The Captain Crotty was Houston's second fireboat. Commissioned in 1950, she replaced the Port Houston. She was joined by Houston's third fireboat, the Captain J.L. Farnsworth in 1973. In 1983, she was retired and replaced by the J.S. Bracewell and Howard T. Tellepsen.
The Captain Crotty was 79feet long, and built in the R.T.C Shipbuilding of Camden, New Jersey. According to Motorboating magazine, she was "highly maneuverable" and built to a "relatively inexpensive" design.
After her retirement, she was sold to Ocean Diving Adventures Incorporated for $50,000.
She was named after Charles Crotty, who had been assistant director of the Port. The name was chosen through a contest.