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Offered languages
- English
PCF 816 is a tangible reminder of the service and dedication of so many Swift Boat sailors and allows visitors the opportunity to better understand what they sacrificed. The Swift Boat Sailors Association brought the PCF 816 Swift Boat to the Maritime Museum of San Diego to be restored and operated on San Diego Bay.
Museum visitors now can experience the sound and throbbing vibration from two V12 diesels delivering 980 horsepower for high speed runs through the Bay while retired Swift Boat Sailors and docents talk about what it was like to be a crewman in Vietnam, serving as a Quartermaster, Gunner’s Mate, Engineman, Radarman, Bosun’s Mate or Skipper.
The Navy first used them on coastal patrol as a part of Operation Market Time to interdict seaborne supplies on their way to the Viet Cong and the North Vietnamese Army in South Vietnam. Later, the boats moved into the rivers and canals of the Mekong Delta and the Ca Mau peninsula to conduct special operations.
What's Included
Meeting and pickup
Please check in at the Museum Ticket Booth located on the embarcadero in front of the Maritime Museum. Staff will direct you to the waiting area for the Swift Boat History Bay Tour.
Itinerary
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1
Be a part of history, ride the only active passenger carrying Swift Boat in the country. Feel the power of the twin 12 cylinder 2-stroke Detroit Diesels as you take a behind the scenes 75 minute narrated tour of San Diego’s military history. The Naval History Bay Tour route takes visitors under the Coronado Bay Bridge, Naval Base San Diego, and then Naval Amphibious Base. The Swift Boat Captain and Crew then head back by the aircraft carrier basin and Naval Air Station North Island before returning to the Museum. Your tour includes a high speed run to feel the unique power of the Swift Boat. This is a narrated tour describing PCF 816’s role in the U.S., Malta, Viet Nam, Swift Boat sailors, and the above establishments on the Bay.
1 hour 15 minutes • Admission ticket free
Additional info
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Tags
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
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Cancellation Policy
- For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
- If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
- Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
- This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.
- This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.
Rating
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
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