The Boats
Originally, "Olympic" and "Titanic" were designed to carry 66 lifeboats, enough for
everyone on board. This is also the reason why the new type
Welin Quadrant Davits were installed:
They could easily be swung back in to handle another set of lifeboats.
It was feared, however, by the White Star Line management, that the boat deck would look too crammed and that passengers and public could become uneasy about the safety of the new gigantic liners, so it was initially decided to scratch the inner row of lifeboats, reducing the number to 32. Shortly thereafter, however, an order was issued that both "Olympic" and "Titanic" be outfitted with only 20 lifeboats each.
This figure is still more than required by the antiquated British Board of Trade regulations: They asked for only 16 boats for a ship of "Titanic"'s size.
Lifeboat Specs
| Number | Length | Width | Height |
Capacity ea. |
Capacity total |
|
2 wooden emergency cutters
(Lifeboats #1 and #2) |
25'2" | 7'2" | 3'0" | 40 | 80 |
|
14 wooden lifeboats
(Lifeboats #3 through #16) |
30'0" | 9'1" | 4'0" | 65 | 910 |
|
4 Engelhardt collapsibles
(Lifeboats #A through #D) |
27'5" | 8'0" | 3'0" | 47 | 188 |
| GRAND TOTAL | 1,178 | ||||
| SOULS ON BOARD ON APRIL 15, 1912 | 2,208 | ||||
| TOTAL LIFEBOAT SEATS MISSING | 1,030 | ||||
