The pilot boats of the late 1890s and early 1900s are no more¹. Many were lost in stormy waters, whilst others reached a ripe old age until they were dispatched to the scrapyard. Fortunately, these boats live on in old photographs to give us a realistic view of their design and structure, and sometimes even their dimensions.
¹A notable exception is the Pilot, which is believed to be the longest surviving pilot boat. Built in 1914 in San Diego, California, it served as the official pilot boat of San Diego Bay for 82 years. It was later restored by the Maritime Museum of San Diego, which now operates it as a cruise boat for visitors. 
Pilot boat 20 miles off mouth of Koksoak river, Fort Chimo (Kuujjuaq), Ungava Bay, 1909
Photo by Hugh A. Peck (1888–1945)
Courtesy of McCord Museum (Montreal, Quebec, CA)
Pilot boat, Ungava Bay, 1909
Photo by Hugh A. Peck (1888–1945)
Courtesy of McCord Museum (Montreal, Quebec, CA)
Pilot Boat Florence No 1, c. 1895
Photo by Nathaniel Stebbins (1847–1922)
Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Pilot boat No. 8, c. 1903
Detroit Publishing Co., publisher
Courtesy of the Library of Congress, USA
Auxiliary motor pilot boat Trenton
Formerly the fishing schooner Kernrcood, purchased for pilot service in 1907
Photo from ‘Pilot Lore; From Sail to Steam’ (1922) Click here to download the book.
Pilot boat at Pointe-au-Père, QC, 1909
Photo by Hugh A. Peck (1888–1945)
Courtesy of McCord Museum (Montreal, Quebec, CA)
Pilot boat Eureka meeting R. M. S. Empress of Britain, Rimouski, QC, 1907
Photo by Burkewood Welbourn (1875–1961)
Courtesy of McCord Museum (Montreal, Quebec, CA)
Steam pilot boat New Jersey, 1900
Detroit Publishing Co., publisher
Courtesy of the Library of Congress, USA
Take another journey back in time:
A nostalgic look at pilot boats of yore through art
~ Barista Uno
