The USC&GS Explorer, constructed by Pusey & Jones of Wilmington, Delaware, was a wooden-hulled survey vessel delivered to the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey on November 30, 1904. She measured approximately 147 feet in overall length with a beam of 27 feet and a depth of 14 feet 6.5 inches, displacing around 450 tons. The vessel was schooner-rigged with two masts, primarily for stability rather than propulsion, which was provided by a steam engine. Her engine featured cylinders of 13 and 26 inches with a 20-inch stroke, driving a single bronze propeller 7 feet 6 inches in diameter, powered by a boiler 10 feet 6 inches in diameter and 11 feet long. Designed to minimize magnetic interference for survey work, her construction was primarily of wood, with metal used sparingly. Explorer's service began in 1905, initially conducting magnetic and hydrographic surveys along the U.S. East Coast and Puerto Rico. She was stationed in Baltimore for repairs during 1905–1906 before undertaking surveys in Maine and Puerto Rico, demonstrating her role in extensive coastal survey operations. In mid-1907, she transferred to Seattle, Washington, via the Strait of Magellan, with her operations focusing on Alaskan waters during summer and the U.S. West Coast in winter. Her work in Alaska included triangulation, topographic, and hydrographic surveys, vital for improving navigation and charting in the region. During World War I, the vessel was briefly commissioned into the U.S. Navy as USS Explorer (1918–1919), patrolling Alaskan waters for threats related to German activity and labor unrest. After her naval service, she was nearly sold but was retained for her survey capabilities, especially in Alaska, where she was equipped for wire-drag surveying and served as a mother ship for smaller survey vessels. Explorer continued her survey missions into 1939, contributing significantly to the mapping and understanding of Alaskan and West Coast waters. Following her decommissioning in 1939, she was transferred to the National Youth Administration and later acquired by the U.S. Army in 1941, renamed Atkins (FS 237), and used as a freight and supply ship for hydrographic survey work during World War II. Her long service history underscores her importance in maritime surveying, navigation safety, and wartime logistics.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.