The 42ft Watson-class was a class of non self-righting displacement hull lifeboat, built between 1954 and 1962, and operated by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) around the coasts of the United Kingdom and Ireland between 1954 and 1987.

History The 42ft Watson was the final example of the medium-sized Watson type lifeboat built primarily for slipway launching at those stations where physical boathouse constraints and/or slipway strength precluded the use of the longer and heavier types.

The prototype, William Taylor of Oldham (ON 907) went on station at in Cornwall in July 1954 and served there until May 1972, as the final All-weather lifeboat at the station.

In 1957 a version was developed suitable for beach launching. This had a widened (beam 12ft 3in) and strengthened hull to take the rigours of launching over skids.

Description The wooden hulled 42ft Watson featured a long tapering aluminium superstructure running forward from the aft cockpit. The forward part of this, ahead of the engine room, was a survivor cabin.

A major departure from previous RNLI practice, was the use of commercially available engines, in the form of two Gardner 4LW 4-cylinder marine diesels, each producing 48-bhp. The exhaust from the engines was taken up the forward mast, as with the later 46ft 9in Watson-class boats.

With the exception of the last boat, Dorothy and Philip Constant (ON 967), which came four years after the previous example, all of the boats originally had open cockpits. In 1965, the first boat, William Taylor of Oldham (ON 907), was given an enclosed wheelhouse, followed by Mabel E. Holland (ON 937) in 1967. The others, with the exception of the boat, had the wheelhouse enclosed in 1971/72.

The Alfred and Patience Gottwald (ON 946) at , was the only boat fitted with a mizzen mast, at the request of the crew, for a steadying sail in rough weather and was the only boat to retain an open cockpit to the end.

During the course of their service, some boats were fitted with radar, and the original aerial rigging was replaced by a long pole aerial.

Fleet 42ft Watson ON Name Built Stations Shelter Radar Comments907William Taylor of Oldham1954 1965NoLegacy of Miss Taylor, built by William Osborne, of Littlehampton, costing £29,688.First RNLI lifeboat fitted with commercial diesel engines.Sold August 1986. Renamed Gypsy Moth. Last reported as a fishing boat at Petite Martinique, Grenada, February 1995. 1972–1973 Relief fleet 1973–1986 909James and Barbara Aitken1955 1955–1968 1971NoLegacies of Miss Aitchison and Mrs Aitken, and a gift from Dr and Mrs Aitken, built by William Osborne, of Littlehampton, costing £25,859.Withdrawn after it was damaged on service, 15 October 1976.Sold 1977. Renamed Cape Lorna. In storage as James and Barbara Aitken on the Yonne (river), Migennes, France, December 2024. 1968–1976 9221956 1956–1977 1972NoLegacy of Miss Williams, built by William Osborne, of Littlehampton, costing £27,801. Sold May 1983.Stored for restoration and possible future display at Museum Wales' National Collections Centre in Nantgarw, December 2025. 1978–1981 1981–1983 Relief fleet 933 J. W. Archer 1956 1956–1987 1972 1976 Gift of Mr Archer, built by William Osborne, of Littlehampton, costing £27,871. Sold March 1989.Renamed Irish Rose, later Irma Dewi. Now as J. W. Archer at Porth Penrhyn, Bangor, Wales, September 2025.934The Duke of Montrose1956 1956–1982 19711976Funded by the RNLI, built by Groves & Guttridge of Cowes, costing £28,500.Sold 1984 to ADES Uruguay. See below:– 1982–1984 Relief fleet941William and Mary Durham1957 1957–1976 1971NoLegacies of Mrs Durham and Mrs Davenport, built by William Osborne, of Littlehampton, costing £29,500. Sold October 1983.Renamed Ron Meadhonach. Last reported as a fishing boat, stored at Portree, Isle of Skye, December 2018. 1977–1983 967Dorothy and Philip Constant1962 1963–1981 as new1976Gift of Mr and Mrs Constant, built by Groves & Guttridge, of Cowes, costing £36,000. Sold April 1988.Renamed Constance of Blakeney, Constance, and Pettlandssker. In unaltered condition as Dorothy and Philip Constant at the R.W. Davis boatyard, Saul Junction, on the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal, April 2025. 1981–1982 1982–1987 Relief fleet

42ft Watson (Beach version) ON Name Built Stations Shelter Radar Comments937Mabel E. Holland1957 1957–1978 1967NoGift of Miss Holland, built by William Osborne, of Littlehampton, costing £30,000. Sold 1983.Last reported stored on a trailer on a farm near Blaenffos, Pembrokeshire, August 2019. 1979–1983 Relief fleet 946 The Alfred and Patience Gottwald 1958 1959–1979 NoNoLegacy of Mrs Gottwald, built by J. Samuel White, of Cowes, costing £30,000. Sold 1980.Renamed Lord Hurcomb, Patience and Alfie. Converted to be a househoat, engines removed. At South Dock Marina in Rotherhithe, August 2024. 1979–1980 Relief fleet948Charles Dibdin1958 1959–1975 19721977Gift of the Civil Service LB fund, built by William Osborne, of Littlehampton, costing £30,000. Sold 1988. Renamed Charlie Dee, at Brighton Marina. Reported sold, June 2014. 1975–1977 Relief fleet 1977–1979 1979–1982 1982–1988 Relief fleet

Other Fleets Uruguay ADES Uruguay is an Honorary Lifesaving Institution founded in 1955. All our volunteers are honorary, people who train weekly to go to sea with the sole purpose of helping whoever requests help. The rescues have no cost to the beneficiaries. At the national level ADES Uruguay is part of the National Emergency Committee and at the international level it is part of the IMRF (International Maritime Rescue Federation)

ON Name Stations Comments 934 1984–2004 Montevideo Sold 2004. Renamed Sudelmar. Tourist trip boat, Carmelo, Uruguay, December 2025

See also Royal National Lifeboat Institution lifeboats

Notes

References

External links RNLI