The 47-foot MLB is the standard lifeboat of the United States Coast Guard (USCG).

[5] At Station Chatham where the new 47-foot boat would draw too much to get over the bar, the 42-foot Near Shore Lifeboat was designed to replace the 44' MLB.

[6] (Note that the 42-foot near shore lifeboat were decommissioned in 2021 and replaced with a pair of 45-foot RB-M craft[7]) The 47′ MLB is designed to weather hurricane force winds and heavy seas, capable of surviving winds up to 60 knots (110 km/h), breaking surf up to 6 m (20 ft) and impacts up to three G's.

[3] If the boat should capsize, it self-rights in less than ten seconds with all equipment fully functional.

[3] The boat's hull and superstructure are constructed entirely from 5456 marine grade aluminum.