USS Isabel - The Yacht With a Destroyer Soul

USS Isabel, as you could expect by that name, did not originate as a warship. No, this ship started out as a fancy- and very fast -yacht. The kind of ship you don't expect to end up in military service.

The Great War was a time of 'get every ship you can' though. And Isabel was, for better or worse, a large and fast yacht. Which made her a small and average-speed destroyer.

After that duty was over, she stuck around as a patrol yacht. The Navy would ultimately get use out of her all the way through the Second World War. Making Isabel one of the longer lived warships of the early 20th Century.

Further Reading:

The Website Citing the Laying Down Date:

[phaasch]

Now that's a career! Sad, yet inevitable, that she went to the breakers. Worn out, lucky, distinguished, and still rather beautiful.

[emilpetersen]

Gotta be my most favorite US ship. Three cheers for Isabel! Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah!

[lancerevell]

Yachts are amazing ships at times. On my ASW Frigate's 1983 Med/IO deployment, we spent a week in the Med providing escort to the Sultan Of Oman's private yacht. My ship was 430' long, the yacht was longer! We joked the Navy could simply put guns on her and transfer the SEAL team we were carrying to her. Of course we squids weren't supposed to know they were SEALs, but they had all those wonderful toys, and we had fun watching them practice their small boat launch/retrieval drills. That escort duty cost us a nice scheduled port visit. 😅

[alephalon]

It's been almost two years, huh? The improvements between this and the old video are telling. It's good to see you improving the presentation and info of your older works.

[JGCR]

Steam Yachts tended to be fast at this time. Remember this was the time when ships were designed to get people to places, not only to spend holidays on. So a steam yacht was akin to a private jet of today. Most of the steam or even diesel yachts built between 1900 and 1930 are quite sleek ships and a lot of them are still around

[harryflower]

Thanks for the video, love the stories about the lesser known ships

[jimlatosful]

The 3"/23 is such an adorable little thing

[tedjohnson]

USS Garnet [ex-Caritas], a former Patrol Yacht has been a Roadside Attraction in Smith River, California since the 1950s. Now unused & in rather poor condition, she remains in front of the Xaa-wan’-k’wvt Resort.

[JeffreyWilliams-drqe]

Leo Decaprio operates this Magnificent Water Craft today. Appreciates our Military History.

[MT-ekte]

Seemingly, Isabel is a good name for a ship, even a warship


I predict the US Navy will soon name another warship after Isabel

USS Isabel may be one of the names for the next group of frigates the US Navy will be ordering soon

:)

[luked]

In a lot of the photos I am struck by how much she just LOOKS like a destroyer. The shot at 5:30 in particular, showing her bridge superstructure looking quite similar to the Wickes and Clemsons. And again in the last two photos with her funnels raked back and superstructure again refitted. Very curious.

[UncleDansVintageVinyl]

That's really a great story! It's wonderful to learn about these lesser-known vessels. Meager though its armament may have been, "Isabel" nevertheless contributed to two world wars. That's impressive.

[jeffbybee]

The tubes would fit in the same width as the lifeboats in that overhead shot and also you can see the tubes are not centerline esp in the port side veiw

[robertpapalia]

Thank you for this story. The news was not all that bad for the Asiatic fleet. Too bad she was not preserved as a museum ship.

[BrockRuby]

Great subject yet again!! This one is a really good one to share with friends n coworkers! Keep it up buddy!!

[JTA]

Quite a yacht of miles at sea for something not really decked out

[richardwarfield]

5:35 That's a unique camo pattern

[sailordude]

Thanks, great naval video! Was Ernest Bourgnine on this during the war? He said he was on a converted yacht. Oh, he was on the USS Sylph (PY-12), it only went 10 knots. Kind of rough Atlantic duty there! Oh, I just realized its about a WWI ship. 29 knots? that's amazing, a cruiser I was on in the 80s could barely go faster, lol.

[brettwhitesides]

As a first time viewer I enjoyed the story. One point of criticism, you missed the weapons update during the refitting after her Asiatic duty. When she became a Destroyer again.

[markransom]

Great video! I served on smaller Navy ships (ARS, MIC6 & LCVP) . There's a closer crew family. Btw, are you related to Mr. GoodPliers ? Similar voice and delivery (Tim? ) 🧐