47ft Watson-class lifeboat

RNLB Margaret (ON 947) at Dunbar, 1981.
Class overview
Name47ft Watson class
Builders
OperatorsRoyal National Lifeboat Institution
Preceded by46ft 9in Watson-class
Succeeded byTyne-class
Cost£34,346–£40,500
Built1955–1963
In service1956–1991
Completed18
Lost2
Retired16
General characteristics
Class & type47ft Watson
Displacement23 tons
Length47 ft (14 m)
Beam13 ft (4.0 m)
Draught4 ft 5 in (1.35 m)
Propulsion2 × 60-bhp Gardner 5LW 5-cyl. diesel
Speed9 knots
Range280 nmi (520 km; 320 mi)
Crew8

The 47 ft Watson-class was a class of non-self-righting displacement hull lifeboat, built from 1955 to 1963 and operated by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) between 1956 and 1991.

History

The 47 ft Watson was the final development of the basic hull design laid out by George Lennox Watson in the late nineteenth century and was designed by James Barnett. They were the final Watson type boats to be built and survived in service almost to the end of the displacement hull era.

The prototype, Dunnet Head (Civil Service No.31) (ON 920), was built in 1955 and was placed on station at Thurso in January 1956. Unfortunately, on 10 December 1956, the boathouse at Thurso caught fire and both it and the lifeboat inside were destroyed. No further 47 ft Watsons were built during 1956 and production of the 46 ft 9in Watson continued during that year. Production of the new type resumed in 1957, with the first being a replacement boat for Thurso, Pentland (ON 940). The boat still carried the Civil Service no.31 designation, although this time, it was fully funded by the RNLI.[1]

Production continued until 1963 when large displacement hull development turned to the self-righting 48 ft 6in Oakley-class and later Solent-class lifeboat.[2]

Description

Compared to the preceding 46ft 9in Watson-class lifeboat, the new boats had a hull extended by 3 inches in both length and beam. The wheelhouse was fully enclosed with sliding doors on either side and there were bulwarks above the fenders fore and aft and, from the second boat, the forward cabin was increased in size.

As with the previous year's 42ft Watson-class, the boats were powered by commercial diesel engines rather than the RNLI designed units used previously. In this case, two 60-bhp Gardner 5LW five cylinder diesels were fitted with the exhaust being taken up the mast as on the later 46 ft 9in boats.[2]

As built, the boats had line aerials rigged from the forward mast to a pole mast aft of the rear cabin. During their careers, this rig was replaced by twin pole aerials and the aft mast was removed. Radar was fitted on a bracket on the port side of the rear cabin roof (some had it fitted to the wheelhouse roof).

From 1973, the boats were modified to become self-righting by, in most cases, the fitting of an air bag on the starboard side of the rear cabin roof, adjacent to the radar. This gave a once only self-righting ability which was successfully deployed when Salcombe's The Baltic Exchange capsized on service in 1983. Six boats were rebuilt with larger forward and aft superstructures (akin to the 48 ft 6in Oakley and Solent classes) which made them inherently self-righting. In these boats the masts were removed and the exhaust outlets were on the side of the hull. The engines in these six were uprated to 70-bhp and these modified boats were the longest lasting of the type, all but one serving into the 1990s.

Fleet

ON[a] Name Built In service[3] Stations Radar Comments[3][2]
920 Dunnet Head
(Civil Service No.31) 		1955 1956 Thurso No [Note 1]
Destroyed by fire in Thurso boathouse, 10 December 1956.
940 Pentland
(Civil Service No.31) 		1957 1957–1970 Thurso 1972 [Note 2] Sold March 1991.
Unaltered condition at West Wales Maritime Museum, Pembroke Dock, December 2025.[4]
1970–1974 Relief fleet
1974–1985 The Mumbles
1986–1990 Workington
947 Margaret 1958 1959–1986 Dunbar 1973 [Note 3] Sold 1987.
Renamed Hallowstell, later Theo. Sunk at Rathmullan, Ireland, May 2006.
950 Kathleen Mary 1959 1959–1977 Newhaven 1969 [Note 4] Sold April 1990.
Renamed Katie May. Unaltered condition at Ellesmere Port Boat Museum, November 2024.
1977–1979 Relief fleet
1979–1987 Porthdinllaen
1987–1988 Appledore
951 Francis W. Wotherspoon of Paisley 1959 1959–1979 Islay 1973 [Note 5] Sold October 1986.
Renamed Kimros Man. Now in unaltered condition as Francis W. Wotherspoon at Douglas, Isle of Man, August 2024.
1979–1981 Relief fleet
1981 Fishguard
1982–1986 Workington
953 Sarah Jane and James Season 1960 1960–1986 Teesmouth 1970 [Note 6] Sold 1989.
Renamed Manx Voyager. Unaltered condition at Ramsey, Isle of Man, January 2025.
1986–1988 Shoreham Harbour
954 Solomon Browne 1960 1960–1981 Penlee 1969 [Note 7] Wrecked on service with all eight crew lost, 19 December 1981. See Penlee lifeboat disaster.
955 The Robert 1960 1960–1978 Broughty Ferry 1969 [Note 8] Sold February 1992.
Renamed Harriet Claire. Now in unaltered condition as The Robert at Kingswear, Devon, April 2025.[5]
1978–1984 Baltimore
1985–1988 Lytham St Annes
1989–1991 Beaumaris
957 The Jeanie 1961 1961–1986 Portpatrick 1968 [Note 9] Sold in 1987.
Renamed Jeanie Brandon. Last reported in unaltered condition on the River Danube near the Rhine Canal, October 2017.
958 Laura Moncur 1961 1961–1984 Buckie 1970 [Note 10] Sold November 1988.
Renamed Chizz. Fully restored as Laura Moncur, at Blakeney, Norfolk, December 2025.[6]
1984–1986 Relief fleet
1986–1987 Appledore
1987–1988 Relief fleet
959 Helen Wycherley 1961 1961–1969 Whitehills 1975 [Note 11] Sold December 1988.
Renamed Parachinar. Now under restoration as ex-RNLB Helen Wycherley at Swadlincote, Derbyshire, June 2025.[7]
1969–1987 Courtmacsherry Harbour
1987–1988 Relief fleet
962 T. G. B. 1962 1962–1969 Longhope 1970 [Note 12]
Capsized on service at Longhope with eight crew lost, 17 March 1969. Sold 1986. On display since July 1986 at the Scottish Maritime Museum, Irvine, December 2025.[8]
1969–1978 Arranmore
1978–1985 Relief fleet
963 A.M.T. 1962 1962–1986 Howth 1973 [Note 13] Sold June 1989.
Renamed Crack o Dawn. Now in unaltered condition as AMiTy, at Whitby, December 2025.[9]
1986–1989 Relief fleet
964 The Baltic Exchange 1962 1962–1988 Salcombe 1973 [Note 14]
Capsized on service, but righted by air-bag, 10 April 1983. Sold 1989. Renamed Baltic Air. Last reported as fire damaged at Blyth, Northumberland, February 2025.[10]
965 Louisa Anne Hawker 1962 1962–1986 Appledore 1975 [Note 15]Sold August 1987.
Renamed Lord Hurcomb. Last reported in unaltered condition as Louisa Anne Hawker at Miri, Sarawak, Malaysia, November 2019.
969 William Myers and Sarah Jane Myers 1963 1963–1990 Sunderland 1975 [Note 16] Sold in 1992.
Renamed Blue Angel, later Doris. Last reported as D'ouwe Draeck on the River Vecht between Weesp and Muiden, Netherlands, July 2016.
1990–1992 Relief fleet
970 Frederick Edward Crick 1963 1963–1986 Lowestoft 1968 [Note 17] Sold October 1986.
Renamed Helen Christina, Surf Rescue, and Beluga. In storage as Frederick Edward Crick on the River Yonne, Migennes, France, Dec 2024.
971 Joseph Soar
(Civil Service No.34) 		1963 1963–1985 St Davids 1977 [Note 18] Sold August 1992.
Renamed City of Bristol. Now in unaltered condition as Joseph Soar at Coleraine, Northern Ireland, December 2025.[11]
1986–1988 Dunbar
1988–1990 Shoreham Harbour
  1. ^ ON is the RNLI's Official Number of the boat.

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Gift of the Civil Service LB fund, built by William Osborne of Littlehampton, costing £35,000.
  2. ^ Funded by the RNLI, built by J. Samuel White of Cowes, costing £34,346. Modified to be inherently self-righting, 1972.
  3. ^ Legacies of Mr Black and Mr Taylor, built by Groves and Guttridge of Cowes, costing £35,000. Added airbag for self-righting.
  4. ^ Funded from an anonymous gift, built by William Osborne of Littlehampton, costing £34,500. Modified to be inherently self-righting, 1972.
  5. ^ Legacy of Mr Wotherspoon, built by William Osborne of Littlehampton, costing £35,000. Added airbag for self-righting.
  6. ^ Legacies of Mr Season, Mr Wright, Miss Lax and Mrs Pearson, built by Groves & Guttridge of Cowes, costing £35,000. Added airbag for self-righting.
  7. ^ Legacies of Mrs Browne, Miss Davies and Miss Waterhouse, built by William Osborne of Littlehampton, costing £35,500. Added airbag for self-righting.
  8. ^ Funded from an anonymous gift, built by William Osborne of Littlehampton, costing £35,500. Modified to be inherently self-righting, 1978.
  9. ^ Funded from an anonymous gift, built by Groves & Guttridge of Cowes, costing £35,000. Added airbag for self-righting.
  10. ^ Legacy of Miss Moncur, a gift from Miss J. B. Moncur, plus RNLI funds, built by Groves & Guttridge of Cowes, costing £35,500. Modified to be inherently self-righting, 1974.
  11. ^ Legacy of Mr Wycherley, a gift from Miss Robb, plus RNLI funds, built by Groves & Guttridge of Cowes, costing £35,500. Added airbag for self-righting.
  12. ^ Funded from an anonymous gift, built by J. Samuel White of Cowes, costing £35,500. Added airbag for self-righting.
  13. ^ Legacies of Mr Austin, Miss Mulhauser and Mr Toon, built by J. Samuel White of Cowes, costing £37,000. Added airbag for self-righting.
  14. ^ Gift of the Baltic Exchange LB fund, built by J. Samuel White of Cowes, costing £36,500. Added airbag for self-righting.
  15. ^ Gift of Mr Hawker, built by Groves & Guttridge of Cowes, costing £40,000. Added airbag for self-righting.
  16. ^ Legacy of Miss Myers, plus RNLI funds, built by J. Samuel White of Cowes, costing £40,500. Modified to be inherently self-righting, 1975.
  17. ^ Legacy of Mrs Crick, built by J. Samuel White of Cowes, costing £40,500. Added airbag for self-righting.
  18. ^ Gift of the Civil Service LB fund, built by J. Samuel White of Cowes, costing £40,500. Modified to be inherently self-righting, 1977.

References

  1. ^ Morris, Jeff (February 1991). The Story of the Thurso Lifeboats (2nd ed.). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society. p. 16.
  2. ^ a b c Morris, Jeff (2008). List of British Lifeboats Part 3 (Third ed.). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society. pp. 13–15.
  3. ^ a b Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2026). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2026. Lifeboats Enthusiasts Society. pp. 42–46.
  4. ^ "Pentland". National Historic Ships UK. Retrieved 15 February 2026.
  5. ^ "The Robert". National Historic Ships UK. Retrieved 15 February 2026.
  6. ^ "Laura Moncur". National Historic Ships UK. Retrieved 15 February 2026.
  7. ^ "Helen Wycherley". National Historic Ships UK. Retrieved 15 February 2026.
  8. ^ "T.G.B." National Historic Ships UK. Retrieved 15 February 2026.
  9. ^ "AMiTy". National Historic Ships UK. Retrieved 15 February 2026.
  10. ^ "The Baltic Exchange". National Historic Ships UK. Retrieved 15 February 2026.
  11. ^ "Joseph Soar". National Historic Ships UK. Retrieved 15 February 2026.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.