| Class | Number | Year | Comments | Pix | Model | Built |
| 30' Raymond Nantucket Whaleboat | 1791 | The first lifesaving station in the US Operated by the Massachusettes Humane Society at Cohasset Designed by William Raymond Manned by 12 men and capable of carrying 20 survivors |
Yes | Yes | ||
| Jersey Type Pulling Surfboat | 1871 | First "standard" pulling surfboat adopted by the USLSS From 25' to 27' with 6 thwarts for 10 oars, double banked Clinker built - No sailing rig Based on square sterned fishing boats in use along the Jersey coast Neither self righting nor self bailing Versions included the "Squan" and "Long Branch" |
Yes | |||
| 26' Monomoy Type Pulling/Sailing Surfboat | Originated on Monomoy Island off Cape Cod Either 23' or 26' with 4 thwarts for 8 oars, double banked Clinker built - Sprit sailing rig with jib and mainsail Neither self righting nor self bailing Capable of holding 14 survivors Note that 26' Monomoy surfboat was built with a carvel hull and used as the standard cutter boat |
Yes | ||||
| 24'6" Race Point Type Pulling/Sailing Sirfboat | Originated at Race Point, Cape Cod 24'6" with 5 thwarts for 5 oars, single banked (alternating sides) Clinker built - Sprit sailing rig with jib and mainsail Neither self righting nor self bailing Capable of holding 10 survivors |
Yes | ||||
| 27' Higgins and Gifford Pulling Surfboat | Designed and built at Higgins and Gifford Boatyard in Gloucester 27' with 5 thwarts fro 10 oars, double banked Carvel built Neither self bailing nor self righting |
Yes | ||||
| 27' Beebe Type Pulling Surfboat | Designed by Frederick Beebe 27'4" with 5 thwarts for 10 oars, double banked Clinker built - No sailing rig Neither self righting nor self bailing |
Yes | ||||
| 26' Beebe-McLellan Type Pulling/Sailing Surfboat | Designed by LT McLellan, USRM, and Frederick Beebe Replaced all previous designs 26' with 3 or 4 thwarts for 6 or 8 oars, double banked Clinker built - Sprit sailing rig with jib and sprit sail Self bailing but not self righting |
Yes | ||||
| 27' Beebe Type Motor Surfboat | 27' Beebe pulling boats converted by adding a 12 hp gasoline engine Capable of about 8 knots |
Yes | ||||
| 26' Beebe-McLellan Type Motor Surfboat | One 26' pulling boat was converted as an experiment Almost all others were built new with the engine |
Yes |
| Class | Number | Year | Comments | Pix | Model | Built |
| English Lifeboat | 1873 | Evaluated by the LSS and used throughout the country until US-built boats were available |
||||
| 26' Merryman Type Pulling/Sailing Lifeboat | Designed by Capt. J.H. Merryman, USRM 26'8" with 4 thwarts for 8 oars, double banked Standing lug or sprit sailing rig |
Yes | ||||
| Dobbins Type Pulling Lifeboat | 1878 | Designed by David Dobbins, Superinyendent, 9th LSS District 24' to 32' with 4 thwarts for 8 oars, double banked - no sailing rig |
Yes | |||
| 34' Merryman Type Pulling/Sailing Lifeboat | 1890 | Larger version of the 26' Merryman with 5 thwarts for 10 oars, double banked Two masted sailing rig with jib, spritsail, and mainsail |
Yes | |||
| 34' Converted Merryman Type Motor Lifeboat | 26 | 1899 | LT McLellan fitted a gasoline engine in the steran of a Lake Superior Merryman lifeboat Capable of about 7 knots and a range of 275 nautical miles Retained the oars and sailing rig Experiment was successful and 25 more boats were converted New boats currently in design/production were redesigned to incorporate the motor |
Yes | ||
| 36' McLellan Type E Motor Lifeboat | 46 | 1908 | First US lifeboat designed from the beginning to incorporate a motor in the stern Designed by now-CAPT McLellan, USRM Capable of about 10 knots Not capable of being rowed but retained the two sailing masts for emergency use The boats were named in addition to numbered - the only MLBs so honored Remained the standard motor lifeboat until replaced by the Type H in 1919 |
Yes |