46ft 9in Watson-class lifeboat explained

The 46 ft 9in Watson-class lifeboat was a non self-righting displacement hull lifeboat built between 1947 and 1956 and operated by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution between 1947 and 1989.

History

After the final three 46ft Watson-class boats had been completed in 1945/6, production switched to the slightly longer 46 ft 9in type in 1947. The first five boats were very similar in appearance to the final 46 ft types, with aft cockpits, turtle shaped shelters and funnel exhausts. In 1948, however, the deck and superstructure layout was completely redesigned. A new aluminium structure featured an open midships cockpit, with a large cabin aft of the cockpit and a smaller cabin forward which gave access to the engine room.

Description

The wooden hulled 46 ft 9in Watson-class was built in two different variations, with the first five closely resembling the preceding 46 ft type. From 1948 the design was completely revised to provide a midships steering position in an open cockpit. There was a large aft survivor cabin which also housed the radio. At the rear of this cabin was a small aft cockpit with a hatch for stretchers to be passed in and an emergency helm position. A smaller forward cabin gave access to the engine room and contained the engine controls. The boats were powered by the same twin 40 bhp Ferry VE4 installation as the earlier boats, but the exhaust was taken up the foremast to outlets well above the deck. The 46 ft 9in Watsons had long lives and were updated through their careers. The first major modification was the enclosing of the cockpit, done to all boats from 1960 onwards. The wheelhouse fitted resembled that of the 47ft Watson but there was no room to install sliding doors, weather shields being installed instead. Radar was later installed on the wheelhouse roof and the original aerial rigging and the aft mast was removed and replaced by pole aerials. Most, but not all, of the boats were re-engined with various examples of Ford-based 6-cylinder diesel engines as described below. Finally, from the early 1980s all of the midships steering types (except ON 908, lost in the Fraserburgh disaster) were fitted with an air bag on the aft cabin roof to give a once only self-righting capability.

Engines

The 46 ft 9in Watsons were the final boats to be equipped with RNLI designed engines. The 42ft Watson-class, introduced in 1954 was the first type to use commercially available engines, followed by the 47ft Watson-class in 1955 and the 52 ft Barnett-class Mk.II in 1957. These all used the Gardner LW engine in four, five and six cylinder forms respectively. The Gardner engines were too large and heavy for the earlier types and were only ever used in new build boats. However, in the mid 1950s Ford had introduced new 4- and 6-cylinder diesel engines for their Thames light truck and coach chassis. These soon attracted the attention of marine engine companies and many marinized versions were on the market. In 1961 the RNLI re-engined a, ON 803, with 4-cylinder Ford-based Parsons Marlins and in 1963 a programme of re-engining s and other boats with Parsons Porbeagles began. This 4-cylinder engine was adopted for the 37 ft Oakley-class from 1964 onwards. The 6-cylinder version was small and light enough to replace the 4-cylinder Ferry VE4 engines and, after a trial installation in ON 803 in 1963, a programme of re-engining some s began in 1965. This was extended to the 46 ft 9in Watsons and in 1965 two boats (ON 852 and ON 908) were re-engined with these 6-cylinder Ford-based Parsons Barracuda diesels. Rated at 65 bhp, these gave a 62½% power increase, making the boats more powerful than the newer 47 ft Watsons, and between 1965 and 1968, seven boats were re-engined with Barracudas. In 1969/70, four boats received another 6-cylinder Ford based unit, the Watermota Sea Lion, rated at 70 bhp. From 1971, seven boats were equipped with 70 bhp Ford Thorneycroft 380s, the last as late as 1982, while in 1972 three boats received 70 bhp Ford Mermaid 595s. A feature of all of these re-engining programmes was the replacement of the foremast exhaust system by outlets on each side of the hull, similar to the 37 ft Oakleys. This allowed a slimmer, lighter foremast to be fitted. The exhaust system on some boats like the Howard Marryat remained unchanged .

Fleet

Aft cockpit type

ONNameBuiltBuilderIn serviceStationsRe-enginedComments[1]
849William Gammon - Manchester and District XXX1947Groves & Guttridge1968
2x65bhp Parsons Barracuda 6-cyl diesel
Sold February 1984. In storage for Swansea Museum in December 2022.
1974–1982Relief fleet
852Tynesider1947J. Samuel White1947–19791965
2x65bhp Parsons Barracuda 6-cyl diesel
Sold February 1984. Reported in November 2022 to be unaltered but operating as a pleasure boat at Iron Wharf, Faversham.
1979–1983Relief fleet
853Winston Churchill
1947J. Samuel White1948–19791966
2x65bhp Parsons Barracuda 6-cyl diesel
Sold July 1983. Renamed Watson Explorer. Reported in August 2021 as in storage for restoration at Titchmarsh Marina, Walton-on-the-Naze.
1979–1982Relief fleet
854Sarah Tilson1949Alexander Robertson & Sons1950–1978NoSold December 1979. In December 2015 it was seen to be unaltered but operating as a pleasure boat a Medway Bridge, Rochester, Kent.
1978–1979Relief fleet
855W.M. Tilson19491950–1969NoSold August 1970. By October 2012 it was semi-derelict at Magerascouse Road, Comber, County Down.

Midship steering cabin type

ONNameBuiltBuilderIn serviceStationsRe-enginedComments
865Elizabeth Rippon1948J. Samuel White1966
2x65bhp Parsons Barracuda
Sold October 1977. Reported in April 2022 to be in unaltered condition but working as a pleasure boat at Barmouth, Wales.
1975–1977Relief fleet
866Charles Henry Ashley1949J. Samuel White1949–19791969
2x70bhp Watermota Sea Lion
Sold March 1987. Reported in December 2022, to be in unaltered condition but working as a pleasure boat, at The Arsenal in Paris.
1979–1981Relief fleet
1981–1982
1982
1982–1987Relief fleet
867Lady Scott
1949<J. Samuel White1949–19811972
2x70bhp Ford Thorneycroft 380
Sold July 1987. Renamed Janet Rae. Reported in August 2017 as undergoing survey in Northern Ireland.
1981–1986Relief fleet
868John and Lucy Cordingley1950Sussex Yacht Co.1950–1960NoSold November 1981. Renamed Tempo. Reported in December 2022 to be at Hall Quay in Great Yarmouth.
1960–1969
1969–1981Relief fleet
885Sir Samuel Kelly1950J. Samuel White1950–19761972
2x70bhp Ford Mermaid 595
Sold in 1980. By December 2022 it was on display /and undergoing restoration at Donaghadee in Northern Ireland.
1976–1979Relief fleet
886Sarah Townsend Porritt1951Sussex Yacht Co.1951–19781971
2x70bhp Ford Thorneycroft 380
Sold October 1982. Renamed Sarah. Reported in December 2023 to be under restoration at Hayle, Cornwall.
1978–1981Relief fleet
887Sir Godfrey Baring1951J. Samuel White1952–1968
1972
2x70bhp Ford Mermaid 595
Sold July 1986. Renamed Sir Baring. In June 2012 it was working as a trip boat, Friedburg, Germany.
1968–1970
1970–1972Relief fleet
1972–1982
1982–1986Relief fleet
888North Foreland
(Civil Service No.11)
1951J. Samuel White1951–1978NoOn display at Chatham Historic Dockyard since April 1996.[2]
1978–1981Relief fleet
896Douglas Hyde1952Camper and Nicholsons1952–19691970
2x70bhp Watermota Sea Lion
Sold February 1973. Scrapped at Peel, Isle of Man by 2018.
1970–1972
900Herbert Leigh1951J. Samuel White1951–19821977
2x70bhp Ford Thorneycroft 380
Sold in 1989. On display at the Dock Museum, Barrow-in-Furness, since 1994.
1983–1988Relief fleet
901Michael and Lily Davis1953J. Samuel White1953–1976NoSold in 1979. Renamed Coastal Waters. Reported in December 2021 to be pleasure boat at Swansea Marina.
1976–1979Relief fleet
908Duchess of Kent1954Groves & Guttridge1954–19701965
2x65bhp Parsons Barracuda
Capsized on service 21 January 1970, five crew lost. Broken up October 1970.
910Edian Courtauld1953J. Samuel White1953–19771967
2x65bhp Parsons Barracuda
Sold August 1981. Reported in August 2021 as pleasure boat Iris B at Fisherman's Quay, Cardiff.
1977–1981Relief fleet
911City of Bradford III1954J. Samuel White1954–19771968
2x65bhp Parsons Barracuda
Sold August 1985. Reported in December 2022 to be in unaltered condition but working as a pleasure boat in Salcombe, Devon.
1978–1985
919Deneys Reitz1954Groves & Guttridge1954–19801970– 2x70bhp Watermota Sea LionSold September 1980. By August 2018 in Södermanland, Sweden.[3]
921Greater London II
1955Groves & Guttridge1955–19761969
2x70bhp Watermota Sea Lion
Sold in 1991. Renamed Gallichan.Reported in July 2021 in unaltered condition but working as a pleasure boat at Portland Marina.
1977–1989
925Henry Comber Brown1955J. Samuel White1955–19861969
2x70bhp Watermota Sea Lion
Sold in 1987. Reported in December 2021 in unaltered condition but working as a pleasure boat in Ramsey, Isle of Man.
926Guy and Clare Hunter1955J. Samuel White1955–19811972
2x70bhp Ford Mermaid 595
Sold June 1988. Reported in December 2022 in unaltered condition but working as a pleasure boat at Quinton Nelson Yard, Donaghadee, Northern Ireland.
1981–1982
1982–1983
1983–1984
1984–1985
1985–1987Relief fleet
928Lilla Marras, Douglas and Will19551955–19681978
2x70bhp Ford Thorneycroft 380
Sold October 1982. Reported in December 2022 in use as B&B on The Noorderhaven, Netherlands.
1968–1974
1974–1978Relief fleet
1978–1979
1979–1982Relief fleet
929R.A. Colby Cubbin No.11956J. Samuel White1956–19881979
2x70bhp Ford Thorneycroft 380
Sold in 1989. By November 2017 was being broken up for spares in Bezons, Ile-de-Paris
930R.A. Colby Cubbin No.21956J. Samuel White1956–1976NoSold October 1977. Renamed Southport Girl. In December 2022 was reported under restoration as a pleasure boat, under restoration at Port Penrhyn, Wales.[4]
1976–1977Relief fleet
931Richard Vernon and Mary Garforth of Leeds1956J. Samuel White1957–19871980
2x70bhp Ford Thorneycroft 380
Sold in 1989. Reported in September 2022 in unaltered condition and working as a pleasure boat in Wexford, Ireland.
1987–1988
932Howard Marryat1956J. Samuel White1957–19811982
2x70bhp Ford Thorneycroft 380
Sold September 1989. Renamed Josef de Waey. By December 2020 it was working (in unaltered condition) as a pleasure boat in Blankenberge, Belgium.
1982–1986
1986–1988
1988–1989Relief fleet

External links

Notes and References

  1. Book: Leonard . Richie . Denton . Tony . Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2023 . 2023 . Lifeboats Enthusiasts Society.
  2. Web site: RNLB North Foreland. Civil Service No 11 . 100 Objects that made Kent . 25 December 2023.
  3. Web site: The Adventures of ex-Lifeboat "Deneys Reitz" . Ex-Lifeboat “Deneys Reitz”.
  4. Web site: Colby Cubbins No 2 . National Historic Ship Register . 25 December 2023.