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Uscg Seagoing Buoy TenderThe seagoing buoy tender is a class of small U.S. Coast Guard cutters that were designed to serve multiple missions in the Great Lakes and the oceans of the world. Their primary mission is to tend to all Coast Guard aids to navigation (ATON), such as buoys and lighthouses. In addition, they also perform search and rescue missions, light ice-breaking, and law enforcement. These ships are designated with the hull classification symbol WLB. Two classes of the WLB cutters have been produced. The older class, the "180" class WLB cutters, were 180 feet (55 m) long. Forty of these sturdy vessels were built from 1942-1944. All but one were constructed in the shipyards of Duluth, Minnesota. All forty of the 180s are now retired and have been replaced with the new 225 foot (69 m) Juniper class WLBs. "180"-class ships Class A (Balsam) Class B (Mesquite) Class C (Iris) Juniper-class ships The Juniper class uses a Differential Global Positioning System which allows maintaineace of the vessel's position within a 10 meter circle in winds of up to 30 knots (56 km/h) and waves of up to 8 feet (2.4 m). *USCGC Alder (WLB 216)
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