The USS Alacrity (SP-206) was a steel-hulled cruising yacht built in 1910 by Pusey & Jones in Wilmington, Delaware, designed by Cox and Stevens. Originally constructed for W. A. Bradford, the vessel measured approximately 118 feet in overall length, with a waterline length of 109 feet 9 inches. It had a beam of 15 feet 6 inches, a draft of 5 feet 6 inches, and a depth of 9 feet 4 inches, with a gross tonnage of 69 tons and a net tonnage of 101 tons. The yacht was registered under the United States official number 207597 and bore the call letters LBNR. Purchased by the U.S. Navy on April 28, 1917, through a free lease from its owner John H. Blodgett of Boston, the vessel was commissioned on May 30, 1917, at Boston. Designated hull number SP-206, Alacrity was assigned to the 1st Naval District, where it conducted patrols from Boston and Provincetown, Massachusetts, during World War I. Its service primarily involved coastal patrols, safeguarding the maritime approaches during the war. Following the armistice in November 1918, the yacht continued naval operations until April 28, 1919, when it was returned to its owner, coinciding with the second anniversary of its acquisition. The vessel's name was subsequently struck from the Navy list. After its military service, the yacht was sold to Kenneth B. Van Ripper of New York, who undertook refurbishment and replaced the original six-cylinder Craig engines with six-cylinder Winton gasoline engines rated at 225 horsepower each. The vessel was renamed Nedra B. at some point. During World War II, the yacht was acquired by the Coast Guard at a nominal cost of $1 and converted into the patrol vessel Blanchard (CGR-106, later WPYc-369), commissioned on August 20, 1942, amid the U-boat threat along the eastern seaboard. Serving out of Key West with the Gulf Sea Frontier, Blanchard conducted anti-submarine and escort duties until decommissioning on November 25, 1943, after which she was returned to her owners. This vessel's history reflects its versatile use across military and civilian maritime roles, from leisure cruising to wartime patrol duties.

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