Challenger (Long Beach fireboat)

The Challenger is a fireboat built for the Long Beach California Fire Department.

[1] Within a year both vessels developed serious corrosion problems, due to poor choice of alloys, and the joints between different metals.

The Los Angeles Times reported that the vice president of Moss Point Marine, Vince Almerico, said "If the port wanted entirely rust-free vessels it could have specified use of stainless steel for everything at a much higher cost.

[1] The two vessels cost $2.2 million each, in 1987 dollars, and, by September 1988 the Long Beach Harbor Commission had to allocate an addition $883,000 to repair the construction problems.

[1][2] The Challenger and the Liberty were delivered in a red livery with black trim, while the two older fireboats they replaced were grey.