# Lifeboat markings?



## musher (Jul 25, 2006)

Had a busy weekend rubbing paint down on my converted ship's lifeboat, I'm told it's from the Mauretania II and was converted to a cruiser in the late 40's.

I have now revealed on the starboard prow the following lettering stamped into the original gunwale 26 0X9 0X3 85 = 54 PERSONS I think the 26 9 and 3 are the length, breadth and depth inside from gunwale to keel but what is the 85 to equal 54 persons? 

The port side just says 54 persons so does this suggest it was a port side lifeboat as more information is on the starboard side of the lifeboat?


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## David Davies (Dec 11, 2006)

The .85 is the coefficient of fineness . Basicly it is length x breadth x depth x coefficient of fineness divided by 10 = number of persons and for every person allow 1 cubic foot of internal buoyancy. A calculation in this case gives the number of persons as 59. Areyou sure that the 4 in the 54 is not a 9


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## David Davies (Dec 11, 2006)

On second thoughts the 5 person discrepancy could be the allowance for the engine if built as a motor lifeboat


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## musher (Jul 25, 2006)

Thanks for the info David, it's definitely 54 persons because that is stamped on both sides. I am told that the lifeboat was pedal and chain driven like a giant pedalo although there is also evidence of twin screws at some point. I read somewhere that all the Queen Mary lifeboats had motors in them but being the poorer relation I'm not sure about the Mauretania II.


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