Paul Madden and Dan Stabbert dive into converting 224 ft/68m U.S. Navy research ship into expedition

Owner Dan Stabbert shows his research ship and discusses its capabilities and it suitability for conversion to a world-class expedition yacht.
Year Built 1985/ Refit 2013/2015
Flag United States
Class ABS, Ice Class C
Length (overall) 224 ft. (68.27m)
Breadth 43 ft. (13.1m)
Draft Loaded 15 ft. (4.57m) -
Ship Service Generators (4) Cat 600 KW
Propulsion Motors G.E. DL58X170535
Horsepower - Diesel Electric (2) CAT 850 HP each
Bow Thruster Harbormaster 550 HP
Potable Water 17,000 gal
Water making capacity 3000 gpd
Fuel Consumption, Transit, Survey 1800/gpd @ 75/gph 1400/gpd @45/gph
Cruising Radius 9000 NM
Propellers (2) fixed pitch
Accommodations 30
Staterooms / Heads 26 Stateroom and 17 heads
Hospital 1 with head
Life Preservers 45
A-Frame10,000 lb
J-Frame 4,000 lb.
Main Deck Crane 10 Ton Knuckle Boom
Aux Deck crane (1) MCK 1250 - 4 Ton Hydraulic
More conversion yachts at XplorerYachts,com The Yacht Channel is presented by Paul Madden who is a former shipyard representative for Blohm+Voss, CRN and other yacht builders. He is available to assist qualified yacht buyers and can be reached at [e-mail]
The Yacht Channel is presented by Paul Madden who is a former shipyard representative for Blohm+Voss, CRN and other yacht builders. He is available to assist qualified yacht buyers and can be reached at pm@XplorerYachts,com The Yacht Channel is presented by Paul Madden who is a former shipyard representative for Blohm+Voss, CRN and other yacht builders. He is available to assist qualified yacht buyers and can be reached at [e-mail]

[@richardjames4090]

I worked on a lot of those TAGOS ships..... Bold, Indomitable, Prevail, Stalwart and I believe there was one more that I can't remember right now. I spent a lot of time in that Galley. Thanks for posting this.... a lot of memories.

[@kolsen6330]

I was on the crew at Tac Boat that built these. Good times. Shout out to former L568 members. edit I see a lot of posts calling these "research" ships. NO they were CIA. Things you would not find on a navy ship. Every 2 single person cabins shared a head/shower. Bank vault door on secure room in CIC. Secure room had a column I was told would be loaded with thermite to destroy the contents of the room. In the original configuration, the bulwarks were high enough that the work deck was hidden and where they now show a helipad there was a reel with 5 miles of cable on it. The boat towed a fish listening for submarine prop noise. The stacked rubber mounted engine beds were to keep engine noise out of the prop shaft. Somewhere I think I still have a couple pages of the blueprints for this ship.

[@Jack12345109876]

This is nearly exactly the same ship as the USTS General Rudder at the Texas Maritime Academy. It was a trip to watch this video and know every button, sounding tank, and valve without ever having seen her in person! It'd be an easy re-fit and she'd make a great world travelling yacht and an awesome mothership for coastal fishing.

[@ExpeditionYachts]

I think that several of these TAGOS vessels made it into the University fleets. They are ideal for that purpose and have lots of life left in them.

[@grondhero]

That man knows how to talk up this ship. Kudos.

[@crowdog56]

OK- I'm sold! It would make a tremendous conversion and I especially like the diesel-electric drive already installed. HUGE potential here!

[@mccoybyz1099]

The reason those interior passage ways/ Halls are so wide is because they were designed to be wide enough so a pallet would fit and could be moved inside and down into the ships holds

[@normandong4479]

Converting these well built naval research ships into a yacht would be ideal. The possibilities are immense. All it takes is $$$.

[@ericlotze7724]

If i were a rich man…

[@bill4nier]

Always thought something like this could be done comparēd to a new one. Thanks for sharing! 👍👍👍👍

[@aaronvalure178]

As DP instructor I can agree this would be an amazing platform for the addition of dynamic positioning

[@williamoverton7265]

Fantastic

[@xanadujohn79]

It is nice to dream...

[@SteamboatWilley]

I remember seeing Bold (when it worked for the EPA) in Skagway, Alaska, when I worked on cruise ships. I still have a photo of it. Beautiful ship.

[@visionist7]

Jaw dropping potential! That _range!_ I'd only be concerned about cutting holes in the hull for windows, might compromise strength.

[@dinhscot]

This guy can sell Ice to an Eskimo! 😂🤣

[@briananthony4044]

Stalwart-class ocean surveillance ship

[@doyoulikeworms3151]

Honestly I wouldn't do much re-fitting, besides old stuff that needs replacing and updating the furniture and lighting. I'd use her for her original purpose as an exploration and research vessel, and having hardwood floors and marble counter tops would feel weird in that context. Plus I'd save like $5 million minimum, which is always a plus.

[@visionist7]

You'd save about ten times that

[@Vinnie101a]

Is there a nuclear option?

[@briananthony4044]

Make a good shadow yacht.

[@Chi-Michael]

❤️⚓️

[@jerryware1970]

Say all in for $25 million, that’s a great value. Newer expedition yachts the same size are $100 million.

[@ExpeditionYachts]

You could get this done for less than $20 mill, easy.

[@arwo1143]

at 10kn continuous travel,…. This thing has nearly 60.000km range

[@josephkordinak1591]

I sailed on these ships. They are a floating gas can. You will run out of food and starve before they run out of fuel. When they were in military service they would go out for three months at a time.

[@kevg644]

Price?

[@tonywilliams4994]

Has the boat been sold if not how much cheers mate

[@ExpeditionYachts]

Sold and currently working in Pacific. There is another one available for about $5 million.

[@carloko08]

@@ExpeditionYachts wow, sure? a ship like that just for 5 millions? but to use like a yatch is necesary to make a reconversion or once i buy i can use it inmediatly, no necesary a reconversion? in that case just for 5 millions i can have a big and strong ship to sail everywhere, no luxuries needed

[@ExpeditionYachts]

@@carloko08 Actually you can get one for about $2 million.

[@AnthonyClauser]

The nice thing is most, if not all the major parts are American made.

[@ExpeditionYachts]

I think she is 100% American.

[@strangelee4400]

Is that good? Are you just being patriotic or do American boats have a good reputation?

[@visionist7]

@@strangelee4400 it's a nice feeling when you know everything onboard helped your economy. Plus spares and servicing will be easier

[@herranton]

@@strangelee4400 It isn't really an American Boat. It is an American weapon. And if there is one thing the USA knows how to do, it's blow shit up. Yeah, it's probably pretty skookum.

[@chuckbecker4983]

@@herranton these ships were never armed. they listened. that's all.

[@fjb4932]

Makes me wonder when the old USNS Chauvnet T-AGS 29 ( Ocunit-4 ) [ renamed ] will be up for sale. I, for one, WON'T be a bidder... Seebee

[@turdferguson2839]

I wonder how much it would cost to convert this into a yacht?

[@tihomirrasperic]

i think 10.000 US$/day next 2 years

[@joshuapotter7372]

Kevin Bowman - 4 million

[@NSResponder]

If you have to ask, you can't afford it.

[@tihomirrasperic]

do you think that Bill Gates don't ask for price ????

[@classiccuisine7001]

150 million.

[@jamesmerkel9442]

this is older bigger than last1 but needing all the work still, last1 is ready set go. Pricing is the unknow diff.

[@mishaelcrandall1379]

Is this vessel still available?

[@ExpeditionYachts]

This vessel went back into commercial service. However, there are other former military vessels in this class that are sometimes available.

[@amirkazemi2517]

how much to buy one

[@chuckbecker4983]

The better question is "How much to get one back to being seaworthy?" Some time ago I saw one for sale for $650K. But it would be multiple seven figures to refit one. You'd either need many tens of millions of personal net worth, or a business plan that could attract investor financing.

[@clintwhatley7981]

20 million dollar conversion

[@ExpeditionYachts]

A basic conversion would be about $5 million. The cost escalates dramatically if you decide to fair and paint the hull and install a ritzy yacht interior. I think the best thing would be to keep it rugged and functional, and just reconfigure the interior to be more friendly for expedition cruising. here's plenty of room for toys, tenders, dive equipment and whatever you want to bring along.

[@jamesmerkel9442]

This 1 like other ship needing refit is the construction class, & emergency care trama2. If it is ice worthy great not needed on construction class, ppl equipment fuel drive on & off & container boxes on deck. If it has a lab u wouldn't scrap it but that is deal. 1 month+travel to & fro tours 40 ppl min ideal not counting crewing folks, & luxury accommodations so ppl want to sign on/up

[@leonielson7138]

A part of me wants to convert it for launching UAVs, 1/4 scale WWII replicas that can be piloted via cockpit recreations on the ship, the pilots recreating battles across the Pacific.

[@dudleyblokerave]

How much?

[@ExpeditionYachts]

The vessel, in class, is worth about $5 million. To convert it, pricing depends largely on how extensive and the finish level of interior. Such projects can range between $5 million and $20 million conversion cost.

[@dudleyblokerave]

@@ExpeditionYachts Well I've looked under the sofa cushions and it looks like I'm going to have to stick with my kayak for a while!

[@ExpeditionYachts]

@@dudleyblokerave Me too!!!

[@herowillrose3198]

This vessel is reminding me about our fishing vessels in Rach Gia, Kien Giang, south Vietnam before the fall of Saigon in 1975. We could have us our fishing vessels escaped the communist invasion the South in 1975. Some of my relatives used smaller fishing vessel escaped directly to Australia with the whole family safely arrived no problem. Right now we are facing the nation down it knees, and China threats. It is good to have one of this from government specifications. If no money issue I will take this home, travel seven seas. Go to Asian for months, then Norway, etc.

[@maureenbecks7149]

don't buy it. buy a new one. same cost after 10 years running.

[@jimbotheassclown]

You still need engineers to tell you're decorators where you can put weight and where you can't and how much weight where.lol

[@ExpeditionYachts]

The older hulls go through the water the same as the new ones, and these vessels are diesel-electric. Your running costs won't be so different.

[@DickinsonLivingInDickinsonNort]

Sorry, not interested.