Class overview
Name45ft 6in Watson-class
Builders
Operators Royal National Lifeboat Institution
Preceded by45ft Watson-class
Succeeded by46ft Watson-class
Cost£6,800-£11,000
Built1926-1935
In service1926-1972
Completed22(23)
Lost2
Retired20
General characteristics
Class and type45ft 6in Watson-class motor lifeboat
Displacement19 tons
Length45 ft 6 in (13.87 m)
Beam12 ft 6 in (3.81 m)
Propulsion
  • Single engine, 80bhp Weyburn DE6 6-cyl.petrol
  • Twin engine, 40bhp Weyburn CE4 4-cyl. petrol
Speed7 knots
Crew8

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.

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[a] Name Built Builder In service Stations Comments[1]
698 K.T.J.S. 1926 S. E. Saunders 1926–1933 Longhope Single engine. Sold May 1952; wrecked 1980.
1933–1935 Aith
1935–1950 Arranmore
1950–1952 Relief fleet
699 John Russell 1926 S. E. Saunders 1926–1939 Montrose No.1 Single engine. Sold July 1956. Reported in August 2021 to be in private ownership at Poole Harbour.
1939–1955 Relief fleet
700 K.E.C.F. 1927 J. Samuel White 1927–1939 Rosslare Harbour Twin engine, twin screw.

Sold December 1956. Broken up at C&J Marina, North Shields, in 2015.

1939–1952 Aran Islands
1952–1956 Relief fleet
701 N.T. 1927 J. Samuel White 1927–1951 Barrow Twin engine, single screw.

Sold December 1956. Renamed Diana Victoria. Reported in 1987 to be a workboat on the River Ouse in York.

1952–1953 Workington
1953–1956 Relief fleet
707 Edward Z. Dresden 1929 S. E. Saunders 1929–1952 Clacton on Sea Twin engine, twin screw. Sold December 1968.
1952–1955 Stronsay
1955–1968 Relief fleet
708 H.C.J. 1928 J. Samuel White 1928 Fowey Sold in 1962. Renamed Seawitch. Reported in December 2021 at Castletown, Isle of Man
1928–1929 Holyhead
1929–1956 Thurso
1956–1962 Relief fleet
709 City of Bradford II 1929 S. E. Saunders 1929–1954 Humber Sold December 1968. Reported in December 2022 to be beached at Ringhaddy Pier on Strangford Lough in Northern Ireland.
1954–1956 Amble
1956–1959 Relief fleet
1960 Broughty Ferry
1960–1968 Relief fleet
710 White Star 1930 J. Samuel White 1930–1957 Fishguard Sold June 1968. Reported in January 2022 as being a fishing boat at Boston, Lincolnshire.
1957–1968 Relief fleet
711 James Macfee 1928 J. Samuel White 1928–1955 Cromarty Sold in 1959. Reported in September 2021 to be a houseboat named Macfee on Loch Oich at Invergarry.
1955–1956 Relief fleet
1956–1957 Thurso
1957–1959 Relief fleet
712 C.D.E.C. 1928 J. Samuel White 1928–1954 Fowey Sold in 1959. Renamed Thameserver. Reported in June 2021 to be semi-derelict at Leigh-on-Sea.
1954–1959 Relief fleet
713 Elizabeth Elson 1929 J. Samuel White 1929–1957 Angle Sold December 1968. Renamed Elizabeth Elson. In April 2019 it was reported as being semi-derelict at Kenmare in County Kerry, Ireland.
1957–1968 Relief fleet
714 H.F. Bailey 1928 S. E. Saunders 1928–1929 Cromer No.1 Entered service as the H.F. Bailey but later renamed Canadian Pacific. Destroyed by fire at Groves & Guttridge, Cowes on 18 June 1937.
1929–1937 Selsey
716 Sarah Ward and William David Crossweller 1929 J. Samuel White 1929–1958 Courtmacsherry Harbour Sold in 1961. Reported in August 2022 as being a pleasure boat at Saint Peter Port, Guernsey.
1958–1959 Relief fleet
1959–1961 Whitehills
728 Cunard 1930 Saunders-Roe 1930–1955 St Mary's Sold in 1969. Renamed Henry Joy. Reported in December 2022 as being ashore at Coney Island, Killough, Northern Ireland.
1955–1969 Relief fleet
729 John R. Webb 1930 Saunders-Roe 1930–1955 Tenby Sold September 1969. Renamed Rairewa II. Reported in 1969 to have been moved to Poland.
1955–1969 Relief fleet
730 Cecil and Lilian Philpott 1930 J. Samuel White 1930–1959 Newhaven Sold October 1969. Renamed Stenoa. Reported in August 2021 as a pleasure boat at Landermere Quay, Thorpe-le-Soken.
1959–1969 Relief fleet
732 Catherine 1930 J. Samuel White Built for Bombay Port Trust. Scrapped in 1935.
736 W. and S. 1931 J. Samuel White 1931–1960 Penlee Sold in 1970. Reported in December 2022 as being a pleasure boat at the Old Dock in Harwich.
1960–1961 Buckie
1961–1969 Relief fleet
749 George and Sarah Strachan 1931 J. Samuel White 1931–1959 Dunbar Sold March 1969. Renamed George and Sarah Strachan. Reported in November 2013 as being a workboat at Dunoon.
1959–1960 Relief fleet
1960–1963 Exmouth
1964–1969 Relief fleet
753 Civil Service No.5 1932 J. Samuel White 1932–1950 Donaghadee Sold February 1958. Reported in August 2021 as being at the former Titanic Museum in Inverness.
1950–1956 Port St Mary
1956–1958 Relief fleet
759 Thomas McCunn 1933 Groves & Guttridge 1933–1962 Longhope Sold August 1972. Restored and on display at Longhope Lifeboat Museum since December 2000.
1962–1972 Relief fleet
774 Charlotte Elizabeth 1935 Alexander Robertson 1935–1959 Islay Sold in 1961. Cut in two at Thurso River Quay.
1959–1961 Relief fleet
775 Mona 1935 Groves & Guttridge 1935–1959 Broughty Ferry Capsized on service 8 December 1959 with eight crew lost. Boat later burned on the beach.
  1. ^ ON is the RNLI's Official Number of the boat.

References

  1. ^ Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2023). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2023. Lifeboats Enthusiasts Society.

External links

Classes of Royal National Lifeboat Institution lifeboats
Category