FISHING GEAR AND METHODS 



57 



vessel of this size. Although the forward parts of the vessels are unchanged, 

 the vessels appear denuded in contrast with the clipper rigged for bait 

 fishing. 



Gulf -of -Mexico Shrimper. The Gulf shrimp trawlers (Figure 4.8) which 

 range from about 30 to 90 feet in length are mostly of wood construction, 

 although steel is used at times. The above-water lines of the ship are 

 similar in many respects to the West Coast multipurpose seiners, having 



Figure 4.8. Gulf shrimp trawler. 



a low house forward and work space aft. Although Gulf shrimp vessels 

 operate trawl gear, they do not normally utilize the gallows frames 

 (stanchions and A-frames) which characterize West Coast and Atlantic 

 bottom'^fish trawlers. The vessels may be identified by double towing 

 booms that are secured to the main mast and a larger lifting boom. 

 Towing booms which run athwartships are secured with stays running 

 from their tips to a point on the bulwark and upper hull forward of the 

 house. In the small, single-rigged vessels (fishes one net) the towing booms 

 are short (contrasted with the main mast), while in the double-rigged 

 Gulf shrimpers (fishes two nets simultaneously) the towing booms exceed 

 the length of the main mast, and the Hfting boom is modified by fitting 

 a cross-tee at the terminal end. The lifting boom in the twin-rigged 



