A Piece Of Naval History Docked In Oceanport     

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Naval War College’s Command Cutter Purchased by Local Boater

Story and Photos by Art Petrosemolo
A piece of U.S. Naval history is docked at Oceanport Landing Marina. And it’s being lovingly restored by Joe Ruffini of Red Bank.
What the Navy refers to as a “command cutter” or “admiral’s barge” is far from a barge. The craft from Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island is 50 feet long, handcrafted in 1956 by workers at the Philadelphia Navy Yard and even today Ruffini, owner of Red Bank Roofing, pinches himself to be sure he isn’t dreaming but is actually the owner.

Joe Ruffini’s Admiral Barge.
Joe Ruffini’s Admiral Barge.

The story started last fall when Ruffini was surfing government auction sites – as he has done in the past to purchase work trucks – and came across the craft, used as a ceremonial platform for entertaining guests, in the boat listings. He looked closely at the description and photos and thought it might be a nice boat to own but would probably sell way above his price threshold. Ruffini already owned a Sea Ray cruiser and had sunk a lot of money into upgrades, but the historic Navy command cutter just would not leave his mind.
“On the last day of the auction, with just a few hours remaining, and the bid at $30,000, I placed my first bid,” Ruffini said. The bid was quickly surpassed by someone who added just $20, Ruffini explains. And for several rounds he would up the bid by a few hundred dollars only to be topped by someone adding $20. “I got upset,” he smiled, “and added $3,000 on the next round as the time to the auction’s conclusion approached.” It worked. The second bidder dropped out and suddenly Ruffini owned a 50-foot historic, wooden boat for $42,000.

Traditional ship’s bell, refinished by the owner
Traditional ship’s bell, refinished by the owner

Ruffini did not know if he should smile, laugh or cry as he realized he had purchased a piece of history and might be spending the rest of his life on upkeep. With the help of members of his Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 014-02-03, he moved the Ed Monk-designed craft from Newport, Rhode Island, to Oceanport in 18 hours with a crew of six averaging 10 knots down Long Island Sound, through the East River across Raritan Bay.
“An hour didn’t pass on the trip when a boat wouldn’t come up close and salute us and shout encouragement,” Ruffini beams.
With the warm fall weather in New Jersey, Ruffini, not afraid of hard labor, got all the loose varnish sanded from the cabin exterior and applied two coats of high-end marine varnish. With a heater in the wheelhouse during the winter, he spent more time than he would care to estimate puttering, fixing and upgrading.
Taking care of a 20-ton, 50-foot long, 14-foot wide wooden boat is a commitment. “It was a commitment for the Navy,” Ruffini says, “and that’s probably why they sold it. For an individual, “it is becoming a way of life.”

The Naval War College’s Admiral’s Two Star insignia.
The Naval War College’s Admiral’s Two Star insignia.

The command cutter has a double-planked yellow Alaskan cedar sides over an oak frame. The house/cabin is mahogany. The Navy rebuilt the boat in the 1960s and again at Bend Boat Basin in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, in 1982. But by the second decade of the 21st century, it just was too much to maintain, even for the Navy.
When Ruffini first saw the barge, the day after he won the auction, the Navy Chief who showed him around said, “So, are you going to scrap it?” Ruffini said he didn’t understand. “I answered no, why do you ask?” He explained. Many of the people who toured the boat when it was open for inspection before the auction all planned to dismember her for parts including the two, large Cummins diesels.
Command cutters or barges were used as ceremonial boats by the Navy to entertain VIPs on day or evening cruises and Ruffini’s craft was used in Narragansett Bay. According to the ship’s log, distinguished guests had included Presidents Dwight Eisenhower and John F. Kennedy as well as US Secretaries of Defense, State, Naval and visiting dignitaries.
Ruffini’s plans? “Well it’s a work in progress,” he says. “There is daily, ongoing maintenance and upkeep.” Although the boat has a head, the shower was removed for more storage and Ruffini plans to rebuild it to make the barge more comfortable for overnight cruising with his two daughters and girlfriend.
The boat was scheduled to be part of the Coast Guard presence in New York Harbor for the America’s Cup event in early May, but the heavy winds during the Sunday races prevented the barge from making the trip from Oceanport to New York Harbor.
Ruffini indicates the boat will make it to New York Harbor for the Navy’s Fleet Week activities at the end of the month and he hopes to be able to lead the flotilla of Navy warships up the river to their anchorages.