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Life Saving Service Boats

The Massachusetts Humane Society established the first Life Saving Station in 1786
The Federal government did not accept responsibility for safety of life at sea until 1872

Surfboats
Surfboats were used for near shore rescues
They were kept at Life Saving Stations along the coasts
They were on trailers and were hand hauled from the boat house to the water
Some stations had horses to draw the trailers
Later, some even had tractors
The original boats were modified whale boats
Each area of the country developed their own design of surfboat
Eventually the Life Saving Service standardized the boats as much as possible
The surfboats were originally powered by manned oars
They were originally not self-bailing or self-righting
These features were gradually introduced, as were gasoline engines
The surfboat was the main rescue device well into the late 1800s

Class Number Year Comments Pictures Model
30′ Raymond Nantucket Whaleboat 1791 The first lifesaving station in the US
Operated by the Massachusetts Humane Society at Cohasset
Designed by William Raymond
Manned by 12 men and capable of carrying 20 survivors
Yes Yes
Jersey Type Pulling Surfboat 1871 First “standard” pulling surfboat adopted by the USLSS
From 25′ to 27′ with 6 thwarts for 10 oars, double banked
Clinker built – No sailing rig
Based on square sterned fishing boats in use along the Jersey coast
Neither self-righting nor self-bailing
Versions included the “Squan” and “Long Branch”
Yes
26′ Monomoy Type Pulling/Sailing Surfboat Originated on Monomoy Island off Cape Cod
Either 23′ or 26′ with 4 thwarts for 8 oars, double banked
Clinker built – Sprit sailing rig with jib and mainsail
Neither self-righting nor self-bailing
Capable of holding 14 survivors
Note that 26′ Monomoy surfboat was built with a carvel hull
and used as the standard cutter boat
Yes
24’6″ Race Point Type Pulling/Sailing Surfboat Originated at Race Point, Cape Cod
24’6″ with 5 thwarts for 5 oars, single banked (alternating sides)
Clinker built – Sprit sailing rig with jib and mainsail
Neither self-righting nor self-bailing
Capable of holding 10 survivors
Yes
27′ Higgins and Gifford Pulling Surfboat Designed and built at Higgins and Gifford Boatyard in Gloucester
27′ with 5 thwarts for 10 oars, double banked
Carvel built
Neither self-bailing nor self-righting
Yes
27′ Beebe Type Pulling Surfboat Designed by Frederick Beebe
27’4″ with 5 thwarts for 10 oars, double banked
Clinker built – No sailing rig
Neither self-righting nor self-bailing
Yes
26′ Beebe-McLellan Type Pulling/Sailing Surfboat Designed by LT McLellan, USRM, and Frederick Beebe
Replaced all previous designs
26′ with 3 or 4 thwarts for 6 or 8 oars, double banked
Clinker built – Sprit sailing rig with jib and sprit sail
Self bailing but not self-righting
Yes
27′ Beebe Type Motor Surfboat 27′ Beebe pulling boats converted by adding a 12 hp gasoline engine
Capable of about 8 knots
Yes
26′ Beebe-McLellan Type Motor Surfboat One 26′ pulling boat was converted as an experiment
Almost all others were built new with the engine
Yes

Lifeboats
Lifeboats were the companions to the surfboats
They were self-bailable and self-rightable and much heavier
They were generally kept in the water so they were faster to launch
But they were not easily used on large sandy beaches where piers could not be built
The original boat was a borrowed British boat
Soon US designs evolved and the LSS quickly standardized them
Lifeboats are still in use today

The Massachusetts Humane Society established the first Life Saving Station in 1786
The Federal government did not accept responsibility for safety of life at sea until 1872

Surfboats
Surfboats were used for near shore rescues
They were kept at Life Saving Stations along the coasts
They were on trailers and were hand hauled from the boat house to the water
Some stations had horses to draw the trailers
Later, some even had tractors
The original boats were modified whale boats
Each area of the country developed their own design of surfboat
Eventually the Life Saving Service standardized the boats as much as possible
The surfboats were originally powered by manned oars
They were originally not self-bailing or self-righting
These features were gradually introduced, as were gasoline engines
The surfboat was the main rescue device well into the late 1800sLifeboats
Lifeboats were the companions to the surfboats
They were self-bailable and self-rightable and much heavier
They were generally kept in the water so they were faster to launch
But they were not easily used on large sandy beaches where piers could not be built
The original boat was a borrowed British boat
Soon US designs evolved and the LSS quickly standardized them
Lifeboats are still in use today

Class Number Year Comments Pictures Model
English Lifeboat 1873 Evaluated by the LSS and used throughout the country until
US-built boats were available
26′ Merryman Type Pulling/Sailing Lifeboat Designed by Capt. J.H. Merryman, USRM
26’8″ with 4 thwarts for 8 oars, double banked
Standing lug or sprit sailing rig
Yes
Dobbins Type Pulling Lifeboat 1878 Designed by David Dobbins, Superintendent, 9th LSS District
24′ to 32′ with 4 thwarts for 8 oars, double banked – no sailing rig
Yes
34′ Merryman Type Pulling/Sailing Lifeboat 1890 Larger version of the 26′ Merryman with 5 thwarts for 10 oars, double banked
Two masted sailing rig with jib, spritsail, and mainsail
Yes
34′ Converted Merryman Type Motor Lifeboat 26 1899 LT McLellan fitted a gasoline engine in the stern of a Lake Superior Merryman lifeboat
Capable of about 7 knots and a range of 275 nautical miles
Retained the oars and sailing rig
Experiment was successful and 25 more boats were converted
New boats currently in design/production were redesigned to incorporate the motor
Yes
Class Number Year Comments Pictures Model
30′ Raymond Nantucket Whaleboat 1791 The first lifesaving station in the US
Operated by the Massachusetts Humane Society at Cohasset
Designed by William Raymond
Manned by 12 men and capable of carrying 20 survivors
Yes Yes
Jersey Type Pulling Surfboat 1871 First “standard” pulling surfboat adopted by the USLSS
From 25′ to 27′ with 6 thwarts for 10 oars, double banked
Clinker built – No sailing rig
Based on square sterned fishing boats in use along the Jersey coast
Neither self-righting nor self-bailing
Versions included the “Squan” and “Long Branch”
Yes
26′ Monomoy Type Pulling/Sailing Surfboat Originated on Monomoy Island off Cape Cod
Either 23′ or 26′ with 4 thwarts for 8 oars, double banked
Clinker built – Sprit sailing rig with jib and mainsail
Neither self-righting nor self-bailing
Capable of holding 14 survivors
Note that 26′ Monomoy surfboat was built with a carvel hull
and used as the standard cutter boat
Yes
24’6″ Race Point Type Pulling/Sailing Surfboat Originated at Race Point, Cape Cod
24’6″ with 5 thwarts for 5 oars, single banked (alternating sides)
Clinker built – Sprit sailing rig with jib and mainsail
Neither self-righting nor self-bailing
Capable of holding 10 survivors
Yes
27′ Higgins and Gifford Pulling Surfboat Designed and built at Higgins and Gifford Boatyard in Gloucester
27′ with 5 thwarts for 10 oars, double banked
Carvel built
Neither self-bailing nor self-righting
Yes
27′ Beebe Type Pulling Surfboat Designed by Frederick Beebe
27’4″ with 5 thwarts for 10 oars, double banked
Clinker built – No sailing rig
Neither self-righting nor self-bailing
Yes
26′ Beebe-McLellan Type Pulling/Sailing Surfboat Designed by LT McLellan, USRM, and Frederick Beebe
Replaced all previous designs
26′ with 3 or 4 thwarts for 6 or 8 oars, double banked
Clinker built – Sprit sailing rig with jib and sprit sail
Self bailing but not self-righting
Yes
27′ Beebe Type Motor Surfboat 27′ Beebe pulling boats converted by adding a 12 hp gasoline engine
Capable of about 8 knots
Yes
26′ Beebe-McLellan Type Motor Surfboat One 26′ pulling boat was converted as an experiment
Almost all others were built new with the engine
Yes
Class Number Year Comments Pictures Model
English Lifeboat 1873 Evaluated by the LSS and used throughout the country until
US-built boats were available
26′ Merryman Type Pulling/Sailing Lifeboat Designed by Capt. J.H. Merryman, USRM
26’8″ with 4 thwarts for 8 oars, double banked
Standing lug or sprit sailing rig
Yes
Dobbins Type Pulling Lifeboat 1878 Designed by David Dobbins, Superintendent, 9th LSS District
24′ to 32′ with 4 thwarts for 8 oars, double banked – no sailing rig
Yes
34′ Merryman Type Pulling/Sailing Lifeboat 1890 Larger version of the 26′ Merryman with 5 thwarts for 10 oars, double banked
Two masted sailing rig with jib, spritsail, and mainsail
Yes
34′ Converted Merryman Type Motor Lifeboat 26 1899 LT McLellan fitted a gasoline engine in the stern of a Lake Superior Merryman lifeboat
Capable of about 7 knots and a range of 275 nautical miles
Retained the oars and sailing rig
Experiment was successful and 25 more boats were converted
New boats currently in design/production were redesigned to incorporate the motor
Yes
36′ McLellan Type E Motor Lifeboat 46 1908 First US lifeboat designed from the beginning to incorporate a motor in the stern
Designed by now-CAPT McLellan, USRM
Capable of about 10 knots
Not capable of being rowed but retained the two sailing masts for emergency use
The boats were named in addition to numbered – the only MLBs so honored
Remained the standard motor lifeboat until replaced by the Type H in 1919
36′ McLellan Type E Motor Lifeboat 46 1908 First US lifeboat designed from the beginning to incorporate a motor in the stern
Designed by now-CAPT McLellan, USRM
Capable of about 10 knots
Not capable of being rowed but retained the two sailing masts for emergency use
The boats were named in addition to numbered – the only MLBs so honored
Remained the standard motor lifeboat until replaced by the Type H in 1919