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.

Pulling and sailing lifeboats
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.

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: 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 beam but 6 in 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 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.

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.

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.