45ft 6in Watson-class lifeboat
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name: | 45ft 6in Watson-class |
| Builders: |
S.E. Saunders, Cowes J. Samuel White, Cowes Saunders-Roe, Cowes Groves & Guttridge, Cowes Alexander Robertson and Sons, Sandbank |
| 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 |
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 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 1950's 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 |
| 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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