45ft 6in Watson-class lifeboat

The 45ft 6in Watson-class was a non self-righting displacement hull lifeboat built between 1926 and 1933 and operated by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution between 1926 and 1972.

Class overview
Name: 45ft 6in Watson-class
Builders:
Operators: RNLI
Preceded by: 45ft Watson-class
Succeeded by: 46ft Watson-class
Cost: £6,800-£11,000
Built: 1926-1935
In service: 1926-1972
Completed: 22(23)
Lost: 2
Retired: 20
General characteristics
Class and type: 45ft 6in Watson-class motor lifeboat
Displacement: 19 tons
Length: 45 ft 6 in (13.87 m)
Beam: 12 ft 6 in (3.81 m)
Propulsion:
  • Single engine, 80bhp Weyburn DE6 6-cyl.petrol
  • Twin engine, 40bhp Weyburn CE4 4-cyl. petrol
Speed: 7 knots
Crew: 8

History

The 45ft 6in Watson-class lifeboat marked the transition from single engine, single screw to twin engine, twin screw layout. The first two boats were similar to the last of the 45ft Watson-class boats, albeit six inches longer due to a forward raked bow. The third boat was the first with twin engines and twin screws while the fourth had twin engines geared to a single screw, a unique layout in RNLI lifeboat history. The twin screw layout proved to be superior and from the fifth boat onwards this was the layout adopted. The 45ft 6in Watsons were long lived and most survived at their original stations into the 1950s when most were replaced by 46ft 9in and, later in the decade, 47ft Watsons. Many boats spent their final years in the reserve fleet with five of the later boats serving until 1969 and one, ON759, continuing in the reserve fleet until 1972. During their service, 45ft 6in Watsons launched on service 2,587 times and are credited with saving 2,613 lives. The single biggest contributor being the Humber lifeboat City of Bradford II ON 709, which in twenty five years at the station launched on service 228 times, saving 305 lives.

Description

The 45ft 6in Watsons differed from the previous 45ft type in having flush decks with no end boxes. The aft cockpit had a shelter ahead of it covering the engine room access hatch. Ahead of this was the exhaust funnel and towards the bow was a further small shelter. The first two boats retained the single engine layout of their predecessors, being powered by the same 80bhp Weyburn DE6 6-cylinder petrol engines. The third boat (ON 700) was the first twin engined version, with two 40bhp Weyburn CE4 4-cylinder petrol engines driving twin screws. The fourth in the series (ON 701) had a unique twin engine, single screw layout which was not repeated. From ON 707 onwards the twin screw layout was standardised. The drop keel fitted to the single engine boats was deleted from the twins and eventually the auxiliary sailing rig was dispensed with on the twins in the light of operational experience.

Fleet

ON is the RNLI's sequential Official Number.

ON Name Built Builder In service Stations Comments
698 K.T.J.S. 1926 S. E. Saunders, Cowes 1926–1933
1933–1935
1935–1950
1950–1952
Longhope
Aith
Arranmore
Relief fleet
Single engine. Sold May 1952
699 John Russell 1926 S. E. Saunders, Cowes 1926–1939
1939–1955
Montrose No.1
Relief fleet
Single engine. Sold July 1956
700 K.E.C.F. 1927 J. Samuel White, Cowes 1927–1939
1939–1952
1952–1956
Rosslare Harbour
Aran Islands
Relief fleet
Twin engine, twin screw. Sold December 1956
701 N.T. 1927 J. Samuel White, Cowes 1927–1951
1952–1953
1953–1956
Barrow
Workington
Relief fleet
Twin engine, single screw. Sold December 1956
707 Edward Z. Dresden 1929 S. E. Saunders, Cowes 1929–1952
1952–1955
1955–1968
Clacton on Sea
Stronsay
Relief fleet
Twin engine, twin screw. Sold December 1968
708 H.C.J. 1928 J. Samuel White, Cowes 1928
1928–1929
1929–1956
1956–1962
Fowey
Holyhead
Thurso
Relief fleet
Sold in 1962
709 City of Bradford II 1929 S. E. Saunders, Cowes 1929–1954
1954–1957
1959–1960
1956–1968
Humber
Amble
Broughty Ferry
Relief fleet
Sold December 1968 lieing afloat Strangford Lough October19
710 White Star 1930 J. Samuel White, Cowes 1930–1956
1956–1968
Fishguard
Relief fleet
Sold June 1968
711 James Macfee 1928 J. Samuel White, Cowes 1928–1955
1956–1957
1955–1959
Cromarty
Thurso
Relief fleet
Sold in 1959
712 C.D.E.C. 1928 J. Samuel White, Cowes 1928–1954
1954–1959
Fowey
Relief fleet
Sold in 1959
713 Elizabeth Elson 1929 J. Samuel White, Cowes 1929–1957
1957–1968
Angle
Relief fleet
Sold December 1968
714 H.F. Bailey/
1929-Canadian Pacific
1928 S. E. Saunders, Cowes 1928–1929
1929–1937
Cromer No.1
Selsey
Destroyed by fire at Groves & Guttridge 18/6/1937
716 Sarah Ward and William David Crossweller 1929 J. Samuel White, Cowes 1929–1958
1958–1959
1959–1961
Courtmacsherry Harbour
Relief fleet
Whitehills
Sold in 1961
728 Cunard 1930 Saunders-Roe, Cowes 1930–1955
1955–1969
St Mary's
Relief fleet
Sold in 1969
729 John R. Webb 1930 Saunders-Roe, Cowes 1930–1955
1955–1969
Tenby
Relief fleet
Sold September 1969
730 Cecil and Lilian Philpott 1930 J. Samuel White, Cowes 1930–1959
1959–1969
Newhaven
Relief fleet
Sold October 1969
732 Catherine 1930 J. Samuel White, Cowes -- -- Built for Bombay Port Trust. Scrapped in 1935
736 W. and S. 1931 J. Samuel White, Cowes 1931–1960
1960–1961
1960–1969
Penlee
Buckie
Relief fleet
Sold in 1970
749 George and Sarah Strachan 1931 J. Samuel White, Cowes 1931–1959
1959–1961
1961–1963
1964–1969
Dunbar
Relief fleet
Exmouth
Relief fleet
Sold March 1969
753 Civil Service No.5 1932 J. Samuel White, Cowes 1932–1950
1950–1956
1956–1958
Donaghadee
Port St Mary
Relief fleet
Sold February 1958
759 Thomas McCunn 1933 Groves & Guttridge, Cowes 1933–1962
1962–1972
Longhope
Relief fleet
Sold August 1972. Now on display at Longhope Lifeboat Museum
774 Charlotte Elizabeth 1935 Alexander Robertson and Sons,
Sandbank
1935–1959
1959–1961
Islay
Relief fleet
Sold in 1961
775 Mona 1935 Groves & Guttridge, Cowes 1935–1959 Broughty Ferry Capsized on service 8/12/1959, eight crew lost.

Boat later burned on the beach.

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