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California Ships to Reefs vision is to establish a regional system of reefed ships along the California coast for purposes of an international dive destination, to enhance the tourism industry centered on fishing and diving, and to improve and enhance the California fish populations.
Projects In Review

The Board of Directors (BOD) retains sole authority to recognize and declare an official Project of California Ships to Reefs. A recognized California Ships to Reefs Project will allow California Ships to Reefs resources to be utilized to aid in the Project’s successful completion. To provide for the best result for all recognized California Ships to Reefs Projects, the BOD will apply a uniform process to consider all project opportunities.

Read the entire policy here.



Hassayampa.pngUSS/USNS Hassayampa AO/TAO-145 (Neosho Class fleet oiler):
Commissioned 04-19-55, placed out of service and laid up 10-2-91, struck from the Naval Register 02-16-97. Displacement: 11,600 t.(lt), 38,000 t.(fl); Length: 655'; Beam: 86'; Draft: 35'; Speed: 20 kts.; Capacity: 180,000 bbls; Crew: USS 324 Navy/ USNS 106 civilian mariners, 21 Navy; Armament: two single 5"/38 dual purpose gun mounts, six twin 3"/50 dual purpose gun mounts; Propulsion: two geared turbines, two boilers, two shafts, 28,000 shaft horsepower. Currently laid up in the Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet.



kawishiwi.pngUSS/USNS Kawishiwi AO/TAO-146 (Neosho Class fleet oiler):
Commissioned 07-06-55, placed out of service on date unknown, struck from the Naval Register and laid up 11-07-94. Displacement: 11,600 t.(lt), 38,000 t.(fl); Length: 655'; Beam: 86'; Draft: 35'; Speed: 20 kts.; Capacity: 180,000 bbls; Crew: USS 324 Navy/ USNS 106 civilian mariners, 21 Navy; Armament: one single 5"/38 dual purpose gun mounts, four twin 3"/50 dual purpose gun mounts; Propulsion: two geared turbines, two boilers, two shafts, 28,000 shaft horsepower. Currently laid up in the Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet.



ponchatoula.pngUSS Ponchatoula AO-148 (Neosho Class fleet oiler):
Commissioned 01-12-56, struck from the Naval Register and laid up 08-31-92. Displacement: 11,600 t.(lt), 38,000 t.(fl); Length: 655'; Beam: 86'; Draft: 35'; Speed: 20 kts.; Cargo Capacity: 180,000 bbls; Crew: USS 324 Navy/USNS 106 civilian mariners, 21 Navy; Armament: two single 5"/38 dual purpose gun mounts, six twin 3"/50 gun mounts; Propulsion: two geared turbines, two boilers, two shafts, 28,000 shaft horsepower. Currently laid up in the Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet. The Neosho class oilers are the largest class of ships currently in the reserve fleet that are available for reefing. Navy has announced that no carriers will be made available for reefing at recreational dive depths. Reefing any of these oilers will bump USAFS Hoyt S Vandenberg from its place as the second largest ship based artificial reef in the United States.


monticello.pngUSS Monticello LSD-35 (Thomaston Class LSD):
Commissioned 03-29-57, Decommissioned and laid up 10-01-85, struck from the Naval Register 02-24-92. Displacement: 8,899 t.(lt), 11,525 t(fl); Length: 510'; Beam: 84'; Draft: 19'; Speed: 21 kts.; Crew: 304; Troops 300; Armament: 4 twin 3"/50, 6 twin 20mm AA guns; Boat Capacity: 21 LCM(6)s; Aircraft: up to 8 helicopters; Propulsion 2 steam turbines, 2 shafts, 23,000 SHP. Currently laid up in the Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet, has been cleaned for SinkEx. Monticello is of the same class of LSDs which includes the Spiegel Grove, which up until recently was Florida’s most famous artificial reef. Having a reef comparable to Spiegel Grove on the West Coast should draw at least as many divers here as to Florida.


mispillion.pngUSS Mispillion AO-105 (Cimmeron Class fleet oiler):
Commissioned 12-29-45, “Jumboized” 4-16-65 to 09-06-66, struck from the Naval Register and laid up 02-15-95. Original Specifications: Displacement: 7,236 t.(lt) 25,440 t.(fl); Length: 553'; Beam: 75'; Draft: 32'; Speed: 18 kts.; Crew: 314; Armament: one single 5"/38 dual purpose gun mount, four single 3"/50 dual purpose gun mounts, four twin 40mm AA gun mounts, four twin 20mm AA gun mounts; Capacity: 146,000 barrels; Propulsion geared turbines, twin screws, 30,400hp. A unique vessel, USS Mispillion AO-105 is one of, if not the, last of the Jumboized World War II era fast Fleet Oilers. Built originally as a modified T-3 type hull, she was completed too late for World War II. After serving for 20 years in her original configuration, she was placed in reserve from mid 1965 to late 1966 while sections of her hull were cut out and her length extended from 543 to 644 feet and increasing her capacity by over 50%. This enabled her to keep the large task forces adequately supplied during the operations off Vietnam, which would have been impossible in her original configuration.


thomaston.pngUSS Thomaston LSD-28 (Thomaston Class LSD):
Commissioned 09-17-54, struck from the Naval Register 02-02-92. Displacement: 8,899 t.(lt), 11,525 t(fl); Length: 510'; Beam: 84'; Draft: 19'; Speed: 21 kts.; Complement: 304 crew, 300 troops; Armament (as built) 8 twin 3"/50, 6 twin 20mm AA guns; Boat Capacity 21 LCM(6)s; Aircraft Capacity: up to 8 helicopters: Propulsion 2 steam turbines, 2 shafts, 23,000 SHP. Currently laid up in the Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet. Thomaston is the class leader of the LSD type which includes the Spiegel Grove, which up until recently was Florida’s most famous artificial reef. Having a reef comparable to Spiegel Grove on the West Coast should draw at least as many divers here as to Florida.


pointdefiance.pngUSS Point Defiance LSD-31 (Thomaston Class LSD):
Commissioned 03-31-55, decommissioned and laid up 09-30-83, struck from the Naval Register 09-29-92. Displacement 8,899 t.(lt), 11,525 t(fl); Length 510'; Beam 84'; Draft 19'; Speed 21 kts.; Crew 304, troops 300; Armament (as built) 8 twin 3"/50, 6 twin 20mm AA guns: Boat Capacity; 21 LCM (6)s; Aircraft: up to 8 helicopters; Propulsion 2 steam turbines, 2 shafts, 23,000 SHP. Currently laid up in the Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet. Point Defiance is of the same class of LSDs which include the Spiegel Grove, which up until recently was Florida’s most famous artificial reef. Having a reef comparable to Spiegel Grove on the West Coast should draw at least as many divers here as to Florida.


planetree.pngUSCGC Planetree WLB-307 (Mesquite Class Buoy Tender):
Built 1943, Laid up 05-17-99. Displacement: 1,025 full, 700 lt; Length: 180 feet overall; Draft: 14’ 7” (1966); Beam: 37 feet; Propulsion: 1 electric motor connected to 2 Westinghouse generators driven by 2 Cooper- Bessemer-type GND-8, 4-cycle diesels, single screw; Top speed: 13.0 kts; Planetree was extensively refit in 1966 and contains PCB laden material, according to the Coast Guard.



iris.pngUSCGC Iris WAGL-395/WLB-395 (Iris Class Buoy Tender):
Built in 1944; Laid-up 08-08-97. Displacement: 1,026 full (1966), 700 light (1966); Length: 180 feet overall; Draft: 14’ 7” (1966); Beam: 37 feet; Propulsion: 1 electric motor connected to 2 Westinghouse generators driven by 2 Cooper-Bessemer-type GND-8, 4-cycle diesels, single screw; Top speed: 11.9 kts sustained (1966). Iris was extensively refit in 1966 and contains PCB laden material, according to the Coast Guard. Coast Guard vessels are universally respected and admired. Reefing these vessels would be a show of respect and an opportunity to publicize her history on the reef she would become as well as at complimentary shore sites. These smaller vessels would also be appropriate for a shallower site.



b39.pngB-39 (Soviet Submarine):
Built in early 1970s; Displacement: 2000+ tons; Length: 300 feet overall; NATO classification "Foxtrot". She is currently on exhibit at the Maritime Museum of San Diego. Donation of the vessel by the Maritime Museum of San Diego, tour fees to be collected from title transfer through to sinking date. The Museum will assist in identifying other local funding opportunities Reefing this vessel would be a show of respect and memorial to her crew, and an opportunity to publicize her history on the reef she would become as well as at a complimentary shore sites - proposed at the Maritime Museum of San Diego (MMSD).



Dana Point Harbor Pilings
Approximately 1,200 concrete clad steel or steel clad concrete pier pilings. The pilings are currently part of the dock structure of Dana Point Harbor (DPH). The pilings will become available as the result of a planned re-construction of DPH that will occur from 2010 through 2020. The sink location with the greatest potential is off the Dana Point coastline with the item submerged at recreational dive depths. This is not a ship-based project but our VP Science Andrew Lee advises that pier pilings of this type and number are among the best artificial reef materials available.
 
 
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