09, 2007 2:08 pm

Tipdog !! You're great! That's the one I saw. Although, the one that I saw was 10.000 Euro and this one is for much less. And it is even in Holland too!
June 1942 Ford GPW (script)
Transportation Equipment Co. T1, 1/4 ton trailer

User avatar
raymond
G-General
G-General
Posts: 8115
Joined: Mon Jan 15, 2007 1:53 pm
Location: God's country, Clarksville Mo.

Post by raymond » Sun Sep 16, 2007 7:27 pm

Here's some pics of one in the dock across from my boat at my marina.

Image

Image

Image

Image

They are quit a vessel, with twin diesel engines and huge 25 inch diameter props, and a fairly large generator for running a large searchlight. Fully assembled, they weigh over 7000 pounds. Quit a lot of weight for an aluminum boat only 27 feet long with only an 8 foot beam and gunnels that only stick out of the water 2 and 1/2 feet at the highest spot.

Raymond

P.S. If you look in the background of the first picture, you will see a tugboat that the owner of the marina made with no plans or diagrams. He went around and looked at several tugs and incorporated parts of each that he liked. It has 2 John Deere Diesel engines out of a couple of old tractors. It also has a 14KW generator and a 5 HP 50 gallon 2-stage air compressor to run the horns. Also has airconditioning in the pilot house. He built it 6 inches shorter than the legal limit for requiring a commercial marine pilot's liscence. He pushes 2 small 15 feet by 30 feet barges with a porta potty and grill and tables chairs stereo etc, and has big parties on it.
"On the day when crime puts on the apparel of innocence, through a curious reversal peculiar to our age, it is innocence that is called on to justify itself." Albert Camus

User avatar
lowbonnet
G-Brigadier General
G-Brigadier General
Posts: 2173
Joined: Fri Dec 13, 2002 11:56 pm
Location: Holland

Post by lowbonnet » Fri Sep 21, 2007 5:46 am

Thanks for the photo's !! looks good!
June 1942 Ford GPW (script)
Transportation Equipment Co. T1, 1/4 ton trailer

User avatar
lowbonnet
G-Brigadier General
G-Brigadier General
Posts: 2173
Joined: Fri Dec 13, 2002 11:56 pm
Location: Holland

Post by lowbonnet » Tue May 27, 2008 2:02 am

I have heard there are two version of this BEB. The one with rivets is WWII. Does anyone can confirm this? Anyone has a photo of this boat in WWII?

The boat is still for sale, for 7500 euro.
June 1942 Ford GPW (script)
Transportation Equipment Co. T1, 1/4 ton trailer

mfrance
G-Lieutenant General
G-Lieutenant General
Posts: 4144
Joined: Sat Mar 04, 2006 7:11 pm
Location: penngrove,ca

Post by mfrance » Thu May 29, 2008 8:59 pm

wanted to know does anyone have any info or manuals on these boats, a friend has two halves of one end and one half of the other that he plans on restoring into one full boat.

User avatar
John Neuenburg
Gee Old Hand
Posts: 3769
Joined: Mon Mar 24, 2003 11:18 am
Location: U.S. Left Coast

Post by John Neuenburg » Thu Jun 05, 2008 7:59 pm

mfrance wrote:wanted to know does anyone have any info or manuals on these boats, a friend has two halves of one end and one half of the other that he plans on restoring into one full boat.
Hmmm.... any military boat would be quite appreciated at the MVCC Tower Park event (CA, USA) next April. It's only a matter of time when someone takes advantage of the river, marina and boat ramp, right Michael? We've had a DUKW swimming but nothing else, not even a GPA.
Military Vehicle Collectors of California
MVPA 7404
1942 Ford GPW British Special Air Service Regiment Replica
1944 Willys MB
1941 Indian 640
BSA Folding Bicycles
M1942 Command Post Tent

mfrance
G-Lieutenant General
G-Lieutenant General
Posts: 4144
Joined: Sat Mar 04, 2006 7:11 pm
Location: penngrove,ca

Post by mfrance » Thu Jun 05, 2008 10:45 pm

hello John, Rory Burke has these in restoration, motor is runing good, see how far it gets might show up on a gooseneck trailer as a discussion peice.
who knows?

User avatar
John Neuenburg
Gee Old Hand
Posts: 3769
Joined: Mon Mar 24, 2003 11:18 am
Location: U.S. Left Coast

Post by John Neuenburg » Fri Jun 06, 2008 5:55 am

mfrance wrote:hello John, Rory Burke has these in restoration, motor is runing good, see how far it gets might show up on a gooseneck trailer as a discussion peice.
who knows?
I hope one is seaworthy someday. Let's get Rory drunk and see if he'll buy the "no guts no glory" concept. :twisted:
Military Vehicle Collectors of California
MVPA 7404
1942 Ford GPW British Special Air Service Regiment Replica
1944 Willys MB
1941 Indian 640
BSA Folding Bicycles
M1942 Command Post Tent

sailcoyote
G-Private First Class
G-Private First Class
Posts: 8
Joined: Mon Jun 09, 2008 5:32 am
Location:

Tower Park

Post by sailcoyote » Mon Jun 09, 2008 7:31 am

Hi everyone,

New member here!!

Anyway, I brought one of these to Tower Park last year - it was rained out and we got soaked - there is no protection from the elements. We looked around the camp site and did not see anyone so we had lunch and ran back to Betherl Island.

We bought 42 of them from an oil spill response company. All of the boats were manufactured between 1968 and 1973. All have the twin detroit diesels.

I keep a couple in the water on Bethel Island and would be happy to take anyone for a ride - they really are fun boats - just contact me.

pics are at http://www.armybridgeboats.com

User avatar
John Neuenburg
Gee Old Hand
Posts: 3769
Joined: Mon Mar 24, 2003 11:18 am
Location: U.S. Left Coast

Re: Tower Park

Post by John Neuenburg » Mon Jun 09, 2008 9:59 pm

sailcoyote wrote:Hi everyone,

New member here!!

Anyway, I brought one of these to Tower Park last year - it was rained out and we got soaked - there is no protection from the elements. We looked around the camp site and did not see anyone so we had lunch and ran back to Betherl Island.

We bought 42 of them from an oil spill response company. All of the boats were manufactured between 1968 and 1973. All have the twin detroit diesels.

I keep a couple in the water on Bethel Island and would be happy to take anyone for a ride - they really are fun boats - just contact me.

pics are at http://www.armybridgeboats.com
Sounds like you arrived Saturday 2007 and didn't get past Campground #2. More of the folks were in Campground #4. The rain caused a bunch to leave early. Normally the Camp Delta/Tower Park events are strong Wednesday through Saturday.

It would be great to see one of these boats at our Fall event at Tower Park the last week of September. Let me know if you want to publicize this.

John
MVCC Activities Coordinator for the Camp Delta events
www.mvccnews.net
Military Vehicle Collectors of California
MVPA 7404
1942 Ford GPW British Special Air Service Regiment Replica
1944 Willys MB
1941 Indian 640
BSA Folding Bicycles
M1942 Command Post Tent

User avatar
lowbonnet
G-Brigadier General
G-Brigadier General
Posts: 2173
Joined: Fri Dec 13, 2002 11:56 pm
Location: Holland

Post by lowbonnet » Wed Jun 11, 2008 6:43 am

Cool, good pictures... just curious... what would be the asking price?
June 1942 Ford GPW (script)
Transportation Equipment Co. T1, 1/4 ton trailer

sailcoyote
G-Private First Class
G-Private First Class
Posts: 8
Joined: Mon Jun 09, 2008 5:32 am
Location:

Tower Park

Post by sailcoyote » Wed Jun 11, 2008 6:50 am

Yes, we will be there. We will try to bring 2 boats - depending on other commitments.

Someone asked about price. The boats are currently fetching $40,000.00 including trailer. We originally started selling these for $20,000.00 but demand was so high that we could not keep up with it. We intend keeping 10 to 12 boats for oil spill response and at the rate we were going we would not have ended up with any.


Post Reply

Return to “Boats, Ships, Landing Craft, and Tracked amphibian”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 44 guests