Unsinkable? The U.S. Coast Guard & Their 47′ Motor Lifeboat

The U.S. Coast Guard's 47-foot Motor Lifeboat is one tough cookie and serves as their primary fast-response search-and-rescue platform.
Operating in surf and heavy weather conditions, join me as we witness the unwavering commitment of the USCG in their mission to protect lives at sea. From the courageous Surfmen who operate these vessels, to the cutting-edge technology and equipment onboard, we'll explore the history and every aspect of this iconic vessel.
Whether you're fascinated by marine patrol boats or simply in awe of the lifesaving capabilities of these vessels and the brave men and women that crew them, this is the one for you!
Chapters:
00:00 Introducing the U.S. Coast Guard's 47-foot Motor Lifeboat
01:24 Surfmen & The U.S. Coast Guard
03:21 The history behind the boat
05:11 General design and capability
09:14 Propulsion
10:47 The U.S. Coast Guard - National Motor Lifeboat School
12:35 Specialist clothing
13:16 Practice makes perfect!
14:30 The crew of the 47 MLB
16:02 Onboard technology
18:22 Armament (yes, you read that correctly!)
19:08 Similar vessels
20:23 47' Service Life Extension Program (SLEP)
22:27 Already etched in to coast guard history!
23:21 Coming up next...
I hope you enjoy the video.
Mike :-)
Subscribe to my channel: / @airlandmarine
Welcome to Air Land Marine! Subscribe to my channel for more captivating videos, expert insights, and compelling stories from the world of civilian and military technology and all things, in the air, on the ground and in the wet stuff! :-)
Acknowledgements:
- US Coast Guard
- Canadian Coast Guard
- Royal National Lifeboat Institution
- 47 MLB Painting by Richard Levesque
The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.

[@airlandmarine]

Good video? Subscribe to my channel and turn on notifications for more to come (it costs nothing, just click on the link below to subscribe). www.youtube.com/@airlandmarine?sub_confirmation=1 See you in the next video! ~Mike 👍

[@hugeblue]

Proudly served 1959 - 1967 - A Great video full of info!

[@airlandmarine]

@hugeblue Thanks for your positive comments. Given that you served for so many years, it's great to hear that you enjoyed the video.

[@deanturner6667]

I was in the uscG from 1956 to1960..I was on WAL515 lightship.I loved it.I should have stayed in.

[@airlandmarine]

@deanturner6667 Thanks for your comment and for sharing your story. I'm sure it was quite the adventure stationed on that lightship! I hope you enjoyed my video. Please share and subscribe to my channel for more videos to come! Cheers ~Mike

[@erichammond9308]

Having been a crewman and Coxswain at a surf station from 1986-1990, I can safely say that I would have LOVED an enclosed bridge! The old 44's were 🥶 🥶 in wintertime!! PS: great video!

[@airlandmarine]

@erichammond9308, I imagine that it can get rather chilly in the middle of winter out there on the water with an open bridge. It's amazing to hear that you spent time aboard the 44 footer! She still looks like an amazing vessel for her age (even with an open bridge). I'm glad you enjoyed the video. Please subscribe to my channel for more videos to come and feel free to share with others that may enjoy it. Thanks for watching and for posting your comment. All the best, Mike

[@erichammond9308]

​@@airlandmarinethanks! Subscription earned! If I may add a correction, the NMLBS is the second step, after becoming coxswain qualified, not the goal. When the Coast Guard was looking for a place to host the school the other location considered was Cape Hatteras NC, with 3 stations in the area (Oregon inlet, Hatteras inlet and Ocracoke inlet) but they determined that the surf was "..too dangerous for training". Cape Hatteras is known as the"Graveyard of the Atlantic" and coxswains stationed there commonly attend the NMLBS within a year of being qualified as a heavy weather Coxswain due to the unpredictable and dangerous conditions.

[@airlandmarine]

@erichammond9308 Thank you for your feedback, I appreciate your comments and clarification. Also, thank you for your support and "welcome aboard" the good ship 'Air Land Marine'.

[@shannonlinquist2649]

I totally agree with you on that. I'm very envious the crew of the 47s. Not only the enclosed bridge but the speed of the old 41 footers!!

[@airlandmarine]

@@shannonlinquist2649 Thanks for your comment and for subscribing to my channel. I hope you enjoyed the video. Welcome aboard! ~Mike 👍🏻

[@steveeaton37]

I served from 1974 to 1980. Search and rescue on a 44ft mlb was my favorite part

[@airlandmarine]

@steveeaton37 Thanks for your comment, it's always good to hear from those that have served. I can imagine the 44ft MLB being quite a "chilly" vessel to serve on during the colder months as it didn't offer much in the way of protection for the crew when compared to that of the later 47' MLB. Hat's off to you! I hope you enjoyed the video. If you did, don't forget to subscribe to my channel and hit the notifications bell so that you don't miss out. ~Mike 👍

[@GabrielRoberts]

Great video! I've always been smitten with this boat

[@airlandmarine]

Thanks @GabrielRoberts, I'm glad you enjoyed it.

[@hauptberuflichergandalf3238]

badass Shit ! Love the USCG ! Life Saving Badass'es !!

[@airlandmarine]

I agree, hats off to the USCG!👊 Thanks for your comment, I hope you enjoyed the video.

[@johnnylobster2749]

Great video ,was on the 82 foot point turner in Newport Rhode Island 87 to 89 our boats were replaced buy the 110 class

[@airlandmarine]

@johnnylobster2749 Thanks for your comment. I really like the lines and proportions of the Point-class cutter. Do you know if Point Turner is still in existence? I see that she was transferred to St Lucia and renamed as the Alphonse-Reynolds (P05) in April 1998. I'm glad you enjoyed the video. Please feel free to share and like, also please consider subscribing to my channel for more videos to come. Thanks again ~ Mike

[@donQpublic]

Proud to report the The 47C MLB program to upfit and restore these beasts is happening now. And how did you get that photo at 22:03?

[@airlandmarine]

@donQpublic That’s excellent news. The 47 MLB is a fantastic vessel and so it’s good that it will continue to see service in to the future. To be honest I made this video last June and I can’t recall where I got that specific image. I hope you enjoyed the video. If you did please consider subscribing for more videos to come. Thanks, Mike 👍🏻

[@markstaniland7655]

Very thorough.

[@airlandmarine]

@markstaniland7655 Thanks for your comment, much appreciated. I hope you enjoyed the video.

[@JohnBaxter-kn5zf]

My dad was a Coast Guardsman 23yrs retired.. I'd love to have one of those 47 MLB those things are unreal

[@airlandmarine]

@JohnBaxter-kn5zf Credit to your Dad, if it wasn’t for brave, selfless people like him the Coast Guard as we know it today wouldn’t exist. I hope you enjoyed the video. If you did please give it a thumbs up and subscribe to my channel for more videos to come. Thanks 👍🏻

[@JohnBaxter-kn5zf]

@@airlandmarine very proud & honored for my dad & his service

[@JohnBaxter-kn5zf]

@airlandmarine I inherited my mom and dad's house and it's full of lighthouse artifacts, books, ceramic models, Coast Guard stuff.. I bought a 25' boat named it after my dad & mom SONNY GAIL w a picture of Brown's Head Light my dads last tour as a keeper, yes Sonny is spelled right that was my dads nickname his family called him besides LAMPMAN lol I wanna put the Coast Guard emblem on the bow and down forward a small pics of my dad & mom, my dad always wanted a boat so I bought him 1 he may not be on it physically but he will spirituality

[@airlandmarine]

@JohnBaxter-kn5zf The house sounds like a treasure trove of your Dad and Mum’s history together. The boat sounds like a fitting tribute and I’m sure they would both be very proud. Thanks again for watching my video and for sharing some of your stories of your family’s time with the Coast Guard.

[@John-ec1iu]

I want to go out with them when they train it looks fun

[@airlandmarine]

@John-ec1iu yes, the training certainly looks like a lot of fun! I hope you enjoyed the video. Don't forget to subscribe to my channel and hit the notifications bell so that you don miss the next video. ~Mike 👍

[@matthewevensom468]

Please make more USCG ship videos!

[@airlandmarine]

Hi Matthew, thanks for your comment and for subscribing to my channel. I’m a big fan of the USCG and I’ll certainly be happy to look at covering more of their vessels in future videos. Keep an eye out for my next video coming soon as it also features a segment on the USCG. 👍🏻 Have you watched any of my other videos? I would be interested to hear your feedback on the one about Robot Dogs. Thanks again ~ Mike

[@JohnBaxter-kn5zf]

My dad was a BOSUNS MATE 1

[@airlandmarine]

@JohnBaxter-kn5zf, that's something to be proud of. Did he serve on the 47' MLB? I hope you enjoyed the video. If you did, please give it a thumbs up and subscribe to my channel. Thanks for watching and for your comment today.

[@JohnBaxter-kn5zf]

@airlandmarine no, back when they had the 40 & 44 but most the time my dad was a lighthouse keeper of 5 lighthouses

[@airlandmarine]

It sounds like he had quite the career. I’ll bet he could tell some stories!

[@JohnBaxter-kn5zf]

@@airlandmarine lighthouse digest is a story Im thinking Jan 2016 and on is a story him and my mom did about lighthouse living..

[@airlandmarine]

That’s brilliant. I’ll have to check it out, I’m sure it would make for interesting reading.

[@alperdue2704]

Didn’t the Titanic teach us anything? Anything that floats can sink; albeit it would take a lot to take these boats down.

[@airlandmarine]

@alperdue2704 You are quite right, just as with the TITANIC, using the term 'unsinkable' for the MLB is a case of marketing overtaking engineering. As an avid fan of both the 47' MLB and the TITANIC, I would say that the smaller 47' MLB would be the safer vessel in many situations, although I wouldn't want to try and cross the Atlantic in either of them. :-) In either case I hope you enjoyed the video. If you did, please consider giving it a thumbs-up and subscribing to my channel for more videos to come. Thanks for your comment and support. Mike.

[@lincolnsamuels5221]

The Coast Guard needs younger men 21:37

[@airlandmarine]

@lincolnsamuels5221 I found some at 22:30 :-). Hopefully there are more on their way into the service Thanks for watching. I hope you enjoyed the video. If you did, please consider subscribing to my channel for more videos to come. ~ Mike

[@brianbassett4379]

Really disappointed with the limited amount of video B-roll shown.

[@airlandmarine]

@brianbassett4379 😆 Yes, sorry I didn't use more. I hope you still managed to enjoyed the video. Thanks for watching. ~Mike

[@brianbassett4379]

@@airlandmarine Not really, Mike. I think you wasted your time.

[@airlandmarine]

@brianbassett4379 I'm sorry to hear that, but thanks for your feedback.