<P> Titanic carried a total of 20 lifeboats: 14 standard wooden Harland and Wolff lifeboats with a capacity of 65 people each and four Englehardt "collapsible" (wooden bottom, collapsible canvas sides) lifeboats (identified as A to D) with a capacity of 47 people each . In addition, she had two emergency cutters with a capacity of 40 people each . Olympic herself did not even carry the four collapsibles A--D during the 1911--12 season . All of the lifeboats were stowed securely on the boat deck and, except for collapsible lifeboats A and B, connected to davits by ropes . Those on the starboard side were odd - numbered 1--15 from bow to stern, while those on the port side were even - numbered 2--16 from bow to stern . </P> <P> Both cutters were kept swung out, hanging from the davits, ready for immediate use, while collapsible lifeboats C and D were stowed on the boat deck (connected to davits) immediately inboard of boats 1 and 2 respectively . A and B were stored on the roof of the officers' quarters, on either side of number 1 funnel . There were no davits to lower them and their weight would make them difficult to launch by hand . Each boat carried (among other things) food, water, blankets, and a spare life belt . Lifeline ropes on the boats' sides enabled them to save additional people from the water if necessary . </P> <P> Titanic had 16 sets of davits, each able to handle four lifeboats . This gave Titanic the ability to carry up to 64 wooden lifeboats which would have been enough for 4,000 people--considerably more than her actual capacity . However, the White Star Line decided that only 16 wooden lifeboats and four collapsibles would be carried, which could accommodate 1,178 people, only one - third of Titanic's total capacity . At the time, the Board of Trade's regulations required British vessels over 10,000 tons to only carry 16 lifeboats with a capacity of 990 occupants . </P> <P> Therefore, the White Star Line actually provided more lifeboat accommodation than was legally required . At the time, lifeboats were intended to ferry survivors from a sinking ship to a rescuing ship--not keep afloat the whole population or power them to shore . Had the SS Californian responded to Titanic's distress calls, the lifeboats may have been adequate to ferry the passengers to safety as planned . </P>

Where was the titanic built and how long did it take