A Brief History of the 36-foot motor lifeboat of the United States Coast Guard
Throughout the history of the U.S. Coast Guard, and its predecessor, the U.S. Lifesaving Service, the lifeboat has been the central and iconic element of USCG Search and Rescue missions. These boats have saved countless lives.
Early lifeboats of the U.S. Life Saving Service were rowed or sailed. The motorization of the boats was a huge leap forward in the ability of the men and women of the Coast Guard to safely and successfully perform rescues.
The 36-foot motor lifeboat is an icon, having been the backbone of USCS rescue missions for most of the 20th century, from the 1920s through the 1960s. The very last motor lifeboat in service was retired from the Depoe Bay station in 1986, kept longer than others for its unique abilities in the waters off the Oregon Coast.
A total of 232 36-foot MLBs were constructed, all in Curtis Bay, Maryland at the Coast Guard Yard. The first series became known as the T-model (Type), then came TR (type-revised), and TRS (type-revised superseded) models. The last four 36-foot hulls built in Curtis Bay were reconfigured into "Greenland Cruisers" to be carried on the four "Wind" class icebreakers of the U.S. Coast Guard. Each model improved certain features over the previous model.
Most of these boats were destroyed after being retired. Others were put on display at various Coast Guard stations around the U.S., but are deteriorating rapidly. A few others were sold out of service, and have been converted in various ways as fishing or cruising boats. There are currently (as of 2018 and to our knowledge) only three operational 36-foot motor lifeboats restored to original configuration and on the water. The famous CG36500, subject of the film "The Finest Hours", is owned by the Orleans Historical Society at the original location of the famous rescue of survivors off the Pendleton in1952. The 36460, partially restored to be a stand-in for the 36500 in the movie, is on display at the Michigan Maritime Museum in South Haven, MI. The third is the Point Adams, or CG36391, which was originally stationed at Point Adams in Hammond, OR., owned by Glen Cathers and Naomi Fisher. The Point Adams underwent a 6-year restoration, and has toured public docks and Coast Guard stations since 2012. In 2018, the MLBHPS began partnering with the Point Adams for public education.
In the early days of powered lifeboats, a variety of engines were tested and installed in the boats and adapted to existing hulls. None were really ideal for the task, but the engines did give the crews rest from the efforts of rowing or sailing those early lifeboats. Eventually, the purpose-built E and H model motor lifeboats were added to the Coast Guard fleet and served as well as could be expected with limited horsepower.
The main limitation was the gasoline engine, which, while powerful enough, was prone to failing in heavy weather. Eventually, diesel engines (primarily GMC and Buda) were either retrofitted in older hulls or installed in new construction primarily after WW2. These proved the ideal mating of engine to hull. With the new stamina and reliability of these engines, there was very little that could stop these boats from accomplishing their mission.
One of the best known features of the 36-foot MLB is its ability to right itself in a rollover. Rounded cabin tops and superstructure, along with a heavy cast bronze keel, meant these boats could come back up in under 10 seconds if rolled by a wave. This happened on any number of occasions on SAR and training missions. Great for safety, as long as you could hang on! Early safety equipment did not include tethers, so some crews were lost when a rollover happened. Because the reliable diesel engine continued to run despite being turned upside down, if you went into the water, you had to hope someone was still on board to steer her around and pick you up.
The 36 ft. series MLBs were oak framed, generally sheathed in Cypress (until the later years, after WWII when certain quality woods were harder to come by), and copper rivet fastened, with monel bolting where needed.
The boats were designed with either 6 or 7 water tight compartments depending on the model. Because of this heavy and intelligent construction, no 36-footer was ever lost - and not recovered - due to sea conditions. Famously, one MLB was known to have rolled and traveled along the coast underwater after sinking and resurfaced with minimal damage about 75 miles further down the Pacific coast.
Please email corrections to MLB36391@gmail.com
Further reading:
Coast Guard's worst Columbia disaster started as routine rescue
http://offbeatoregon.com/1201c-triumph-disaster-coast-guard-columbia-bar.html