46ft 9in Watson-class lifeboat

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.

City of Bradford III
Class overview
Name46ft 9in Watson-class
Builders
Operators RNLI
Preceded by46ft Watson-class
Succeeded by47ft Watson-class
Cost£17,000-£34,000
Built1947-1956
In service1947-1989
Completed28
Lost1
Retired27
General characteristics
Class and type46ft 9in Watson
Displacement22 tons
Length46 ft 9 in (14.25 m)
Beam12 ft 9 in (3.89 m)
Propulsion(As built) 2 × 40bhp Ferry VE4 4-cylinder diesel
Speed8 knots
Crew8

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 46ft Watson, ON 803, with 4-cylinder Ford-based Parsons Marlins and in 1963 a programme of re-engining 41ft Watsons 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 46ft Watsons 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

ON is the RNLI's sequential Official Number.

ON Name Built Builder In service Stations Re-engined Comments
849 William Gammon - Manchester and District XXX 1947 Groves & Guttridge, Cowes 1947–1974
1974–1982
The Mumbles
Relief fleet
1968-2x65bhp Parsons Barracuda 6-cyl diesel Sold February 1984
852 Tynesider 1947 J. Samuel White, Cowes 1947–1979
1979–1983
Tynemouth
Relief fleet
1965-2x65bhp Parsons Barracuda 6-cyl diesel Sold February 1984
853 Winston Churchill (Civil Service No.8) 1947 J. Samuel White, Cowes 1948–1979
1980–1982
Blyth
Relief fleet
1966-2x65bhp Parsons Barracuda 6-cyl diesel Sold July 1983
854 Sarah Tilson 1949 Alexander Robertson, Sandbank 1950–1978 Baltimore -- Sold December 1979
855 W.M. Tilson 1949 Alexander Robertson, Sandbank 1950–1968 Arranmore -- Sold August 1970

Midship steering cabin type

ON Name Built Builder In service Stations Re-engined Comments
865 Elizabeth Rippon 1948 J. Samuel White, Cowes 1948–1975
1975–1977
St Helier
Relief fleet
1966-2x65bhp

Parsons Barracuda

Sold October 1977

Currently located on Barmouth Beach, Wales

866 Charles Henry Ashley 1949 J. Samuel White, Cowes 1949–1979
1979–1986
Porthdinllaen
Relief fleet
1969-2x70bhp

Watermota Sea Lion

Sold March 1987
867 Lady Scott (Civil Service No.4) 1949 J. Samuel White, Cowes 1949–1981
1981–1986
Portrush
Relief fleet
1972-2x70bhp

Ford Thorneycroft 380

Sold July 1987
868 John and Lucy Cordingley 1950 Sussex Yacht Co.,Shoreham 1950–1960
1960–1969
1969–1981
Teesmouth
Helvick Head
Relief fleet
-- Sold November 1981
885 Sir Samuel Kelly 1950 J. Samuel White, Cowes 1950–1976
1976–1979
Donaghadee
Relief fleet
1972-2x70bhp

Ford Mermaid 595

Sold in 1980
886 Sarah Townsend Porritt 1951 Sussex Yacht Co., Shoreham 1951–1978
1978–1982
Lytham St Annes
Relief fleet
1971-2x70bhp

Ford Thorneycroft 380

Sold October 1982
887 Sir Godfrey Baring 1951 J. Samuel White, Cowes 1952–1968
1968–1970
1972–1982
1982–1986
Clacton on Sea
Wick
Workington
Relief fleet
1972-2x70bhp

Ford Mermaid 595

Sold July 1986
888 North Foreland (Civil Service No.11) 1951 J. Samuel White, Cowes 1951–1978
1978–1981
Margate
Relief fleet
-- On display at

Chatham Historic Dockyard.

896 Douglas Hyde 1952 Camper & Nicholson, Gosport 1952–1969
1970–1972
Rosslare Harbour
Dunmore East
1970-2x70bhp

Watermota Sea Lion

Sold February 1973
900 Herbert Leigh 1951 J. Samuel White, Cowes 1951–1982
1983–1988
Barrow
Relief fleet
1977-2x70bhp

Ford Thorneycroft 380

Sold in 1990
901 Michael and Lily Davis 1953 J. Samuel White, Cowes 1953–1976
1976–1979
Ramsgate
Relief fleet
-- Sold in 1979
908 Duchess of Kent 1954 Groves & Guttridge, Cowes 1954–1970 Fraserburgh 1965-2x65bhp

Parsons Barracuda

Capsized on service 21/1/1970,

five crew lost. Broken up October 1970.

910 Edian Courtauld 1953 J. Samuel White, Cowes 1953–1977
1977–1981
Walton and Frinton
Relief fleet
1967-2x65bhp

Parsons Barracuda

Sold August 1981
911 City of Bradford III 1954 J. Samuel White, Cowes 1954–1977
1978–1985
Humber
Lytham St Annes
1968-2x65bhp

Parsons Barracuda

Sold August 1985
919 Deneys Reitz 1954 Groves & Guttridge, Cowes 1954–1980 Fowey 1970-2x70bhp

Watermota Sea Lion

Sold September 1980
921 Greater London II (Civil Service No.30) 1955 Groves & Guttridge, Cowes 1955–1976
1977–1989
Southend on Sea
Beaumaris
1969-2x70bhp

Watermota Sea Lion

Sold in 1991
925 Henry Comber Brown 1955 J. Samuel White, Cowes 1955–1986 Tenby 1969-2x70bhp

Watermota Sea Lion

Sold in 1987
926 Guy and Clare Hunter 1955 J. Samuel White, Cowes 1955–1981
1981–1982
1982–1983
1983–1984
1984–1985
1985–1988
St Mary's
Fowey
Penlee
Padstow
Cromer
Relief fleet
1972-2x70bhp

Ford Mermaid 595

Sold June 1988
928 Lilla Marras, Douglas and Will 1955 Groves & Guttridge, Cowes 1955–1968
1968–1971
1972–1974
1974–1978
1978–1979
1979–1982
Cromarty
Falmouth
Falmouth
Relief fleet
Donaghadee
Relief fleet
1978-2x 70 bhp

Ford Thorneycroft 380

Sold October 1982
929 R.A. Colby Cubbin No.1 1956 J. Samuel White, Cowes 1956–1988 Douglas 1979-2x70bhp

Ford Thorneycroft 380

Sold in 1989
930 R.A. Colby Cubbin No.2 1956 J. Samuel White, Cowes 1956–1976
1976–1977
Port St Mary
Relief fleet
-- Sold October 1977
931 Richard Vernon and Mary Garforth of Leeds 1956 J. Samuel White, Cowes 1957–1987
1987–1988
Angle
Wicklow
1980-2x70bhp

Ford Thorneycroft 380

Sold in 1989
932 Howard Marryat 1956 J. Samuel White, Cowes 1957–1981
1982–1986
1987–1988
1988
Fishguard
Barrow
Moelfre
Relief fleet
1982-2x70bhp

Ford Thorneycroft 380

Sold September 1989
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