37-02 Manchester Unity of Oddfellows
|
| Class overview |
| Builders: |
J.Samuel White |
| Operators: |
Royal National Lifeboat Institution |
| Preceded by: |
|
| Succeeded by: |
, |
| Cost: |
£32,000 |
| Built: |
1958–1971 |
| In service: |
1958–1993 |
| Completed: |
31 |
| Retired: |
31 |
| Preserved: |
10 |
| General characteristics |
| Displacement: |
30 long tons (30 t) |
| Length: |
37 ft (11 m)and 48 ft 6 in (14.78 m) |
| Beam: |
11 ft 6 in (3.51 m)and 14 ft 0 in (4.27 m) |
| Draught: |
3 ft 4 in (1.02 m)and 4 ft 4 in (1.32 m) |
| Propulsion: |
Two diesel engines (various types) |
| Speed: |
8 knots (9.2 mph; 15 km/h) |
| Complement: |
7 |
The Oakley class lifeboat was a self-righting lifeboat operated by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution around the coasts of the United Kingdom and Ireland between 1958 and 1993. During this time they saved a combined total of 1,456 lives in 3,734 rescue launches.
The class is known by the name of its designer, Richard A. Oakley.
History
During the first half of the twentieth century the RNLI had equipped its lifeboat stations with motor lifeboats designed by G L Watson and, later, J R Barnett. Both these men had designed boats that were generally stable, but unlike the earlier boats, were not self-righting. Part of the problem was that motor lifeboats were much heavier than 'pulling and sailing' boats which could be packed with cork to make them buoyant. Richard Oakley worked out how to use shifting water ballast to create a self-righting motor lifeboat.[1][2]
Oakley's 37-foot (11 m) prototype was launched in 1958 and placed in service at . Production boats started to be built in 1961 and in 1963 the prototype 48-foot-6-inch (14.78 m) boat was launched and sent to . The last was built in 1960 and the final in 1963, after which Oakleys were the only all-weather lifeboats put into service for the next eight years.[3]
Design
The Oakley was designed as a self-righting boat. The design combined great stability with the ability to self-right in the event of it capsizing. This was achieved by a system of shifting water ballast. The system worked by the lifeboat taking on one and half tons of sea water at launching in to a tank built into the base of the hull. If the lifeboat then reached a crucial point of capsize the ballast water would transfer through valves to a righting tank built into the port side. If the capsize was to the starboard side of the lifeboat, the water shift started when an angle of 165° was reached. This would push the boat into completing a full 360° roll. If the capsize was to the port side, the water transfer started at 110°. In this case the weight of water combined with the weight of machinery aboard the lifeboat usually managed to stop the roll and allow the lifeboat to bounce back to upright. The water was discharged from the tank when the ship was taken out of the sea after each launch. A problem emerged with damp sand left in the tank after the water was drained. This caused a weak electrolytic action that eroded the copper nails which held the wooden hulls together.[4]
The hull of the Oakley class was constructed from two wooden skins with a layer of calico between. After several years it was found that the calico absorbed water which caused softening of the wood around the copper nails. This led to a series of surveys in the late 1980s and the withdrawal of some boats, or replanking of others.[4] The skins were made from diagonally laid African Mahogany planks. The outer one was 0.375 inches (9.5 mm) thick with the inner 0.25 inches (6.4 mm). The keel was iron and weighed 1.154 tons. The hull was divided into eleven watertight compartments.
Two sizes were built. Most boats were 37 feet (11 m) in length and 11 feet 6 inches (3.51 m) in beam. It displaced 12.05 tons when fully laden with crew and gear. Five larger boats were built that were 48 feet 6 inches (14.78 m) long and 14 feet (4.3 m) wide.
Fleet
| ON
|
Op. No.
|
Name
|
Built
|
In service
|
Principal stations
|
Further use[3]
|
| 942
|
37-01
|
J.G. Graves of Sheffield
|
1958
|
1958–1993
|
|
Preserved at Chatham Historic Dockyard
|
| 960
|
37-02
|
Manchester Unity of Oddfellows
|
1961
|
1961–1990
|
|
Preserved at Sheringham
|
| 961
|
37-03
|
Calouste Gulbenkian
|
1961
|
1962–1991
|
|
Under restoration at Donaghadee
|
| 966
|
37-04
|
Robert and Dorothy Hardcastle
|
1962
|
1962–1968
1968–1991
1991–1993
|
Relief fleet
|
Preserved at Hartlepool
|
| 972
|
37-05
|
The Will and Fanny Kirby
|
1963
|
1963–1979
1979–1983
1983–1993
|
Relief fleet
|
Preserved at Chatham Historic Dockyard
|
| 973
|
37-06
|
Fairlight
|
1964
|
1964–1988
1989–1990
1991–1992
|
|
Pleasure boat at Blakeney Harbour
|
| 974
|
37-07
|
Jane Hay
|
1964
|
1964–1974
1974–1980
1980–1992
1992–1995
|
Relief fleet
Stored
|
Broken up 1995
|
| 975
|
37-08
|
Sir James Knott
|
1963
|
1963–1969
1969–1972
1972–1985
1985–1990
|
Relief fleet
Relief fleet
|
Preserved at Redcar
|
| 976
|
37-09
|
Lilly Wainwright
|
1964
|
1964–1990
1990–1992
|
|
Pleasure boat at Cobh
|
| 977
|
37-10
|
Charles Fred Grantham
|
1964
|
1964–1990
1990–1993
|
Relief fleet
|
Broken up 1993
|
| 978
|
37-11
|
The Royal Thames
|
1964
|
1964–1969
1970–1978
1979–1991
1991–1993
|
|
|
| 979
|
37-12
|
Amelia
|
1964
|
1964–1978
1978–1991
|
Relief fleet
|
Originally named James and Catherine Macfarlane. Preserved at Charlestown
|
| 980
|
37-13
|
William Henry and Mary King
|
1964
|
1964–1967
1967–1988
1989–1990
|
|
Children's playground, Highbury, London
|
| 981
|
37-14
|
Mary Pullman
|
1964
|
1965–1989
|
|
Hull on display at Spalding
|
| 982
|
37-15
|
Ernest Tom Nethercoat
|
1965
|
1965–1990
1990–1991
|
|
Under restoration
|
| 983
|
37-16
|
The Doctors
|
1965
|
1965–1991
1991–1993
|
Relief fleet
|
Under restoration at Donaghadee
|
| 984
|
37-17
|
Mary Joicey
|
1966
|
1966–1981
1981–1989
|
Relief fleet
|
Under restoration for display at Newbiggin
|
| 985
|
37-18
|
Valentine Wyndham-Quin
|
1967
|
1968–1984
1984–1988
|
|
Preserved at Harwich
|
| 986
|
37-19
|
Lloyds II
|
1966
|
1966–1990
1990–1992
|
|
Broken up 1993
|
| 991
|
37-20
|
Edward and Mary Lester
|
1967
|
1967–1989
|
|
Broken up 1989
|
| 992
|
37-21
|
Frank Penfold Marshall
|
1968
|
1968–1989
|
|
Broken up 1989
|
| 993
|
37-22
|
Har Lil
|
1968
|
1968–1990
|
|
Under restoration at South Ferriby
|
| 994
|
37-23
|
The Vincent Nesfield
|
1969
|
1969–1988
1988–1991
|
Relief fleet
|
Broken up 1991
|
| 995
|
37-24
|
James Ball Ritchie
|
1970
|
1970–1991
|
|
Broken up 1992
|
| 996
|
37-25
|
Birds Eye
|
1970
|
1970–1990
|
|
Preserved at Moelfre
|
| 997
|
37-26
|
Lady Murphy
|
1971
|
1972–1988
|
|
Broken up 1995
|
| ON
|
Op. No.
|
Name
|
Built
|
In service
|
Principal stations
|
Further use[3]
|
| 968
|
48-01
|
The Earl and Countess Howe
|
1963
|
1963–1977
1977–1984
|
|
Broken up 2003
|
| 989
|
48-02
|
James and Catherine Macfarlane
|
1967
|
1967–1983
1983–1987
|
|
Preserved at Land's End
|
| 990
|
48-03
|
Ruby and Arthur Reed
|
1966
|
1967–1984
1985–1988
|
|
Preserved at Hythe
|
| 1015
|
48-12
|
Charles Henry
|
1968
|
1969–1984
1984–1987
|
|
Pleasure boat at Exeter
|
| 1016
|
48-13
|
Princess Marina
|
1970
|
1970–1988
|
|
Broken up 2003
|
References
External links
Classes of Royal National Lifeboat Institution lifeboats |
|---|
| Operational fleet | | | All-weather lifeboats | |
|---|
| | Inshore lifeboats | |
|---|
| | Small inflatables | |
|---|
| | Historic lifeboats | | | Up to 10 knots | |
|---|
| | Above 10 knots | |
|---|
| | Inshore lifeboats |
- A Class:
-
- B Class:
- C Class: Zodiac IV
- D Class: EA16
|
|---|
| | Experimental lifeboats | |
|---|
| | |
|
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