Help researching USCG Lifeboats, AKA Whaleboats

First some background. A Boy Scout camp I work with in New Hampshire had some "whaleboats" back in the day (1937 ish). They were surplus lifeboats from the Coast Guard. They were called whaleboats at camp as that is much more in tune to the imaginations of 12 year olds.

Now to current day. The boats long ago ceased to be a part of the camp program. A group I am a part of is looking to build one or more new ones. What I am looking for here is anyone who would have any more information on these boats or something very similar. I would love to find a set of plans or a set of lines for them. We likely aren't looking to do an accurate replica but probably something more along the lines of a cold molded hull that would be lighter, stronger and lower maintenance than the original.

I've attached a few pictures of them below. They seem to hold about 20. I'm still waiting on some more research as to their dimensions and actual origins. Any information or suggestions anyone could provide would be most welcome.

For more info on the group that will be organizing this project please visit http://www.keyfoundation.org/

 

What was the LOA. Were they launched into the surf. Had they ever been motorized.

 

Try the USCG historians office http://www.uscg.mil/history/ They have records on stuff like that.

 

Ike, thanks for the link, I will definitely check that out.

Artemis, not sure yet on the LOA, still waiting for more info. I don't know of their uses by CG as far as being motorized or launched into the surf. They were not, as far as I know every motorized at the scout camp.

 

If I'm not mistaken the Hurricane Island boats are strongly derived from that boat shown. Perhaps the Hurricane Island Outward Bound people can help you.

 

This might be of interest. http://www.woodenboatvb.com/vbulletin/upload/showthread.php?t=74952
Gary

 

I've been looking at the photo's of your "whaleboats" . The pics aren't very detailed but they look a lot like the old 26 foot monomoy pulling boats (surf boats) the Coast Guard used almost everywhere until motorized surfboats came along. We had to row them when I went to boot camp in 1965. Take a look at this page http://www.uscg.mil/d1/units/gruwh/stachatham/Lifeboat History.htm

 

And if you want to buy one (or more) 26 footers, they are available in fiberglass from Mosquito Enterprises http://www.mosquitoenterprises.com

 

Thanks to all who have replied. I found out that we had three of these boats in all. Two were 25' LOA and the other was 30' LOA.

 

Perhaps they evolved into these, as Ike suggested?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surfboat

http://www.users.bigpond.com/archerw/surfboat.htm

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