45ft Watson-class lifeboat

Class overview
Name:	45ft Watson-class
Builders:	S.E. Saunders, Cowes J. Samuel White, Cowes
Operators:	RNLI
Preceded by:	various
Succeeded by:	45ft 6in Watson-class
Cost:	£6,000-£8,500
Built:	(1912), 1919-1925
In service:	1912-1956
Completed:	22
Lost:	1
Retired:	21
General characteristics
Class & type:	45ft Watson-class motor lifeboat
Length:	45 ft (14 m)
Beam:	12 ft 6 in (3.81 m)
Propulsion:	1x60bhp Tylor D1 4-cyl petrol 1x80bhp Weyburn DE6 6-cyl petrol
Speed:	8 knots
Range:	125 nm
Crew:	8-12

The 45 ft Watson-class was a non self-righting displacement hull lifeboat built between 1919 and 1925 and operated by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution between 1919 and 1956.

History

In 1898 the first 45 ft Watson was built, one of the largest pulling and sailing lifeboats built for the RNLI. Only three of these 45 footers were built, the last in 1901. This third boat, Abert Edward ON 463, was based at Clacton-on-Sea and after eleven years service was taken in hand for rebuilding with a motor. A 40 bhp Tylor C 4-cylinder petrol engine was fitted but little else was changed and, like all single engine lifeboats, a full sailing rig and drop keel was retained. The boat returned to service at Clacton in 1912 and served there until 1929. With the conversion of ON 463 deemed a success, plans were put in hand for the production of a series of 45 ft Watson motors, but due to the First World War, the first boat did not appear until 1919.

Description

Like ON 463 the first eleven production boats were open decked and retained full sail plans and a drop keel. The first seven boats were powered by a 60 bhp Tylor D1 6-cylinder petrol engine, while the rest had an RNLI designed 80 bhp DE6 6-cylinder petrol engine, nine of which were built by Weyburn Engineering and five by J. Samuel White. Experience showed that the open deck layout was inadequate for the longer services operated by the motor lifeboats and from the late Twenties a shelter was added ahead of the steering position. The final ten boats, built from 1923(ON 684), were to a revised design with a cabin capable of taking twenty survivors ahead of the engine room.

Fleet

ON is the RNLIs sequential Official Number.

ON	Name	Built	Builder	In service	Stations	Comments
463	Albert Edward	1901 (m.1912)	Thames Iron Works, Blackwall	1901–1929 1929–1932	Clacton-on-Sea Arranmore	Sold October 1932
648	Elsie	1919	S.E. Saunders, Cowes	1919–1930 1930–1946 1946–1951	St Mary's Helvick Head Relief fleet	Sold January 1951
649	Duke of Connaught/ 1920-Shamrock	1919	S.E. Saunders, Cowes	1919–1950 1950–1952	Baltimore Relief fleet	Sold February 1952
653	William Evans	1921	Summers & Payne, Southampton/ S.E. Saunders, Cowes	1921–1925 1927–1927 1927–1939	Wexford Rosslare Harbour Galway Bay	Sold November 1940
654	Joseph Adlam	1921	S.E. Saunders, Cowes	1921–1948 1948–1951	Blyth Relief fleet	Sold February 1952
658	Dunleary (Civil Service No.7)	1919	S.E. Saunders, Cowes	1919–1938 1939–1951	Dun Laoghaire Lytham St Annes	Sold May 1951
659	Frederick and Emma	1921	S.E. Saunders, Cowes	1921–1938 1939–1950	Wick Amble	Sold August 1950
668	Duke of Connaught	1921	S.E. Saunders, Cowes	1921–1939 1939–1951	Peterhead No.1 Relief fleet	Sold October 1951
671	The Brothers	1922	J. Samuel White, Cowes	1922–1931 1931–1934 1934–1937 1937–1938 1938–1948 1948–1952	Penlee Falmouth Relief fleet Selsey Relief fleet Workington	Sold August 1952
678	Edward, Prince of Wales	1924	J. Samuel White, Cowes	1924–1947	The Mumbles	Capsized on service 23/4/1947, eight crew lost. Boat later burned.
679	Elizabeth Newton	1923	J. Samuel White, Cowes	1924–1939 1939–1953	Hartlepool Relief fleet	Sold May 1953
680	City of Bradford/ 1929-City of Bradford I	1923	J. Samuel White, Cowes	1923–1929 1929–1930 1930–1932 1932–1952	Humber Relief fleet Humber No.2 Relief fleet	Sold October 1952
684	John R. Webb/ 1931-684RM/ 1934-Hearts of Oak	1923	J. Samuel White, Cowes	1923–1930 1931–1932 1934–1936 1937–1938 1938–1955	Tenby Barra Island Yarmouth Yarmouth Relief fleet	Sold February 1955
685	J.W. Archer	1924	J. Samuel White, Cowes	1924–1950 1950–1954 1954–1956	Teesmouth Amble Relief fleet	Sold July 1956
686	T.B.B.H.	1924	J. Samuel White, Cowes	1924–1949 1949–1953	Portrush Relief fleet	Sold January 1953
687	B.A.S.P.	1924	J. Samuel White, Cowes	1924–1934 1934–1940 1940–1947 1947–1951 1951–1955	Yarmouth Falmouth Relief fleet Valentia Relief fleet	Sold February 1955
688	The Lord Southborough (Civil Service No.1)	1924	S.E. Saunders, Cowes	1925–1951 1951–1955	Margate Relief fleet	Sold January 1955
689	Manchester and Salford	1924	S.E. Saunders, Cowes	1924–1946 1946–1954	Douglas Relief fleet	Sold October 1954
690	C. and S.	1925	S.E. Saunders, Cowes	1925–1940 1940–1943 1943–1946 1946–1947	Dunmore East Pwllheli Relief fleet Valentia	Sold November 1947
692	Milburn	1925	S.E. Saunders, Cowes	1925–1946 1946–1955	Holy Island Relief fleet	Sold September 1955
694	H.F. Bailey/ 1936-J.B. Proudfoot	1924	J. Samuel White, Cowes	1924–1928 1929–1935 1935–1941 1941–1945 1945–1947 1947–1949 1949–1956	Cromer No.1 Cromer No.1 Relief fleet Southend-on-Sea Relief fleet Dover Relief fleet	Sold September 1956
695	M.O.Y.E.	1925	J. Samuel White, Cowes	1926–1949 1949–1956	Porthdinllaen Relief fleet	Sold April 1956

External links

• RNLI