Rhode Island Lighthouses




Brenton Reef Lightship LV-39


Brenton Reef Lightship LV-39
 Courtesy of the National Archives 


Location: Entrance to East Passage of Narragansett Bay
Location: 1897 - 1935 l Lat 41 25 54 N - Long 71 22 36 W
Year Built: 1875
Design: Wood-white oak and locust; copper and galvanized iron fastened; 2 masts, daymarks on both; Design: smokestack forward of mainmast; 2 auxiliary steam boilers, steam pump and steam fog signal.
Length: 119'6" (lbp); Beam: 22'9"; Draft: 12'6"; Tonnage: 387 gross
Illuminating Apparatus: 1875 - 1921 2 lanterns, each with 8 Eight Argand Lamps with reflectors
Illuminating Apparatus: 1921 - 1935 1 Acetylene Lamp on Steel Skeleton Light Structure
Propulsion: Sail-schooner rig; fore and main carried on Spencer masts
Years on Station: 1897 - 1935
Status: Sank in 1975 while being towed to a shipyard in Beverly, Massachusetts.
Light Characteristic: 1897 - 1921 Fixed White
Light Characteristic: 1921 - 1935 Occulting White every 4 seconds
Range: 1897 - 1921 11.5 miles
Range: 1921 - 1935 12 miles
Fog Signal: 12 inch and 6 inch Steam Whistles (1907)
Fog Signal: A Bell If Steam Whistles Are Disabled
Fog Signal: A Submarine Bell

Fog Signal: 10 inch and 6 inch Air Whistles (1925)
Fog Signal: A Bell If Steam Whistles Are Disabled
Fog Signal: A Submarine Bell

Fog Signal: 10 inch and 6 inch Air Whistles (1935)
Fog Signal: A Bell If Steam Whistles Are Disabled
Fog Signal Characteristic: Whistles Blast (low tone) for 3 Seconds (1907)
Fog Signal Characteristic: Whistles Blast (higher tone) for 3 Seconds
Fog Signal Characteristic: Silent for 24 Seconds
Fog Signal Characteristic: Whistles Blast (low tone) for 3 Seconds
Fog Signal Characteristic: Whistles Blast (higher tone) for 3 Seconds
Fog Signal Characteristic: Silent for 24 Seconds

Fog Signal Characteristic: Bell Struck by Hand 5 times Every 30 Seconds

Fog Signal Characteristic: Submarine Bell Struck 3 Times
Fog Signal Characteristic: Silent for 3 Seconds
Fog Signal Characteristic: Submarine Bell Struck 9 Times
Fog Signal Characteristic: Silent for 5 Seconds
Location: Year Built: Design: Ship's Dimensions: Illuminating Apparatus: Propulsion: Years on Station: Status: Light Characteristic: Range: Fog Signal: Fog Signal Characteristic: