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	S.E. Saunders, Cowes J. Samuel White, Cowes Saunders-Roe, Cowes Groves & Guttridge, Cowes Alexander Robertson & 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

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 lying afloat Strangford Lough October 19
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 & 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.

External links

• RNLI