U.S. Coast Guardsmen from the Sentinel-class fast-response cutter USCGC Clarence Sutphin Jr. (WPC 1147) board a vessel suspected of smuggling illegal narcotics during Focused Operation Crimson Barracuda in the Arabian Sea, April 10, 2024.
Marine Link has a brief overview of boats used by the Coast Guard. It provides a brief description of nine types and reports how many are in the inventory, but I knew there were a lot more.
It left out a lot of different types, including the 22 foot Cutter boat, large (used on 210-foot medium endurance cutters, 225-foot seagoing buoy tenders, and Cutters Alex Haley and Mackinaw), the small RHIB used on 87 foot WPBs, the Transportable Port Security Boats, and several special purpose boats.
The first full rate production cutter boat large, hull 22335, is delivered to Coast Guard Cutter Dauntless in Pensacola, Florida, Feb. 7, 2022. U.S. Coast Guard photo.
So I went looking for where a complete listing of Coast Guard boat types might be found.
Absolutely the best, most comprehensive source I found was “Boats Of The United States Coast Guard,” Prepared by the Office of Boat Forces (CG-731), 2024. It list 43 different types, including a photo, specifications, and numbers built and inservice.
The Acquisitions Directorate (CG-9) website also has detailed information about on going Response Boat, Medium and Response Boat, Small programs.
“The Coast Guard gave an overview of its boats fleet, including current and potential acquisition programs, during the International WorkBoat Show in New Orleans in November 2024.”
The overview included some very interesting statistics about Coast Guard boats and their operations.
I’d would also like to recommend the annual Almanac issue of the Navy League’s Seapower Magazine as a ready reference and not just for Coast Guard boats. Three pages cover 16 types of Coast Guard boats and in most cases it also indicates how many of each type are in use, but it also includes almost 200 pages covering systems and leadership for the Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, Maritime Administration, and NOAA.
As I started writing this post, I went back through my photo library and pulled some photos. It’s not detailed. It certainly isn’t complete, but perhaps it will help to comprehend the diversity of the Coast Guard fleet of boats. Also included are four photos (the last four below) from the overview presentation at the International Workboat Show linked above.
47-Foot Motor Life Boat (MLB) 47231 from Station Morrow Bay, 4 Dec 2007. Photo by Mike Baird
33-foot special purpose craft-law enforcement (SPC-LE) smallboat crew from Coast Guard Station Key West, Fla.,pulls alongside CGC Eagle in Atlantic April 13,2012.Several types of SPCs.SPC-LE ideal platform to interdict drug smugglers’ go-fast boats.can plane in under 3seconds top speed 60mph+.Enclosed heated air-conditioned cabin has shock mitigating seats,reducing fatigue, capable of operating more than 30 miles from shore. U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer 1st Class Brandyn Hill
RIMPAC 2018 will also be the first time that US Coast Guard Maritime Security Response Team West (MSRT-W) participates in RIMPAC SOCAL. US Navy Photo
Long Range Interceptor and Over the Horizon Cutter Boat. Two small boat crews from Coast Guard Cutter Stratton are underway for operations in the Bering Sea, April 30, 2021. Cutter crews use the small boats to conduct a variety of missions including search and rescue and law enforcement. U.S. Coast Guard photo courtesy Ensign Molly Dolan.
Preliminary general arrangement drawing of the third generation of long range interceptor cutter boats to be made for the Coast Guard. Courtesy of MetalCraft Marine U.S. Inc.
A Coast Guard crew tests a newly delivered over the horizon V cutter boat near Cape May, New Jersey. U.S. Coast Guard photo.
Response Boat, Medium (RB-M). Photo from Vigor
Arctic Survey Boat
29-foot Response Boat – Small II (RB-S II) 29249 passing by Pier 9, Honolulu Harbor. 9 March 2024.
Cutter Boat, Large (22 foot)
A United States Coast Guard (USCG) Port Security Unit (PSU) boat crew fire blank ammunition from .50 caliber heavy machine gun and M240b medium machine guns mounted on a patrol vessel during training.
Photo of a Coast Guard Maritime port security unit patrolling in a TPSB boat
36 foot Special Purpose Craft, Law Enforcement II
27’ Special Purpose Craft, Shallow Water II, by RECONCRAFT, 48 delivered
Trailerable Aids to Navigation Boat
Cutter Boat, AtoN, Small. Intended for the Waterways Commerce Cutters.
Chuck Hill's CG Blog 
What does TICWAN the abbreviation for?
I seem to remember TICWAN but can’t recall what it referred to.
My favorite USCG “Boat” is the Response Boat – Medium (RB-M). Awesome craft. The USCG has two or three of them . . . LOL!
I have recently been surprised how small the LRIs actually are. A Navy 11m RHIB can’t use the NSC stern ramp.
WOW . . . nothing like coordination huh?