Watson-class lifeboat

The Watson-class lifeboat is a design of wooden lifeboat operated by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) around the coasts of the United Kingdom and Ireland between 1888 and 1991. There were several variations over the years but all the boats had hulls that conformed to a design by George Lennox Watson, the RNLI's naval architect from 1887 until his death in 1904.

45ft 6in Watson RNLB Lord Southborough (Civil Service No. 1) (ON 688)
Class overview
Builders	S. E. Saunders, Cowes J. Samuel White, Cowes Thames Ironworks and Shipbuilding Company, Blackwall Summers & Payne, Southampton
Operators	Royal National Lifeboat Institution
Built	1888–1963
In service	1888–1991
Completed	213

Pulling and sailing lifeboats

Henley (ON 348)

The majority of lifeboats in service with the RNLI during the second half of the nineteenth century were of the Peake self-righting type, designed to operate in rough seas close to the shore. Some stations which required a better sea-going boat preferred the greater stability of a non self-righting boat such as the Norfolk and Suffolk. G.L. Watson designed a new non self-righting hull shape for the RNLB Edith and Annie which was built in 1888.

42 pulling and sailing lifeboats to Watson's design were built, the last in 1915 some 11 years after his death. They came in a variety of lengths to suit the needs of the different stations where they were based, the commonest being 38 ft (12 m).^[1][2]

Motor lifeboats

The RNLI began experimenting with motor lifeboats in 1904 when a 38 ft Self-righter was converted. In 1906 three other lifeboats were converted to motor but none of these was a Watson. However, when in 1908 the first new build motor lifeboats were constructed, two of them were Watsons. Over the next 55 years, 171 boats of various designs were built based on Watson's hull design.

There were 11 lengths of boat of 8 different types:

Length	Build range	No. built
38 ft 0 in (11.58 m) 40 ft 0 in (12.19 m) 40 ft 6 in (12.34 m) 43 ft 0 in (13.11 m)	1908–1930	15
45 ft 0 in (13.72 m)	1912–1925	22
45 ft 6 in (13.87 m)	1926–1935	23
41 ft 0 in (12.50 m)	1933–1952	13
46 ft 0 in (14.02 m)	1936–1946	28
46 ft 9 in (14.25 m)	1947–1956	28
42 ft 0 in (12.80 m)	1954–1962	10
47 ft 0 in (14.33 m)	1955–1963	18

The first Watson motor lifeboats were based on the most common pulling and sailing hulls, the 38 ft, 40 ft and 43 ft types. Apart from the addition of an engine and propeller, there was little to distinguish them from their sail- and oar-powered predecessors. The engines in the early motor types were regarded almost as an auxiliary and the boats, which had an open deck with end boxes, retained sails and oars. Engines from Tylor, Blake and Wolseley were used, although the Tylor was the most satisfactory and the two Blake-engined boats were re-engined with Tylors in 1914. Power output of the Tylors was 40 bhp which gave a speed of around seven knots.

The first standard class of Watson motor was the 45-ft design. This began with the conversion of a pulling and sailing boat in 1912. Production of new boats began in 1919 and 22 were built between then and 1925.

A new design appeared in 1926, marking the transition from single-engine to twin-engine layout. The first two 45 ft 6in boats were single-engined, but the rest were twins. 23 were built up to 1935.

A small series of 40 ft 6 in single-engine boats were built in 1929-30, the precursor of the twin engine 41 ft type of 1933 with an 11 ft 8 in (3.56 m) beam but 6 in (15 cm) shorter than the later boats. The boats resembled scaled down versions of the contemporary 45 ft 6 in design, with a small shelter ahead of the aft cockpit and the exhaust funnel in front of it. All were built by J. Samuel White at Cowes and were powered by a 50 bhp Weyburn CE4 4-cylinder petrol engine driving a single screw. They served until the mid 1950s when they were replaced by new 42ft Watson-class boats.

From 1933 13 41 ft boats were built. These were the first twin-engined medium-sized boats intended for stations unable to accommodate the larger types. 9 were built between 1933 and 1939 and a further 4 between 1948 and 1952.

1936 saw the next development of the large Watson, the 46 ft boats which saw the introduction of diesel engines. 4 of the first 5 had petrol engines; the fourth was the first new build diesel-engined lifeboat for the RNLI and the remainder followed suit. 28 boats were built, not including 2 destroyed whilst under construction in an air raid on Groves & Guttridge's yard at Cowes. Production continued until 1946.

The first post-war new Watson design was built in 1947, a 46 ft 9 in design. The first 5 resembled the pre-war 46 ft type but from 1948 a major redesign resulted in a new superstructure with midships steering and a large cabin aft. 28 were built until 1956.

A new 42 ft design in 1954 was intended for stations unable to accommodate larger types but needing something bigger than a carriage launched type and replaced the 41 ft design dating from 1933. This design introduced the use of commercial diesel engines rather than the RNLI's own designs. 10 were built between 1954 and 1962.

The final incarnation of the design, the 47ft Watson-class of 1955, was the last non self-righting class built for the RNLI other than the three 70 ft (21 m) Clyde-class cruising boats in 1965 and 1974. These Watsons were the first lifeboats to have an enclosed wheelhouse other than the unique "Fast Afloat" lifeboat of 1929. The first was built in 1955 but full production began in 1957 and continued to 1963 with 18 built.

Fleet

Pulling and sailing boats

ON	Name	Built	Length	In service	Station	Comments
208	Edith and Annie	1888	42 ft 6 in (12.95 m)	1888–1902	Southport No. 2	[3]
315	Brothers	1892	43 ft 1 in (13.13 m)	1892–1910	St Annes No. 2	[4]
				1911–1923	Cromarty
316	City Masonic Club	1892	38 ft 1 in (11.61 m)	1897–1910	Poole	Built in 1892 but stored until 1897.[4]
	Reserve No. 7			1910–1918	Reserve fleet
346	Henley	1892	32 ft 1 in (9.78 m)	1893–1918	Tramore	[5]
359	Maude Pickup	1894	43 ft 0 in (13.11 m)	1894–1929	Fleetwood	Sold and fitted with twin screws but wrecked by 1939.[5]
393	Samuel Fletcher of Manchester	1896	32 ft 2 in (9.80 m)	1896–1930	Blackpool	Undergoing restoration in Blackpool.[6]
409	Dunlearly (C.S. No. 7)	1898	42 ft 6 in (12.95 m)	1898–1913	Kingstown No. 2	Donated by the Civil Service Lifeboat Fund.[6]
414	Henry Richardson	1898	43 ft 0 in (13.11 m)	1898–1919	New Brighton No. 1	Sold and converted to a houseboat, broken up in 1978.[6]
418	Margaret Platt of Stalybridge	1898	38 ft 0 in (11.58 m)	1898–1930	Pwllheli	[6]
424	Elizabeth and Blanche	1899	38 ft 0 in (11.58 m)	1899–1908	Penzance	Sold and used as a yacht until at least 1969.[6]
				1908–1913	Newlyn
				1913–1922	Penlee
429	James Stevens No. 7	1899	45 ft 0 in (13.72 m)	1899–1926	Howth	One of 20 lifeboats funded from the James Stephens Legacy.[6]
434	Henry Dundas	1899	38 ft 0 in (11.58 m)	1899–1919	St Mary's	[6]
				1919–1927	Angle
442	James Stevens No. 15	1900	40 ft 0 in (12.19 m)	1900–1921	Wexford	Another of the James Stevens lifeboats.[7]
445	James Stevens No. 16	1900	40 ft 0 in (12.19 m)	1900–1930	Dungarvan Bay (Helvick Head)	Another of the James Stevens lifeboats. Sold and used as the yacht Helvick Head until at least 1972.[7]
456	John Wesley	1901	43 ft 0 in (13.11 m)	1901–1922	Barry Dock	Named Reserve No. 7E for a while but then reverted to John Wesley. Sold and used as a motor yacht until at least 1956.[7]
				1923–1928	Cromarty
457	James Stevens No. 20	1901	42 ft 6 in (12.95 m)	1901–1920	Queenstown	The last of lifeboats funded from the James Stephens Legacy. Sold and used as a yacht until the 1970s.[7]
	Reserve No. 7B			1920–1922	Reserve fleet
	James Stevens No. 20			1923–1927	Fenit
462	Thomas Fielden	1901	40 ft 0 in (12.19 m)	1901–1927	Barrow	[7]
				1927–1929	Angle
				1929–1929	Moelfre
463	Albert Edward	1901	42 ft 6 in (12.95 m)	1901–1929	Clacton-on-Sea	Sold and modified as a yacht, reported to be at Ipswich in 2023.[7]
				1929–1932	Arranmore
487	Wighton	1902	38 ft 0 in (11.58 m)	1902–1923	Torquay	Sold and used as a yacht but reported out of use on the River Great Ouse in 2019.[8]
488	Colonel Stock	1902	38 ft 0 in (11.58 m)	1902–1933	Weston-super-Mare	Sold and used as a yacht until about 2001.[8]
497	William and Mary Devey	1902	38 ft 0 in (11.58 m)	1902–1923	Tenby	[8]
505	William Roberts	1903	40 ft 0 in (12.19 m)	1903–1921	Little Haven	Sold and used as yacht Quest until 2009.[8]
	Reserve No.7C			1921–1922	Reserve fleet
				1923–1924	Southend-on-Sea
				1924–1925	Reserve fleet
				1925–1926	Aberdeen No. 1
				1926–1928	Fowey
513	Fiern Watch	1903	38 ft 0 in (11.58 m)	1903–1924	Weymouth	Sold and used as yacht Easting Down but sank in 1965.[8]
				1924–1925	Reserve fleet
515	James, William and Caroline Courtney	1904	35 ft 0 in (10.67 m)	1904–1922	Polkerris	Sold and used as yacht Grey Fox but out of use at Erith by 2023.[8]
517	Ann Fawcett	1904	43 ft 0 in (13.11 m)	1904–1912	Harwich	Renamed Dunleary when transferred to Kingstown.[8]
	Dunleary			1913–1919	Kingstown
518	John Harling	1904	43 ft 6 in (13.26 m)	1904–1925	Southport No. 2	Sold and used as the pleasure boat Pride of the Lake at Southport until 1958.[8]
521	James and Mary Walker	1904	38 ft 0 in (11.58 m)	1904–1933	Anstruther	Undergoing restoration for display at Anstruther.[8]
523	John Fortune	1904	38 ft 0 in (11.58 m)	1904–1921	Port Errol	Off station 1914 but returned in 1915. Sold and used as yacht Port Eroll until 1975.[8]
	Reserve No. 7A			1921–1923	Reserve fleet
525	Busbie	1904	38 ft 0 in (11.58 m)	1904–1929	Troon	[8]
528	James Cullen	1904	38 ft 0 in (11.58 m)	1904–1926	Bull Bay	Sold and used as a yacht until 1996.[8]
529	John R. Ker	1904	38 ft 0 in (11.58 m)	1904–1930	Southend, Kintyre	Sold and used as a yacht Knot until at least 1975.[8]
530	Oldham	1904	38 ft 0 in (11.58 m)	1904–1930	Penrhyn Du	[9]
535	Charlie Medland	1904	43 ft 0 in (13.11 m)	1905–1924	The Mumbles	Awaiting restoration at Migennes in France.[9]
				1924–1928	Southend-on-Sea
	Reserve No.7E			1928–1936	Reserve fleet
				1936–1938	New Brighton
538	Jones-Gibb	1905	38 ft 0 in (11.58 m)	1905–1939	Barmouth	Modified for use as a yacht, last reported as being at South Benfleet in 2021.
541	James Finlayson	1905	35 ft 0 in (10.67 m)	1905–1923	Lossiemouth	[9]
				1923–1924	Gorleston No.2
	Reserve No. 7A			1925–1933	Reserve fleet
544	Civil Service No. 5	1905	38 ft 0 in (11.58 m)	1905–1931	Maryport	Sold and modified as yacht Tamesis, later renamed Adele Jeanne but not seen since 2002.[9]
550	Anne Miles	1905	43 ft 0 in (13.11 m)	1906–1926	Longhope	Sold and reported as a ketch in 1968.[9]
				1926–1930	Howth
				1930–1936	New Brighton No. 2
581	Maria Stephenson	1907	38 ft 0 in (11.58 m)	1908–1922	Buckie	[10]
	Reserve No. 7D			1922–1929	Reserve fleet
				1929–1930	Moelfre
				1930–1931	Penrhyn Du
				1931–1933	Reserve fleet
583	Charles Henry Ashley	1907	38 ft 0 in (11.58 m)	1907–1932	Cemaes	Restored and displayed at Cemaes since 2009.[10]
585	Sarah Austin	1908	40 ft 0 in (12.19 m)	1909–1929	Thurso	[10]
				1929–1935	Reserve fleet
590	Charles Deere James	1909	38 ft 0 in (11.58 m)	1909–1920	St Agnes	Sold and used as yacht Silver Cloud until the 1950s.[10]
	Reserve No. 7			1920–1934	Reserve fleet
605	Charles and Eliza Laura	1910	40 ft 0 in (12.19 m)	1910–1929	Moelfre	In store at Duns.[10]
637	Staughton	1915	40 ft 0 in (12.19 m)	1915–1919	Reserve fleet
				1919–1930	New Brighton No. 2	Sold and used as fishing boat Viater until about 2000.[11]

38-43ft Watson motor lifeboats

ON	Name	Built	Builder	Length	Beam	In service	Stations	Comments
560	Maria	1908	TISC	40 ft 0 in (12.19 m)	11 ft 0 in (3.35 m)	1910–1921	Broughty Ferry	Sold in 1932.[9]
						1922–1929	Portpatrick
						1930–1931	Pwllheli
						1931	Shoreham Harbour
565	John Ryburn	1908	TISC	43 ft 0 in (13.11 m)	12 ft 6 in (3.81 m)	1909–1915	Stronsay	Sold February 1935.[9]
						1915–1920	Peterhead No.2
						1921–1935	Broughty Ferry
590	Charles Deere James	1909	TISC[12]	38 ft 0 in (11.58 m)	6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)	1909–1920	St Agnes	Sold 1934. Renamed Silver Cloud; destroyed Cherbourg Harbour in the 1950s.[10]
						1920–1934	Relief fleet
595	William and Laura	1910	TISC	43 ft 0 in (13.11 m)	12 ft 6 in (3.81 m)	1910–1932	Donaghadee	Sold in 1935.[10]
						1932–1935	Arranmore
602	Elliot Galer	1910	TISC	38 ft 0 in (11.58 m)	10 ft 0 in (3.05 m)	1911–1936	Seaham	Sold in 1936. Renamed Quest; wrecked on passage to Milford Haven in the 1980s.[10]
603	Helen Smitton	1910	TISC	38 ft 0 in (11.58 m)	10 ft 0 in (3.05 m)	1911–1936	St Abbs	Sold in 1936. Reported under restoration at Milford Haven in December 2020.[10]
620	William MacPherson	1912	TISC	43 ft 0 in (13.11 m)	12 ft 6 in (3.81 m)	1912–1929	Campbeltown	Sold September 1940. Renamed Carn Ingli. Broken up in Malta by 1999.[10]
						1930	Aldeburgh No.2
						1931–1940	Pwllheli
621	Frederick Kitchen	1913	TISC	43 ft 0 in (13.11 m)	12 ft 6 in (3.81 m)	1914–1945	Beaumaris	Sold in 1948.[10]
						1945–1948	Reserve fleet
622	Alexander Tulloch	1912	TISC	43 ft 0 in (13.11 m)	12 ft 6 in (3.81 m)	1912–1914	Peterhead No.2	Wrecked on service 26 December 1914, three crew lost.[10]
651	Samuel Oakes	1918	SP/SES	40 ft 0 in (12.19 m)	11 ft 0 in (3.35 m)	1919–1923	Humber	Sold January 1933.[11]
						1924–1929	Weymouth
						1929–1933	Shoreham Harbour
677	Prince David	1922	JSW	40 ft 0 in (12.19 m)	11 ft 0 in (3.35 m)	1922–1937	Barry Dock	Sold December 1937.[13]
681	K.B.M.	1922	JSW	40 ft 0 in (12.19 m)	11 ft 0 in (3.35 m)	1922–1949	Buckie	Sold September 1952. Reported as under restoration at Galway in November 2013.[13]
						1949–1952	Reserve fleet

45ft Watson motor lifeboats

22 boats in service between 1912 and 1956 with Official Numbers in the range 463 to 695. See 45ft Watson-class lifeboat for fleet details.

45ft 6in Watson motor lifeboats

23 boats were built between 1926 and 1935 with Official Numbers in the range 698 to 775. See 45ft 6in Watson-class lifeboat for fleet details.

40ft 6in Watson motor lifeboats

ON	Name	Built	In service	Stations	Comments
721	Lady Kylsant	1929	1929–1930	Weymouth	Sold in 1956. Renamed Kylsant; broken up at Peel, Isle of Man in 2003.[14]
			1930–1937	Howth
			1937–1956	Wicklow
722	J. and W.	1929	1929–1937	Portpatrick	Sold May 1957. Reported as under restoration at Berwick-upon-Tweed in October 2018.[14]
			1937–1940	Relief fleet
			1940–1957	Berwick-upon-Tweed
723	Sir David Richmond of Glasgow	1929	1929–1955	Troon	Sold June 1956. Last reported as fishing boat, Aberystwyth, June 1973.[14]
724	G.W.	1930	1930–1956	Moelfre	Sold May 1956. December 2022, Under Restoration at Donaghadee.[14]

41ft Watson motor lifeboats

13 were built, 9 between 1933 and 1939 and a further 4 between 1948 and 1952. Official Numbers were in the range 751 to 897. See 41ft Watson-class lifeboat for fleet details.

46ft Watson motor lifeboats

28 boats were built between 1936 and 1946 and Official numbers were in the range 777 to 848. See 46ft Watson-class lifeboat for fleet details.

46ft 9in Watson motor lifeboats

28 were built between 1947 and 1956 with Official Numbers in the range 849 to 932. See 46ft 9in Watson-class lifeboat for fleet details.

42ft Watson motor lifeboats

10 were built between 1954 and 1962 with Official Numbers in the range 907 to 967. See 42ft Watson-class lifeboat for fleet details.

47ft Watson motor lifeboats

18 were built, the first in 1955 but full production began in 1957 and continued to 1963. Official Numbers were in the range 920 to 971. See 47ft Watson-class lifeboat for fleet details.

References

1. Cameron, Ian (2009). Riders of the Storm. Orion Books. pp. 65–67. ISBN 978-0-7528-8344-1.
2. Wake-Walker, Edward (2007). The Lifeboats Story. The History Press. p. 46. ISBN 978-0-7509-4858-6.
3. Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2024). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2024. Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society. pp. 10–11.
4. Leonard & Denton 2024, pp. 14–15.
5. Leonard & Denton 2024, pp. 16–17.
6. Leonard & Denton 2024, pp. 18–19.
7. Leonard & Denton 2024, pp. 20–21.
8. Leonard & Denton 2024, pp. 22–23.
9. Leonard & Denton 2024, pp. 24–25.
10. Leonard & Denton 2024, pp. 26–27.
11. Leonard & Denton 2024, pp. 28–29.
12. "New Lifeboat for Scilly". Cornishman. Truro. 29 July 1909. Retrieved 28 September 2015 – via British Newspaper Archive.
13. Leonard & Denton 2024, pp. 30–31.
14. Leonard & Denton 2024, pp. 32–33.