# Cape-class motor lifeboat

The Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) maintains a fleet of 14.6 m (47 ft 11 in) 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, of which at least one is a rescue specialist. 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 33.79 GT, total lengths of 47 feet 11 inches (14.61 m) and beams of 14 feet (4.3 m). Constructed from marine-grade aluminium, ships have draughts of 4 feet 8 inches (1.42 m). They contain two Caterpillar 3196 diesel engines providing a combined 900 shaft horsepower (670 kW). They have two 28-by-36-inch (710 mm × 910 mm) counter-rotating, four-blade propellers. Each ship's complement is four crew members and 5 passengers.
The lifeboats have a maximum speed of 25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph) and a cruising speed of 22 knots (41 km/h; 25 mph). Cape-class lifeboats have fuel capacities of 1,560 litres (410 US gal) and an designed operational range of 200 nautical miles (370 km; 230 mi) when cruising. They are capable of operating in sustained wind speeds of 50 knots (93 km/h; 58 mph) and wave heights of 30 feet (9.1 m). They can tow ships with displacements of up to 150 tonnes (170 short tons) and can withstand 60-knot (110 km/h; 69 mph) winds and 20-foot (6.1 m)-high breaking waves. These ships must meet stringent stability requirements.
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 | |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | Cape Norman | Port Au Choix, NL | |
| Maritimes | Cap Breton | Shippegan, NB | |
| Maritimes | Cape Spry | Souris, PE | |
| Maritimes | Cap Nord | Summerside, PE | |
| Quebec | Cap d'Espoir | Tadoussac, QC | |
| Quebec | Cap de Rabast | Havre-Saint-Pierre, QC | |
| Quebec | Cap Rozier | Rivière-au-Renard, QC | |
| Quebec | Cap Tourmente | Quebec, QC | |
| Quebec | Cap Percé | Mont-Joli, QC | Prep work for operational status at new station at Kegaska, QC |
| Central and Arctic | Cape Chaillon | Thunder Bay, ON | |
| Central and Arctic | Cape Commodore | Tobermory, ON | |
| Central and Arctic | Cape Discovery | Goderich, ON | |
| Central and Arctic | Cape Dundas | Amherstburg, ON | |
| Central and Arctic | Cape Hearne | Kingston, ON | |
| Central and Arctic | Thunder Cape | Port Dover, ON | |
| Central and Arctic | Cape Mercy | Meaford, ON | |
| Central and Arctic | Cape Providence | Burlington, ON | Spare |
| Central and Arctic | Cape Lambton | Burlington, ON | Spare |
| Central and Arctic | Cape Storm | Port Weller, ON | |
| Central and Arctic | Cape Rescue | Cobourg, ON | |
| Pacific | Cape Ann | Tofino, BC | |
| Pacific | Cape Cockburn | French Creek, BC | |
| Pacific | Cape Farewell | Bella Bella, BC | |
| Pacific | Cape Naden | Ganges, BC | |
| Pacific | Cape McKay | Bamfield, BC | |
| Pacific | Cape Mudge | Sandspit, BC | |
| Pacific | Cape Sutil | Port Hardy, BC | |
| Pacific | Cape Calvert | Victoria, BC | |
| Pacific | Cape Caution | Powell River, BC | |
| Pacific | Cape Palmerston | Campbell River, BC | |
| Pacific | Cape Kuper | Patricia Bay, BC | Spare |
| Pacific | Cape St-James | Patricia Bay, BC | Spare |