35ft 6in Self-righting motor-class lifeboat

Class overview
Name	35ft 6in Self-righting motor-class
Builders	Saunders-Roe, Cowes; J. Samuel White, Cowes; J. I. Thorneycroft, Chiswick; Rowhedge Ironworks, Rowhedge; Groves & Guttridge, Cowes;
Succeeded by	Liverpool-class
Cost	£3,000- £14,000
Built	Single engine: 1929–1940; Twin engine: 1947–1950;
Completed	Single engine: 22; Twin engine: 5;
Lost	3
Retired	24
General characteristics
Displacement	Single engine: 5–6 long tons (5.1–6.1 t); Twin engine: 8–9 long tons (8.1–9.1 t);
Length	35 ft 6 in (10.82 m)
Beam	8 ft 10 in (2.69 m)-9 ft 10 in (3.00 m)
Draught	2 ft 8 in (0.81 m)
Propulsion	Single engine: 35bhp Weyburn AE6 6-cyl. petrol; Twin engine: 18bhp Weyburn AE4 4-cyl petrol/20bhp Ferry FKR.3 3-cyl.diesel;
Speed	8 knots (9.2 mph; 15 km/h)
Crew	7/8

The 35ft 6in Self-righting motor-class was a 10.8 m displacement hull lifeboat built in single engine form between 1929 and 1940 and in twin-engined form between 1947 and 1950. The boats were operated by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution between 1929 and 1965.

History

The need to provide motor lifeboats at stations using carriage launching had first been addressed with the 35 ft (10.7 m) Self-righting motor type of 1921. Three of these boats were built and were to all intents and purposes pulling and sailing boats with an auxiliary engine. The definitive boat for production appeared in 1929, six inches (15 cm) longer and with the same 8 ft 10 in (2.7 m) beam as the second and third 35ft types. After the first two boats had been put on station, a crash programme of production was instituted in 1931 and twelve boats were produced that year. These gave many stations their first motor lifeboats, but experience proved that stability was lacking and from ON 763 beam was increased by 5 inches (13 cm). The final two single engine boats saw further beam increases, to 9 ft 6 in (2.9 m) and 9 ft 10 in (3.0 m) respectively. In common with the similar but non self-righting Liverpool-class, post war production switched to twin-engined versions, but only five were built. The RNLI was increasingly switching to more stable non self-righting lifeboats and the single engine 35ft 6in Self-righting motors were replaced at most stations by Liverpool-class boats in the early 1950s after only around twenty years service. The twin-engined boats had even shorter lives, being replaced at three stations by Liverpools and at the other two by 37 ft (11.3 m) Oakleys after less than fifteen years service.

Description

The challenge of producing a motor lifeboat light enough to be manhandled for carriage launching resulted in a boat weighing around 5+1⁄2 long tons (5.6 t). The single RNLI-designed, Weyburn Engineering built AE6 6-cylinder petrol engine produced 35 bhp and sat in a watertight engine room beneath pent roof access hatches ahead of an aft cockpit shelter from which the mechanic operated the engine controls. Apart from a small shelter forward the boats were open. As described above, beam was increased during production in an attempt to improve stability. After World War II, five twin engined boats were built which had a beam of 10 ft (3.0 m) and a larger shelter covering the engine room and very similar to the contemporary twin engined Liverpools. The first two of these boats were powered by two 18bhp Weyburn AE4 4-cylinder petrol engines, but the final three had 20bhp Ferry FKR3 3 cylinder diesels.

Fleet

Single engine

ON^[a]	Name	Built	In service^[1]	Stations	Comments^[1]
726	City of Nottingham	1929 Saunders-Roe, Cowes	1930–1936 1936–1949	Hythe Clovelly	Sold in 1950. August 2021, Restored to original at Lawrenny Quay, Daugleddau estuary.
727	Westmorland	1930 Saunders-Roe, Cowes	1930–1940 1940–1951	Berwick-upon-Tweed Cullercoats	Sold June 1951. Renamed Swallow. Owned by Northern Shipbreakers, Peterhead in 1961
737	Louisa Polden	1931 Saunders-Roe, Cowes	1931–1951	Redcar	Sold in 1951. Broken up at Stockton-on-Tees in the 1980's
738	J.H.W.	1931 J. Samuel White, Cowes	1931–1939 1939–1947	Lytham St Annes Padstow No.2	Sold April 1948. Renamed Navette. Last seen, Thames area, 1990's
739	Lily Glen - Glasgow	1931 Saunders-Roe, Cowes	1931–1952	Girvan	Sold May 1952. Renamed Seeker II. June 2014, derelict in a field off Harbour Road, Rye
740	Cyril and Lilian Bishop	1931 J. Samuel White, Cowes	1931–1950	Hastings	Sold November 1950. December 2022, on permanent display, Old London Road, Hastings.
741	Morison Watson	1931 Saunders-Roe, Cowes	1931–1953	Kirkcudbright	Sold in 1953. Renamed Scauronian. Broken up at Terregles, Dumfries, August 1998.
742	Herbert Joy II	1931 J. Samuel White, Cowes	1931–1951	Scarborough	Sold in 1951. Renamed Viking Raumur. Broken up at Acaster Boatyard, York in the 1980's.
743	John and Sarah Eliza Stych	1931 Saunders-Roe, Cowes	1931–1938 1938–1939	Padstow No.1 St Ives	Wrecked on service 23 Jan 1939, seven crew lost.
744	Laurana Sarah Blunt	1931 J. Samuel White, Cowes	1931–1952	Youghal	Sold in 1952. Renamed Laurana (UL3), broken up west of Ullapool, 2005
745	Lady Harrison	1931 Saunders-Roe, Cowes	1931–1948 1949–1951	Ramsey Aberystwyth	Sold in 1952. Burnt at site of Husbands Shipyard, Marchwood, Southampton, April 2005.
746	William Maynard	1931 J. Samuel White, Cowes	1931–1939 1939–1941 1941–1948 1948–1949 1949–1953	Cloughey Relief fleet Ferryside Whitehills Relief fleet	Sold February 1953. Renamed Endura. Lost in Channel off Dungeness, December 1970.
747	Stanhope Smart	1931 Saunders-Roe, Cowes	1931–1947 1947–1951	Bridlington Padstow No.2	Sold in 1951 to Liberia.
748	Mary Ann Blunt	1931 J. Samuel White, Cowes	1931–1950	Clogherhead	Sold in 1951. With Balbriggan Sea Scouts, 1951
752	John and William Mudie	1932 Thorneycroft, Chiswick	1932–1950	Arbroath	Sold June 1951. Renamed Sharon. July 2022, ashore at Kingholm Quay, Dumfries.
756	Civil Service No.4	1932 J. Samuel White, Cowes	1932–1948	Whitehills	Damaged beyond repair on service 16 June 1948, although last reported as a yacht in Newfoundland in the 1970's
757	Frederick Angus	1932 J. Samuel White, Cowes	1932–1949	Aberystwyth	Sold August 1949. Renamed Yr Ystwyth. August 2015, Last reported damaged, at Oakford, Nr Aberaeron.
763	Caroline Parsons	1933 J. Samuel White, Cowes	1933–1938	St Ives	Wrecked on service 31 January 1938
767	Catherine Harriet Eaton	1933 J. Samuel White, Cowes	1933–1953	Exmouth	Sold in 1953. Renamed Sharan, wrecked in Martins Haven Bay, Pembrokeshire, 1976.
768	Thomas and Annie Wade Richards	1933 J. Samuel White, Cowes	1933–1953	Llandudno	Sold in 1953. Renamed Dolphin (AB6), believe broken up at Tranmere 2003/04
785	Sir Heath Harrison	1936 J. Samuel White, Cowes	1936–1949 1949–1955	Port St Mary Relief fleet	Sold January 1956. Renamed King John III. December 1979, last reported as Pilot Boat, Western Dock, Dover in the 1970's
826	Guide of Dunkirk	1940 Rowhedge Ironworks, Rowhedge	1941–1963	Lizard-Cadgwith	Sold in 1963. December 2022, privately owned at Mevagissey Harbour.

Twin engine

ON^[a]	Name	Built	In service^[1]	Stations	Comments^[1]
851	Tillie Morrison, Sheffield	1947 J. Samuel White, Cowes	1947–1953 1953–1959	Bridlington Llandudno	Capsized on service at Bridlington 19/8/1952, one crew lost. Sold November 1959
878	M.T.C.	1950 Groves & Guttridge, Cowes	1950–1963	Hastings	Sold in 1964
879	E.C.J.R.	1950 Groves & Guttridge, Cowes	1951–1956 1956–1963	Scarborough Relief fleet	Capsized on service 8/12/1954, three crew lost. Sold March 1963
880	Isaac and Mary Bolton	1950 Groves & Guttridge, Cowes	1951–1963	Cullercoats	Sold in 1964
881	City of Leeds	1950 Groves & Guttridge, Cowes	1951–1965	Redcar	Sold March 1965

^ ^a ^b ON is the RNLI's Official Number of the boat.

External links

RNLI

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2023). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2023. Lifeboats Enthusiasts Society.

[op-1] ON is the RNLI's Official Number of the boat.

[LBES-2] Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2023). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2023. Lifeboats Enthusiasts Society.

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