Cape-class motor lifeboat

The Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) maintains a fleet of 14.6 m (47 ft 11 in) Cape-class motor lifeboats[2] based on a motor lifeboat design used by the United States Coast Guard. In September 2009 the CCG announced plans to add five new lifeboats, bringing the total number of Cape-class lifeboats to 36.

CCGS Cape Sutil at Port Hardy, British Columbia.
Class overview
NameCape class
BuildersTextron Marine and Victoria Shipyards
OperatorsCanadian Coast Guard
CostUS $1,214,300
In service1997–present
Planned36
Completed36
General characteristics
TypeSearch and rescue motor lifeboat
Displacement18 t (20 short tons)[1]
Length14.6 m (47 ft 11 in)[1]
Beam4.27 m (14 ft 0 in)[1]
Draught1.37 m (4 ft 6 in)[1]
Propulsion2 x Caterpillar 3196 diesel engines rated 450 hp (340 kW) at 2100 rpm (373 usable imperial gallons) fuel capacity[1]
Speed
  • 25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph) maximum
  • 22 knots (41 km/h; 25 mph) cruising[1]
Range200 nmi (370 km; 230 mi) cruising[1]
Complement4 crew, 5 passengers[1]

The vessels are staffed by a crew of four, two of whom are rescue specialists.[3][4][5] In spite of its name, the CCGS Cape Roger is a larger patrol vessel, not a Cape-class lifeboat. The CCG also maintains some larger motor lifeboats based on Arun-class lifeboats designed in the United Kingdom. In 2021 a contract was awarded to Ocean Pacific Marine to upgrade the class over a 7 year period.[6]

Design

Cape-class motor lifeboats have displacements of 20 short tons (18 t), total lengths of 47 feet 11 inches (14.61 m) and beams of 14 feet (4.3 m).[7] Constructed from marine-grade aluminium, ships have draughts of 4 feet 6 inches (1.37 m). They contain two Caterpillar 3196 diesel engines providing a combined 900 shaft horsepower (670 kW). They have two 28-by-36-inch (710 mm × 910 mm) four-blade propellers, and each ship's complement is four crew members and five passengers.[7]

The lifeboats have maximum speeds of 25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph) and cruising speeds of 22 knots (41 km/h; 25 mph). Cape-class lifeboats have fuel capacities of 400 US gallons (1,500 L; 330 imp gal) and ranges of 200 nautical miles (370 km; 230 mi) when cruising.[7] They are capable of operating at wind speeds of 50 knots (93 km/h; 58 mph) and wave heights of 30 feet (9.1 m). They can tow ships with displacements of up to 150 tonnes (170 short tons) and can withstand 60-knot (110 km/h; 69 mph) winds and 20-foot (6.1 m)-high breaking waves.[7]

Communication options include Raytheon 152 HF-SSB and Motorola Spectra 9000 VHF50W radios, and a Raytheon RAY 430 loudhailer system.[7] The lifeboats also support the Simrad TD-L1550 VHF-FM radio direction finder. Raytheon provides a number of other electronic systems for the lifeboats, including the RAYCHART 620, the ST 30 heading indicator and ST 50 depth indicator, the NAV 398 global positioning system, a RAYPILOT 650 autopilot system, and either the R41X AN or SPS-69 radar systems.[7]

Class list and distribution
cape class Positions as of 26 October 2009[8]
Region Ship Port Notes
Newfoundland and Labrador Cape Fox Lark Harbour, NL
Cape Norman Port Au Choix, NL
Maritimes Cap Breton Shippegan, NB
Cape Spry Souris, PE
Cap Nord Summerside, PE
Quebec Cap d'Espoir Tadoussac, QC
Cap de Rabast Havre-Saint-Pierre, QC
Cap Rozier Rivière-au-Renard, QC
Cap Tourmente Quebec, QC
Cap Percé Mont-Joli, QC Prep work for operational status at new station at Kegaska, QC
Central and Arctic Cape Chaillon Thunder Bay, ON
Cape Commodore Tobermory, ON
Cape Discovery Goderich, ON
Cape Dundas Amherstburg, ON
Cape Hearne Kingston, ON
Thunder Cape Port Dover, ON
Cape Mercy Meaford, ON
Cape Providence Burlington, ON Spare
Cape Lambton Burlington, ON Spare
Cape Storm Port Weller, ON
Cape Rescue Cobourg, ON
Pacific Cape Ann Tofino, BC
Cape Cockburn French Creek, BC
Cape Farewell Bella Bella, BC
Cape Naden Ganges, BC
Cape McKay Bamfield, BC
Cape Mudge Sandspit, BC
Cape Sutil Port Hardy, BC
Cape Calvert Victoria, BC
Cape Caution Powell River, BC
Cape Palmerston Campbell River, BC
Cape Kuper Patricia Bay, BC Spare
Cape St-James Patricia Bay, BC Spare

References
  1. "Motor Life Boat 47-Foot MLB". United States Coast Guard. 25 August 2010. Archived from the original on 30 December 2011. Retrieved 2012-02-29.
  2. "New vessels ordered for Canadian Coast Guard". Marine Log. 3 September 2009. Archived from the original on 6 September 2009.
  3. "Vessels, Aircraft and Hovercraft: CCGC Cape Sutil". Canadian Coast Guard. 7 November 2007. Retrieved 4 March 2008.
  4. "CCG Cape Sutil". Canadian Coast Guard. Archived from the original on 26 July 2011.
  5. "COAST GUARD MOTOR LIFEBOAT CCGC SUTIL CHRISTENED TODAY IN PORT HARDY, BC". Department of Fisheries and Oceans. 1 August 2000. Archived from the original on 19 October 2003. Retrieved 4 March 2008.
  6. "Campbell River company awarded $23.4 million federal contract to renew Coast Guard motorboats". 16 December 2021.
  7. "Motor Life Boat 47-Foot MLB: International Affairs (CG-DCO-I)". United States Coast Guard, Department of Homeland Security. 1 July 2015. Retrieved 19 August 2015.
  8. "CCG lifeboats". SARCentral. Archived from the original on 16 July 2011.
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