New Jersey Scuba Diving

Type:

artificial reef, tugboat, US Navy

Built:

1945, Consolidated Shipbuilding, Bronx, NY

Specs:

( 101 x 28 ft ) 260 DT

Sponsor:

Abyss Dive Club

Sunk:

Thursday Sept 25, 2003 - Deepwater Artificial Reef

GPS:

39°57.984' -74°10.771'

Depth:

This is a US Navy Hisada class YTM or Yard Tugboat Medium. About 190 of these were constructed during World War II. YTMs generally had names, and YTM-544 was Yatanocas, also classified as YTB-544. Yatanocas was a Natchez Indian settlement in Mississippi.

Launched 9 July 1945, delivered and placed in service in the 3rd Naval District, as Yatanocas (YTB-544), 14 December 1945. Placed out of service and laid up in reserve in the Florida Group, Atlantic Reserve Fleet, at Green Cove Springs, FL, March 1946. Reactivated for service and assigned to the 6th Naval District at Charleston, SC, May 1947. Reclassified District Harbor Tug, Medium YTM-544, February 1962. As of January 1979, still active at Charleston. Placed out of service, date unknown. Struck from the Naval Register, date unknown. Title transferred to Maritime Administration, 10 June 1987. Used by MARAD as tug TD-24 in Mobile Group, NDRF.

Along with the AJ McAllister, the NJ Artificial Reef Program no longer lists the "Diver's Abyss" (as they called it) in their official tally, as it is slightly outside the official boundaries of the reef.