Interior view of lifeboat 'The Doctors', Anstruther, May 1965.

Interior view of lifeboat 'The Doctors'
Interior view of lifeboat 'The Doctors'
Interior view of lifeboat 'The Doctors'
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1942
Interior view of lifeboat 'The Doctors', Anstruther, May 1965.
Interior view of lifeboat 'The Doctors', Anstruther, May 1965.

'The Doctors' is a 37 foot oakley self righting lifeboat. She was built by William Osboure of Littlehampton and was fitted with twin 52 HP Parson's Porbeauge diesel engines fitted into a watertight engine room and carried enough fuel to be able to travel 161 at 8.18 knots without refuelling. Her weight with normal crew and equipment is 15 12.25 tons which includes a water ballast of 1.5 tons in a tank underneath her engines. On the port side, there is a righting tank and if the boat capsized the water ballast automatically shifted to the righting tank and returns the boat to upright position. She was tested before leaving Littlehampton and returned to the upright position in 7 seconds one direction and in 6 seconds the other. 'The Doctors' served Anstruther well and underwent quite a number of alterations from her original appearance, most notably the installation of radar, with her radar mast, whip aerials for her latest radio equipment and a water urn to enable the crew to make coffee or hot soup whilst at sea, and a canvas canopy over the steering position which gave much needed shelter. In 1984, she was due for another refit which included a hardtop in place of the canvas canopy.

‘The Doctors’ official number was 307849 and her lifeboat number was 983. She served at Anstruther from 1965 and was launched 62 times, saving 21 lives. The boat was gifted by Dr. Nora Allan of Bearsden and was named in memory of her father and brothers who were all doctors. The boathouse was adapted for the new Oakley class lifeboat, carriage and tractor.

Following the ending of her active service in 1993, ‘The Doctors’ was put on display at Buckie Drifter Centre in April 1995 until she was purchased by her current owner based in Donaghadee, County Down. She is number 1774 on the National Historic Ships UK Register.
The Scottish Fisheries Museum Trust Ltd
Bk 4(2) p81
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