Montagu whaler

Montagu Whaler within Chatham Dockyard
Class overview
NameMontagu whaler
BuildersNumerous
Operators
In commission1900s–1970s
General characteristics
TypeShip's boat
Length27 feet (8.2 m); some built at 25 feet (7.6 m)
Beam6 feet (1.8 m)
Draught1 foot 5 inches (0.43 m)
Sail planstanding lug yawl
Complement6
A Montagu whaler being manned with an armed boarding party going to check a neutral vessel stopped at sea. October 1941
A Montagu whaler being raced under oars. The distinctive asymmetric arrangement of the oars is clearly seen: 2 on one side and 3 on the other
A restored Montagu whaler in Portsmouth dockyard. The mainsail is displayed in a reefed condition: the yard would normally be higher up the mast and the sail coming down lower.

The Montagu whaler was the standard seaboat of the Royal Navy between 1910–1970, it was a clinker built 27 by 6 feet (8.2 m × 1.8 m) open boat, which could be pulled by oars or powered by sail – a shorter version of 25 feet (7.6 m) was also built. It was double-ended; having a pointed stem and stern. Retired Rear Admiral The Honourable Victor Montagu proposed the design.

The Royal Navy - and associated Commonwealth navies such as the Royal Australian Navy, Royal New Zealand Navy - used the whalers until the 1960s. They were used for service, training and recreation. Whaler races were organised between ships and ports; minor royalty often handed out the trophies.[1] After service, some were passed on to other groups, including the Sea Cadets.[2]

The whaler was later fitted with outboard motors; a less successful derivative had an on-board petrol motor. When rowed, it had had five oarsmen and a coxwain; in all it could carry 27 men.[3]

  1. ^ "Service vessel; Whaler; Montagu whaler". Small boats. Royal Museums Greenwich. Retrieved 16 February 2020.
  2. ^ Forster. "Montagu Whaler 536 - lbt". lbt.rforster.org. Retrieved 16 February 2020.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference ca_upload was invoked but never defined (see the help page).