CGS Acadia was a fisheries patrol vessel of the Canadian Department of Marine and Fisheries from 1885 to 1909. The ship began life as the yacht Yosemite, constructed in the United States in 1880. After being acquired in 1885 by Canada and renamed Acadia, the ship served in the Atlantic fisheries, enforcing fisheries regulations in Canadian waters. The ship was taken out of service in 1909 and sold for scrap and Acadias registry was closed in 1910.
Originally built as a yacht of wood and iron construction, the ship had a tonnage of . The ship was 182.5feet long between perpendiculars with a beam of 23.5feet and a draught of 19feet. Acadia was propelled by one screw powered by a compound steam engine rated at 155hp (nominal).[1] [2]
The ship was ordered by William Belden from J. Roach & Sons and was constructed at their Delaware River Iron Ship and Engine Works shipyard in Chester, Pennsylvania. The vessel was launched on 9 August 1880 and completed in December of that year.[2] On 14 July 1882, while sailing up the Hudson River, Yosemite was involved in a collision with the yacht Vanderbilt off of Esopus Meadow lighthouse, sinking the vessel. The owner of Vanderbilt brought the affair to court, reaching the United States Supreme Court in 1893, where Belden was found guilty of negligence in operating Yosemite and forced to pay Vanderbilts owner damages.[3]
In 1885, the vessel was acquired by the Canadian government and converted to a fisheries patrol vessel. Originally keeping the name Yosemite, the ship was renamed Acadia in 1891.[1] The ship was used to patrol the fisheries along the East Coast of Canada. The crew were armed with swords and carried small arms for use during ship boardings.[4] Acadia remained in service until 1909, when the ship was sold for scrap. Acadias registry was closed in 1910.[2]