A contemporary full hull model of a Watson motor lifeboat (circa 1919), built at a scale of 1:32. The model is built in ‘bread and butter’ fashion and rigged with two masts with the sails set. The hull is painted in the traditional livery of the RNLI, with the recently introduced flag on the bows, and is fitted with a large fender around the gunwale.

This class of lifeboat was the first design produced in which an internal engine was used. As it was vital that the engine functioned at all times, the motor had to be watertight, self-lubricating and as automatic as possible. The controls, which had to be manipulated by hand, were extended outside the engine casing by rod extensions with handles of different shapes to permit identification in the dark. The single screw propeller is protected by a tunnel within the hull to prevent damage in shallow water. However, the motor was still considered as auxiliary to the sailing rig until the introduction of the more reliable twin engines some five years later. This is borne out by the fact that a drop keel is fitted for use when under sail.