W. F. STONE & SON

Oakland CA

Most recent update: July 21, 2014.

William I. Stone, from Dartmouth, England, established a boatyard in the Hunter's Point area of San Francisco in 1853, where he specialized in building commercial schooners and tugboats as well as racing and recreational yachts.  He was in business until 1892, when his son, Frank, took over, moving the company to Beach Street in Tiburon, to a site that is now occupied by Sam's Anchor Cafe.  Then, in 1899, Frank moved the operation again, to Harbor View, in San Francisco.  In 1911, he was evicted from this location and moved to a site at the foot of Diesel Way, in Oakland, adjacent to the Union Diesel Engine Company.  Frank's son, Lester, joined the business at this time and the name was changed to W. F. Stone & Son.  Then, in 1923, Frank Stone died and Lester Stone became the sole proprietor.  Following the entry of the United States into World War II and the subsequent expansion of Union Diesel, however, W. F. Stone & Son got evicted yet again and moved across the estuary to Alameda, to a location on Blanding Avenue.  Lester Stone retired in 1970 and the yard was sold to John Whitset, but continued to do business as and be known as the Stone Boat Yard.  It declared bankruptcy in 1986 and was sold again, to Bill and Grace Bodle, then again in 2000 to David Olson.  It closed for good in 2004.  See the final site from the air on Google here.  If anyone can add to the table below, which is seriously incomplete, please e-mail me at timcolton@aol.com.
Hull # O.N. Original Name Original Owner Type Tons Ft. Built Disposition
Built by Stone & Swann in Tiburon (1853-1899)
    Edna   Sloop        
    La Paloma   Schooner        
    Sappho   Yacht        
    May   Sloop        
    Speedwell   Sloop     1896 Later Felicity
    Presto   Sloop   33 1898 Lost off Half Moon Bay 1941
Built by Stone & Van Bergen in San Francisco (1900-1911) - 46 boats
  111283 Richmond Atchison Topeka Tug 135 100 1900 Sold to Crowley 1926
  117003 Santa Barbara Hanify & Co Cargo Ship 695 183 1900 Scuttled 1943
  127522 Chilkat   Cargo Ship 172 115 1901  
  81761 W. H. Marston Marston & Godfrey Schooner 1,169   1901 Lost in hurricane off New Orleans
  117115 Santa Monica Hanify & Co Cargo Ship 497 166 1902 To USN 1942 as YP 528, later YDG 4, wrecked in New California 1943, sold 1945
    Soquel Hanify & Co Schooner     1902  
  117196 Salem   Schooner 767   1902  
  155444 Oakland Hogan Lumber Schooner 418 150 1902  
  200554 Elizabeth E. T. Kruse Cargo Ship 363 142 1903 Foundered 90nm NW Tres Marias Is 1946
  216933 Lady Ada   Yacht 28 58 1903 Active
  200229 Sausalito   Schooner 367   1903  
  150985 Pedro Costa Western Cal. Fish Co. Bay Freighter 51 72 1903  
    Commodore   Bay Freighter        
  204696 Eagle   Bay Freighter 52 75  1907  
    Gov. M. B. M.   Bay Freighter        
  201545 Arabs   Bay Freighter 155 109 1904  
    Vixen   Sloop     1904 Active
  202077 Anvil John J. Sesnon Co Cargo Ship 363 116 1905 Deleted 1941
  214204 Yankee David Abecassis Schooner 20 43 1906 Active: visit her at www.yankee1906.com
    Pronto   Sloop     1907  
  216934 Martha J. R. Hanify Schooner 30   1907 Later owned by James Cagney, Edgar Kaiser, still active
    Fulton G   Sloop     1908  
  205805 Carlos J. Homer Fritch Inc Cargo Ship 865 198 1908 Breakwater off Point San Pablo 1939
  205164 Crowley No. 6 Crowley L & T Tug 15 50 1908  
  205176 Crowley No. 7 Crowley L & T Tug 15 50 1908  
    Eanijen Rakijen Williams, Dimond Trading Schooner 197 95 1908  
  215912 Neptun Williams, Dimond Trading Schooner 197 110 1909 Later Minnow, Tagua 1921, wrecked off Tahanea 1961
    Soquel   Schooner     1910  
  209052 Moana Soc. Com. de l'Oceanie Trading Schooner 200   1911 Burnt off Anaa Island 1953
  215997 Atlas Williams, Diamond Trading Schooner 209 110 1911  
  206708 Crowley No. 14 Crowley L & T Tug 15 50 1911 Later Sudan
    Crowley No. 15 Crowley L & T Tug   50 1911  
    Crowley No. 16 Crowley L & T Tug   65 1911  
Built by W. F. Stone & Son at Kennedy and Bocimer Streets in Oakland (1912-1941) - 88 boats
  210340 Lark Hunt, Hatch & Co. Tanker 72 80 1912  
  211466 Golden State Union Fish Co Schooner 354 140 1913 Sold in Costa Rica 1943
    Clarinda John W. Pew Schooner Yacht   54 1914 Later Viking IV
  226345 Hermes Williams, Diamond Schooner 209 95 1914 To USN 1917, to Hawaii 1919, sold 1926 as Lanikai, to USN 1941, to RAN 1942 as Lanikai, sunk by typhoon in Subic Bay 1947
  211807 Standard No. 1 Standard Oil Tug 108 90 1913  
    Daniel Co. No. 1 Daniel Contracting Rock Barge      1914  
    Daniel Co. No. 2 Daniel Contracting Rock Barge      1914  
    Daniel Co. No. 3 Daniel Contracting Rock Barge      1914  
  212257 Pirate Union Fish Co Cannery Tender 55 65 1914  
    Pronto II   Sloop     1914  
  212960 Crowley No. 17 Crowley L & T Passenger 38 60 1915 Converted to tug 1947
  212961 Crowley No. 18 Crowley L & T Passenger 38 60 1915 Converted to tug 1947
    Crowley No. 19 Crowley L & T Tug    60 1915  
  212304 Crowley No. 20 Crowley L & T Tug  28 60 1915 Later Auk
  212962 Crowley No. 23 Crowley L & T Passenger 38 60 1915 Converted to tug 1947
  212963 Crowley No. 24 Crowley L & T Passenger 38 60 1915 Converted to tug 1947
  213030 Paladini Bros Paladini Bros Fishing Vessel 60 75 1915 Later Crowley No. 9, Ajax
    Alex. Volta   Bay Freighter         
    Polar Bear   Bay Freighter        
    Westward J. R. Hanify Sloop   66 1915 N-class
    Lady Betty   Sloop     1915 6-meter No. 1
    Bob   Sloop   38 1916 R-class
  214004 Frank B Frank B. Peterson Co Cannery Tender  60 75 1916  
574   Viva  Charles Adams Yawl   45 1916  
    U. S. Grant   Tug       Later Hercules
  215007 Ryder Hanify J. R. Hanify Co Steamer 1,363   May-17 To France as Gabriel 1917, returned 1921, renamed George L. Olson, wrecked Coos Bay 1944
  215234 Robert C. Sudden Sudden & Christensen Steamer 1,363   Jun-17 To France as Hadrumette 1917, returned 1921, Robert C. Sudden, John C. Kirkpatrick, Margaret Berg, Cornelia, West Coast, burnt 1946
    Mauno Burmes-Philip Co. Schooner 253 117 Oct-17  
    Motau Burmes-Philip Co. Schooner 253 117 Oct-17  
    Murua Burmes-Philip Co. Schooner 253 117 Dec-17  
  215994 W. C. F. No. 1 Western Cal. Fish Co. Fishing Boat 28 56 1918  
  217564 Junta F. E. Booth Co. Fishing Boat 32 65 1919  
  216128 Leader Frank B. Peterson Co Cannery Tender 42 65 1918  
  215935 Palawan   Schooner 818 167 1918 Bombed and sunk in London in WWII
    Doris Crane Wrightman & Crane Schooner 351 138 1920 Burnt 240nm N Honolulu 1927
  220456 Mikioi Young Bros. Tug 98 88 1920 First "Miki"-type tug
  221034 Sea Lion US Shipping Board Tug 472 150 Jan-21 Completed for Crowley, deleted 1944
  221133 Sea Monarch US Shipping Board Tug 472 150 Mar-21 Completed for Crowley, in collision and sank off Bush Point 1925
  221353 Sea Ranger US Shipping Board Tug 472 150 May-21 Completed for Crowley, to USN 1942 as Wampatuck (YT 337), deleted 1955
  221392 Sea Scout US Shipping Board Tug 472 150 Jun-21 Completed for Crowley, scrapped 1948
    No name US Shipping Board Tug 472 150   Cancelled
    No name US Shipping Board Tug 472 150   Cancelled
    No name US Shipping Board Tug 472 150   Cancelled
    Alice A   Aux. Ketch     1921  
    Rascal   Sloop   42 1921 R-class No. 3
    Corinthian II   Sloop     1921 R-class
    Sparrow   Cannery Tender     1922  
  222510 W. C. F. No. 2 Western Cal. Fish Co. Fishing Boat 39 59 1922  
  223127 Oakland   Freighter 225   1923  
    Lucky Strike         1924  
    Corinthian Star         1924  
  224306 Emerald F. A. Hyde Yawl 16 50 1924 Active in Marina del Rey
  223738 Sally Daniel Contracting Tug 33 65 1924  
  224549 Fram Naknek Packing Cannery Tender 47 70 1925  
    Nancy Jane Jules Bernheim Cruiser   36 1925  
    Aloha Frank B. Drake Aux. Ketch   55 1927 Rammed and sunk by USCG 1928
    Noname Hart S. Weaver Aux. Ketch   55 1927 Later Tavana, Mandalay
  226375 Northern Light John Borden Schooner 247 140 1927 Research vessel, later Boston pilot boat
    Machree         1927  
    Marquita         1927  
  235345 Migirl Lester Stone Aux. Sloop 17 50 1928 Now Water Witch
  227452 Crowley No. 23 Crowley L & T Tug  47 74 1928 Later yacht Born Again
  227980 W. C. F. No. 3 Western Cal. Fish Co. Fishing Boat 46 60 1928  
    Puffin   Sloop     1928 Bird-class No. 12
    Cuckoo   Sloop     1929 Bird-class No. 16
    Robin   Sloop     1929 Bird-class No. 18
    Polly C. R. Rodgers Sloop   30 1929 Bird-class No. 19
    ? Hart S. Weaver Schooner     1929  
    Wanderer II Frank Cox Schooner     1930  
1158   Buccaneer H. E. McCarthy Sloop   30 1931  
    Marilen Lester Stone Ketch   61 1931  
    Iris George F. Grant Sloop   32 1934  
  521751 Marilyn J Marc A. Maluda Yacht 14   1934 Active
    Helaine C. S. Crittenden Sloop   42 1936  
    Kivi Robert Doolittle Tahiti Ketch   30 1936  
    Westerner Frank B. Drake Sloop   43 1936  
  236341 Senta K. K. Bechtel Sloop 18 53 1937  
    Kirawan   Sloop 18   1937  
    Sonata Gordon Strawbridge Sloop   35 1941  
Built by W. F. Stone & Son at Blanding Avenue in Alameda (1942-1978) - 41 boats
  na YMS 299 US Navy Minesweeper 278   7-Apr-43 Reclassified 1947 as Rhea (AMS 52), sold 1960 as training ship in Port Stanley ON, scrapped 1997
  na YMS 300 US Navy Minesweeper 278   3-Jul-43 Struck 1946
  na YMS 301 US Navy Minesweeper 278   11-Sep-43 To the USSR 1945 as T-605, scrapped 1956
  na YMS 302 US Navy Minesweeper 278   5-Nov-43 Struck 1948
  na PCS 1421 US Navy Sub Chaser 278   19-Feb-44 Sold 1947
  na PCS 1422 US Navy Sub Chaser 278   24-Apr-44 Sold 1947
  na YT 254 US Navy Tug 260   24-Aug-44 Later Menatonon, struck 1960
  na YT 255 US Navy Tug 260   30-Sep-44 Later Kennesaw, struck 1960
  246819 Nancy T Tarantino et al. Purse Seiner   85 1944 Later Joseph Balestrieri II, wrecked 1955
  259343 Tasco Thomas A. Short Yawl   50 1947 Later Kialoa
    Ulalume Bud George Sloop   41 1948  
 

257641

Alert K. K. Bechtel Ketch 30 61 1949 NLD
    Flame Jack Erhorn Racing Sloop     1949 Yankee One-Design No. 34
    Venture   Racing Sloop     1950 Yankee One-Design No. 36
    Tarfon   Racing Sloop     1950 Yankee One-Design No. 37
    Yankee Clipper Frank Stone Racing Sloop     1950 Yankee One-Design No. 38
    Yankee Doodle Frank Stone Racing Sloop     1950 Yankee One-Design No. 39
    Flotsam Jack Erhorn Racing Sloop     1950 Yankee One-Design No. ??
    Makaala Young Bros. Tug   65    
  269615 Tasco II Thomas A. Short Sloop 14 41 1955 Later Mistress
  280309 Vaya Lester Stone Sloop 15 39 1955  
    Morning Star       106 1956 Sank in Mexico
  272095 Coral J. Echerick Sloop 5 25 1956  
  545636 Foxen Leonard A. Brown Sloop 14 40 1957  
  280470 Little Packet Christopher Jenkes Sloop 9 30 1959  
  282250 Spartan Jack Tibbetts Sloop 10 42 1960  
    Yohoho Lloyd Rees Ketch   44 1962 Later Zaida
  293253 Rowena Donald Dalziel Sloop 18 49 1964  
    Unnamed Cal. Maritime Surf Boat   26 1965-70 At least four boats
    Scamp Lester Stone Sloop   33 1967  
  528082 Dina Maria   Yacht 15   1970  
    Spinster Douglas Meacham Fishing Boat   37 1970  
    St. Francis V   Sloop     1973  
    Wailua Sunney Waileeal Tour Boat   65 1973  
    Kauai Sunney Waileeal Tour Boat   65 1974  
    Kawili   Tour Boat     1974  

124

565565 Natoma Donald Dalziel Ketch 52 60 1975 Active

125

569182 Rolling Stone John Whitsett IOR Racing Sloop 10 36 1975 Active (Germany)
    Shaft         1976  
    Outrageous   Sloop     1977  
    Charisma   Yacht     1978 Active (Mexico)
Built by the Stone Boat Yard at Blanding Avenue in Alameda (1979-2004)
1 964574 Hummingbird O. & G. Niemeth Passenger 17 40 1990 Active
2 995479 Stoney Albion Marine Inc. Tug 9 26 1993 Later Judy I