30 BULLETIN 127, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEU:\I. 



The fishermen of the United States, until within a comparatively 

 short time, have shown a decided preference for sharp-sterned boats, 

 a preference which is very general among the fishermen of all coun- 

 tries. And even at the present time this type of fishing boats is, 

 perhaj)s, in most general use in American waters. At the same time, 

 however, various forms and rigs of square-sterned boats have been 

 adopted by the fishermen within the present century, and most of 

 these have met with local favor at least, while others have become 

 so celebrated for speed that their fame has extended far and wide. 

 It is a somewhat remarkable fact that the most popular forms of 

 small yachts on the Atlantic coast have been modeled and rigged 

 like fishing boats, and it is by no means an unknown event for fishing 

 boats to engage in regattas and carry off the honors of the occasion. 

 The cat-rigged fishing boats in the vicinity of Newport, E. I., and 

 'Marthas Vineyard, Mass., and the small sloops of southern New 

 England and of Maine furnish the favorite types for yachtsmen to 

 copy. Both of these forms have gained a wide celebrity for speed 

 both in the United States and in other countries. In England the 

 ^atboat of this type is known as the " Una " boat, this special form 

 naving taken its name from the American boat Una which, some years 

 ago, created a great sensation in British yachting circles by her 

 wonderful performances. 



The cat rig, the sloop, and the schooner are tlie favorite rigs among 

 the native American fishermen. The cutter rig has been introduced 

 Dy the Irish fishermen sailing from Boston, Mass., while along some 

 parts of the coast of the Gulf of Mexico and in California the fisher- 

 men, many of whom are natives of southern Europe, have brought 

 with them their native prejudices in favor of the lateen rig. The lug 

 rig has never been a favorite one in the United States. 



There are many varieties of flat-bottomed boats used in the fisheries 

 of the United States, the most important of these being the American 

 " dory." For various reasons this type of boat, though somewhat 

 unprepossessing to look at, has come into great favor for sea fishing. 



The AoYj is found more convenient for stowage on the deck of a 

 vessel than any other boat, since several can be " nested " together ; 

 it is light and convenient to handle, " burdensome," can be built at 

 small cost, and is one of the safest boats used in the fisheries. At 

 least three dories have crossed the Atlantic, one of which, the Little 

 Western^ was only 13^ feet long on the bottom. 



The doi-y originated in Newburyport, Mass., about the beginning of 

 the nineteenth century. At first boats of this build, but of larger 

 size than those employed in the fisheries, were used as lighters for 

 discharging cargoes of sugar and molasses from vessels arriving from 

 the South or the West Indies. Dories were used in the fisheries com- 

 parativeh' little until 1850, but with the introduction of the trawl- 



