The U.S. Life-Saving Service, the precursor of the U.S. Coast Guard, had two main means of rescuing people aboard distressed ships stranded near shore: by small boat and by a strong line stretched from the beach to the wrecked vessel. Each vessel was a 700 to 1,000 pound, self-bailing, self-righting surfboat pulled by six surfmen with 12 to 18- foot oars, or a two to four ton lifeboat. These sturdy...