Cape-class motor lifeboat
Introduction The Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) maintains a fleet of  '''Cape-class motor lifeboats''' based on a motor lifeboat design used by the United States Coast Guard. In September 2009 the CCG announced plans to add five new lifeboats, bringing the total number of Cape-class lifeboats to 36.The vessels are staffed by a crew of four, two of whom are rescue specialists. In spite of its name, the CCGS ''Cape Roger'' is a larger patrol vessel, not a Cape-class lifeboat. The CCG also maintains some larger motor lifeboats based on Arun-class lifeboats designed in the United Kingdom. In 2021 a contract was awarded to Ocean Pacific Marine to upgrade the class over a 7 year period.
Design Cape-class motor lifeboats have displacements of , total lengths of  and beams of . Constructed from marine-grade aluminium, ships have draughts of . They contain two Caterpillar 3196 diesel engines providing a combined . They have two  four-blade propellers, and each ship's complement is four crew members and five passengers.The lifeboats have maximum speeds of  and cruising speeds of . Cape-class lifeboats have fuel capacities of  and ranges of  when cruising. They are capable of operating at wind speeds of  and wave heights of . They can tow ships with displacements of up to  and can withstand  winds and -high breaking waves.Communication options include Raytheon 152 HF-SSB and Motorola Spectra 9000 VHF50W radios, and a Raytheon RAY 430 loudhailer system. The lifeboats also support the Simrad TD-L1550 VHF-FM radio direction finder. Raytheon provides a number of other electronic systems for the lifeboats, including the RAYCHART 620, the ST 30 heading indicator and ST 50 depth indicator, the NAV 398 global positioning system, a RAYPILOT 650 autopilot system, and either the R41X AN or SPS-69 radar systems.
Class list and distribution + '''cape class Positions as of 26 October 2009''' Region Ship Port Notes '''Newfoundland and Labrador''' ''Cape Fox'' Lark Harbour, NL ''Cape Norman'' Port Au Choix, NL '''Maritimes''' ''Cap Breton'' Shippegan, NB ''Cape Spry'' Souris, PE ''Cap Nord'' Summerside, PE '''Quebec''' ''Cap d'Espoir'' Tadoussac, QC ''Cap de Rabast'' Havre-Saint-Pierre, QC ''Cap Rozier'' Rivière-au-Renard, QC ''Cap Tourmente'' Quebec, QC ''Cap Percé'' Mont-Joli, QC Prep work for operational status at new station at Kegaska, QC '''Central and Arctic''' ''Cape Chaillon'' Thunder Bay, ON ''Cape Commodore'' Tobermory, ON ''Cape Discovery'' Goderich, ON ''Cape Dundas'' Amherstburg, ON ''Cape Hearne'' Kingston, ON ''Thunder Cape'' Port Dover, ON ''Cape Mercy'' Meaford, ON ''Cape Providence'' Burlington, ON Spare ''Cape Lambton'' Burlington, ON Spare ''Cape Storm'' Port Weller, ON ''Cape Rescue'' Cobourg, ON '''Pacific''' ''Cape Ann'' Tofino, BC ''Cape Cockburn''French Creek, BC ''Cape Farewell'' Bella Bella, BC ''Cape Naden''Ganges, BC ''Cape McKay'' Bamfield, BC ''Cape Mudge'' Sandspit, BC ''Cape Sutil'' Port Hardy, BC ''Cape Calvert''Victoria, BC  ''Cape Caution'' Powell River, BCCape PalmerstonCampbell River, BCCape KuperPatricia Bay, BCSpare ''Cape St-James'' Patricia Bay, BC Spare
References
External links *  Canadian Coast Guard Datasheet on the 47 MLB*  US Coast Guard Datasheet on the 47 MLB*  USCG COMDTINST M16114.25B 47ft Motor lifeboat operator's handbook*  Textron Marine contractor for the USCG 47 MLB*  MetalCraft Marine contractor for the CCG 47 MLB*  military.com