''Gypsy'' (SP-55) was the planned designation for a

motorboat A motorboat or powerboat is a boat that is exclusively powered by an engine; faster examples may be called "speedboats". Some motorboats are fitted with inboard engines, others have an outboard motor installed on the rear, containing the inter ...

the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...

acquired in 1917 for use as a

patrol vessel A patrol boat (also referred to as a patrol craft, patrol ship, or patrol vessel) is a relatively small naval vessel generally designed for coastal defence, border security, or law enforcement. There are many designs for patrol boats, and they ...

but which was destroyed by a fire before she could be commissioned. ''Gypsy'' was built in 1912 by George Lawley and Sons at Neponset,

Massachusetts Massachusetts ( ; ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Maine to its east, Connecticut and Rhode ...

as a private motorboat. The U.S. Navy purchased ''Gypsy'' on 11 May 1917 for

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

service for $9,000 from Robert F. Herrick of Boston, who also owned ''Apache'' that was also purchased by the Navy on 23 May 1917 just before completion. The craft was intended to use her as a

patrol boat A patrol boat (also referred to as a patrol craft, patrol ship, or patrol vessel) is a relatively small naval ship, naval vessel generally designed for Coastal defence and fortification, coastal defence, Border control, border security, or law ...

in the

Section Patrol A Section Patrol Craft was a civilian vessel registered by the United States Navy for potential wartime service before, during, and shortly after World War I. Historical overview The SP/ID registration system In 1916, with World War I raging ...

. However, before she could be commissioned, she was completely destroyed by an accidental fire while fitting out, on 20 June 1917 off coast of the U.S. Coast Guard Station Allerton Point, south east of

Boston, Massachusetts Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...

. ''Gypsy'' was stricken from the

Navy List A Navy Directory, Navy List or Naval Register is an official list of naval officers, their ranks and seniority, the ships which they command or to which they are appointed, etc., that is published by the government or naval authorities of a co ...

on 23 November 1919. *

List of patrol vessels of the United States Navy This is a list of patrol vessels of the United States Navy. Ship status is indicated as either currently active (including ready reserve), inactive or precommissioning Ships in the inactive category include only ships in the inactive res ...

References

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Gypsy (Sp-55) Cancelled ships of the United States Navy Patrol vessels of the United States Navy World War I patrol vessels of the United States Ships built in Boston 1912 ships Maritime incidents in 1917 Ship fires