RNLB Thomas McCunn (ON 759)

History
Thomas McCunn ON 759

Owner:	Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI)
Builder:	Groves & Guttridge, Cowes, Isle of Wight, England
Official Number:	ON 759
Donor:	Supplied by money given to RNLI from the legacy of Mr W McCunn of Largs, Ayrshire, Scotland
Station	Longhope Lifeboat station, Orkney, Scotland
Cost:	£7120
Yard number:	182
Completed:	1932
Commissioned:	4/1/1933
Decommissioned:	1972
In service:	1933
Fate:	Now housed in the Lifeboat shed in Brims where she forms the centrepiece of the museum
General characteristics
Class and type:	45ft 6in Watson-class
Type:	non-self righting
Displacement:	18 tons 16 cwt
Length:	45 ft 6 in (13.87 m) overall
Beam:	12 ft 4 in (3.76 m)
Depth:	5 ft 3 in (1.60 m)
Installed power:	Originally 2 Weyburn petrol engines, the last of the petrol engine LBs designed by Watson himself. Re-engined in 1973 with 2 Mermaid diesels.
Speed:	9 knots (17 km/h)
Crew:	8
Notes:	On 16 May 1999 The National Historic Ships Committee added the Thomas McCunn to the National Register of Historic Vessels (Certificate no 1515)

RNLB Thomas McCunn (ON 759) is a 45ft 6in Watson-class^[1] lifeboat stationed at Longhope in Orkney, Scotland,^[2] from January 1933 until April 1962. During which time she was launched on service 101 times and saved 308 lives.^[1] After Thomas McCunn left Longhope she was placed into the reserve fleet for ten years before being sold and used as a pleasure boat. In 2000 she was bought by Longhope Lifeboat Museum. The lifeboat is now at the centre of a display in the old slipway at Brims and is still launched on special occasions.^[1]

Design and construction

Thomas McCunn was built at the yard of Groves and Guttridge Ltd on the Isle of Wight, England.^[1] Her hull is constructed using double diagonal planking of Honduras Mahogany on a framework of Teak ribs and beams with the stem and stern posts and her keel of English oak. The stern and stem posts are grown to the required shape to give the lifeboat its strength and sturdiness. The Thomas McCunn was 45 feet 6 inches (13.87 m) long and 12 feet 6 inches (3.81 m) wide. The hull is divided into seven watertight compartments, of which the engine room is one. The hull is fitted with 142 mahogany air cases, all individually made to fit into its allocated position in the hull. Her equipment included the latest innovations of the time which included a line throwing gun and an electrically powered searchlight.

Engines

The lifeboat was originally powered by two 40bhp 4-cylinder Weyburn CE4 petrol engines, but after sale by the RNLI was re-engined in 1973 with two Ford Mermaid diesel engines. The last of the petrol engines was designed by Watson himself.^[1] The lifeboat had a top speed of 9 knots (17 km/h)

Service

The boat served from January 1933 - April 1962 at Longhope. During this time it was launched 101 times and saved 308 lives. From 1962 - 1972 it was a reserve-boat and has 8 launches with 7 savings during this time. In August 1972 the boat was sold and returned later to Longhope for display.

Gallery

References

1 2 3 4 5 Longhope Lifeboat Thomas McCunn ON 759
↑ OS Explorer Map: Orkney - Hoy, South Walls & Flotta: Published: Ordnance Survey: ISBN 978-0-319-23998-8

Watson-class Lifeboats

Helen Smitton (ON 603) Lord Southborough (ON 688) H F Bailey (ON 694) H F Bailey II (ON 714) Abdy Beauclerk (ON 751) Thomas McCunn (ON 759) Mona (ON 775) H F Bailey III (ON 777) Julia Park Barry of Glasgow (ON 819) Jesse Lumb (ON 822) Guide of Dunkirk (ON 826) Henry Blogg (ON 840)

Royal National Lifeboat Institution

Ships and vessels on the National Register of Historic Vessels

Sailing ships	Albion Bloodhound Cambria Cutty Sark Discovery Edith May Excelsior Glenlee Hathor Irene Kathleen & May Lady of the Lea Maud Peggy Reaper Thalatta Will

Steamships	Cervia Duke of Lancaster Explorer Freshspring Gondola Great Britain John H Amos Kingswear Castle Lydia Eva Maid of the Loch Medway Queen Nomadic Robin Ryde Shieldhall Tattershall Castle Waverley Wingfield Castle

Motor vessels	Aberdonia Arctic Corsair Balmoral Bluebird of Chelsea Bustardthorpe Calshot Devon Belle Havengore Karina Lady of the Lake Lady Wakefield Massey Shaw Mincarlo Pyronaut Raven Ross Tiger Royal Iris SR.N1 Sundowner The Second Snark Tower Belle

Canal vessels	Bessie Birchills Diamond Kildare Peacock Perseverance IV President Stour

Lifeboats	Aguila Wren Forester’s Centenary H F Bailey III Helen Smitton Henry Ramey Upcher J C Madge Jesse Lumb Lucy Lavers The Manchester Unity of Oddfellows Thomas McCunn William and Kate Johnstone Zetland

Lightships	Light Vessel 12 Spurn Light Vessel 14 Spurn North Carr

Warships	CMB 4 HMS Alliance HMS Belfast HMS Bronington HMS Caroline HMS Cavalier HMS Gannet HMS Ocelot HMS President HMS Trincomalee HMS Unicorn HMS Victory HMS Warrior HMS Wellington M33 LCT 7074 Mary Rose MTB 102

Vessels of the National Historic Fleet	Albion RNLB Alfred Corry Balmoral Calshot Cambria Cervia CMB 4 Cutty Sark Excelsior Glenlee H F Bailey III Hathor HMS Alliance HMS Belfast HMS Bronington HMS Caroline HMS Cavalier HMS Gannet HMS President HMS Trincomalee HMS Unicorn HMS Victory HMS Warrior Holland 1 HQS Wellington Jesse Lumb John H Amos Kathleen and May Kingswear Castle Light Vessel 12 Spurn Lydia Eva M33 Maid of the Loch Mary Rose Massey Shaw Maud Mayflower Medway Queen MTB 102 North Carr Peacock Peggy President Prince Frederick's Barge PS Ryde Pyronaut Reaper Result HMY Britannia Discovery Sir Walter Scott SS Great Britain SS Nomadic SS Robin SS Shieldhall Sundowner Thalatta The Fairmile Turbinia Waverley Wingfield Castle Zetland

Vessels listed on the National Archive of Historic Vessels	City of Adelaide HMS Stalker Lincoln Castle Manxman Queen Mary Somerset Waterwitch

Coordinates: 58°46′47″N 3°13′41″W / 58.7797°N 3.2280°W / 58.7797; -3.2280

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