Lifeboats

Source #1 : Curse or Courage? Titanic II Plans Maiden Voyage

By Titanic Universe

Researchers: Katy Moynahan Kaia Balleza

Abstract

The lifeboats of the RMS Titanic played a major role in the deaths of so many people in the sinking of the ship. The lifeboats that got off the Titanic were not noticed until hours after they departed from the subsiding ship that so many people called unsinkable. One boat was washed off the ship from ice and freezing water, and was turned upside down. Yet, many men balancing on top of it, trying to stay alive. It took about one hour and ten minutes for the Carpathia to arrive. Taking all of the survivors aboard took about four hours. It only had enough time and room to take 13 lifeboats out of 20 back to New York. The other seven lifeboats were abandoned.

Notable Quotations

"For hours, these tiny craft floated in the darkness waiting for hope of rescues. One boat had been washed off the ship, and was upside down, and yet there were men on top of it trying to stay alive" (paragraph 2).

"The Titanic went down at 2:20, and it was around 3:30 when Carpathia finally appeared, and then the task came of being taken on board, which in itself took around four hours" (paragraph 2).

"By the time all the lifeboats had been emptied, another problem presented itself, and that was the fact that the Carpathia did not have enough space to take all 20 back to New York City. Out of the 20 lifeboats, Carpathia only had room for 13. The other seven lifeboats were abandoned in the frigid North Atlanta, and soon, the ship was heading for New York, which wold take a few days" (paragraph 3).

Source #3 : The Titanic - Lifeboats

By History on the Net

Researcher Christine Tran

Revised by Anthea Perez and Matisse Arcos

Abstract

This is talking about why there weren’t many lifeboats on the Titanic. The first reason was that they thought that they wouldn’t need any lifeboats, as the technology was advanced. They didn’t really put in much lifeboats because of that. Another guy said that the Titanic carried 3500 lifebelts and 48 life rings, which, by the way, is useless in icy cold water. The Captain was supposed to do the drill, but he cancelled it because he wanted to make people go to church. There wasn’t much time to launch all the lifeboats in time. Boat A and B just float away. Boat B flipped over, and Boat A was the only boat left. People tried to get to Boat A, but it wasn’t really successful.

Notable Quotations

“Due to advancements that had been made in shipbuilding it was not necessary for boats to carry more lifeboats. The latest boats were stronger than ever and had watertight compartments making them unlikely to require lifeboats at all. Sea routes used were well-travelled meaning that the likelihood of a collision was minimal. The latest boats were fitted with wireless technology. That it would be impossible for crew members to be able to load more than sixteen boats in the event of a disaster. That the provision of lifeboats should be a matter for the ship owners to consider” (paragraphs 4-9).

“The boat was designed to carry 32 lifeboats but this number was reduced to 20 because it was felt that the deck would be too cluttered” (paragraph 11).

“Titanic also carried 3500 lifebelts and 48 life rings; Useless in the icy water. The majority of passengers that went into the sea did not drown, but froze to death” (paragraph 13).

“There should have been a lifeboat drill on 14th April, but the Captain cancelled it to allow people to go to church” (paragraph 14).

“Collapsible lifeboats A and B were not launched but floated away as the water washed over the ship. Collapsible B floated away upside down. People tried unsuccessfully to right it. 30 people survived the disaster by standing on the upturned boat” (paragraph 17).

Source #5 : Titanic Lifeboats

By Dave Fowler

Researcher Francesca Friedman

Revised by Anthea Perez and Matisse Arcos

Abstract

There were 48 lifeboats originally planned to be on the Titanic before it set sea. However, the number was reduced to make the decks look less cluttered. The number was reduced to 20 lifeboats, 2 wooden cutters, 14 standard wooden lifeboats, and 4 collapsible canvas lifeboats. Looking at the numbers, there wasn’t enough for all the people aboard the ship, and surprisingly, it was legal.

Notable research

“It hardly bears thinking about that if there had been sufficient boats that night...every soul aboard could have been saved, since it was two and a half hours after she struck that she tilted her massive stern into the heavens and sank by the head, taking with her all that were unprovided for” (quote #1).

“The Titanic actually carried just 20 lifeboats; 2 wooden cutters, 14 standard wooden lifeboats and 4 collapsible canvas lifeboats. This was far too few for the number of people aboard, and yet remarkably, this was technically legal; the law at that time based the number of lifeboats required on the gross register tonnage of a ship, not her passenger capacity” (paragraph 3).

"The 20 boats could have accommodated 1,178 people, around a third of the number traveling on board. This was bad enough, but more tragically still the lifeboats actually launched with even fewer people than they could accommodate" (paragraph 8).

Source #7 : The Titanic – Lifeboats

By N/A

Researcher Cate Rabaya

Revised by Anthea Perez and Matisse Arcos

Abstract / Summary

Due to the shortage of lifeboats on the Titanic many people died due to sinking. Sir. Alfred (the maker of the lifeboats) beveled that if there were less lifeboats more people would have been saved people rushing to get on which made it easier to fill.

There had been originally 32 but, he felt the need to have fewer because the deck would have been crowded. Some lifeboats were supposed to hold 65 but ended up leaving with 40. There had also been other forms of escape like 3,500 lifebelts and 48 life rings. Sr. Alfred was convinced that people would have been saved. Sadly, more people have died by freezing to death rather than drowning. The lifeboats are really a major cause into the deaths of the Titanic’s passengers.

Quoted Research

“He believed that if there had been fewer lifeboats then more people would have rushed to the boats and they would have been filled to capacity thus saving more people” (paragraph 5).

“The boat was designed to carry 32 lifeboats but this number was reduced to 20 because it was felt that the deck would be too cluttered” (paragraph 4).

“Lifeboat number 6 was designed to hold 65 people. It left with 40” (paragraph 6).

“Titanic also carried 3500 lifebelts and 48 life rings; Useless in the icy water. The majority of passengers that went into the sea did not drown, but froze to death” (paragraph 6).