The
Island-class patrol boats were constructed in Bollinger Shipyards, Lockport, Louisiana.
Galveston Island has an overall length of . It had a
beam of and a
draft of at the time of construction. The patrol boat has a displacement of at full load and at half load. It is powered two
Paxman Valenta 16 CM diesel engines or two Caterpillar 3516 diesel engines. It has two 3304T diesel generators made by Caterpillar; these can serve as
motor–generators. Its hull is constructed from highly strong steel, and the superstructure and major deck are constructed from aluminium. The Island-class patrol boats have maximum sustained speeds of . They are fitted with one machine gun and two M60 light machine guns; they may also be fitted with two Browning
.50 Caliber Machine Guns. It is fitted with satellite navigation systems, collision avoidance systems, surface radar, and a Loran C system. It has a range of and an endurance of five days. Its complement is sixteen (two officers and fourteen crew members). Island-class patrol boats are based on Vosper Thornycroft patrol boats and have similar dimensions. ==History==