Egan Maritime’s Shipwreck & Lifesaving Museum has announced that in an attempt to encourage other maritime institutions to follow their lead and recognize lifesaving heroes and over the winter, they have arranged two long-term loans of two U.S. Lifesaving Service rescue boats in their collection to sister institutions.
The first was a Race Point model 26-foot surfboat, which is now on its way to the hamlet of East Quogue in the Town of Southampton, New York.
“The town-owned Tiana Lifesaving Station, currently being restored to 1912 condition, will display the surfboat,” Egan Maritime said in a release.
The second rescue boat is now at the Hull Lifesaving Museum in Hull, Massachusetts. The Hull Museum is housed in the old Point Allerton Lifesaving Station, which was once led by one of the most highly decorated US Lifesaving surfman, Joshua James.
“Also on long-term loan, the boat is a Francis Life car, one of the most successful life-preserving devices developed at the time,” Egan Maritime said. “The metallic life-car was a substitute for the single-person Breech’s Buoy and accommodated up to four people bolted into the airtight compartment. They lay flat as rescuers hauled them through the rough waters to the safety of the shore. Nantucketers found the device too heavy to manually haul over and through sand bars and the island’s rough surf; they seldom used it.”
“Egan Maritime Institute and its Shipwreck & Lifesaving Museum are proud to join the Tiana and Hull Lifesaving Museums and organizations, such as the US Lifesaving Service Heritage Society, in keeping alive the stories of the bravery and self-sacrifice of the men and women who knew they had to go out but did not have to come back,” the institute added.
Egan Maritime said that several island businesses assisted them to move the artifacts safely to these museums including Matt Anderson of Anderson’s Moorings and Chris Shannon of Madaket Marine.
The Museum will officially open for the season on Monday, May 27, 2024.
