572 FISHTS'G ^"ETS, ^VITH SPECIAL KEFEKEXCE TO THE OTTER-TKAWL. 



9 in. to 1 ft. from the board and nearer the base of the anterior 

 triangle than that of the posterior. The third iron bar is placed near 

 the posterior margin of the board, a little in front of the two holes 

 above and below for the end of the head-line and the shackle of the 

 foot-rope respectively. Eoiind the apices of the triangles a ring or 

 shackle is passed, which, when the boards are working, is fastened 

 to the last of a series of iron links, six to ten in number, forming 

 the continuation of the warp. The second last link of this chain 

 is replaced by a swivel which serves to take the " turns " out of the 

 warp. In the non-patent boards chains are used in place of the 

 brackets, and they are fastened to the boards nearer to the posterior 

 end, as well as wider apart. The reason for this is that the solid iron 

 brackets of Scott's patent are able to steadv the board, though they 

 act on only a small surface. The chains are loose and must, in ord^r 

 to steady the lx)ard, be attached as near the corners as possible. 



Other forms of boards have been tried, but these are the ones most 

 used. The great difficulty with them all is that when the boat stops 

 towing, or if the warps get slack for any reason, the boards fall flat on 

 the ground. "When the strain comes on the warps again the boards, 

 instead of rising to their previous position, may turn right over, and 

 thus put a double turn on the net. 



To try to obviate this an otter-board of peculiar shape was patented 

 in Germany in 1897. In this, two large wheels joined by an axle were 

 employed, and in the centre of the axle two oar-shaped spars were 

 fixed — one above, the other below. These spars were inclined at an 

 angle away from the axle, so that the upper should catch the water 

 as the ordinary otter-boards do, and the lower the ground in similar 

 fashion. From the sides of the axle two iron bars extended forward to 

 the inner side, and to the ends the warp was attached. Two other 

 similar bars extended backward to the toe-chain of the foot-rope, and 

 from a little distance along them two chains passed upward and back- 

 ward to support the pole which held up the head of the net. 



Whether these have been successful or joined the majority of patents, 

 I cannot say. 



It is still an open question whether the large size of boards used by 

 the trawlers is really necessary. The great resistance they offer to the 

 water and their great weight add considerably to the pull of the net on the 

 warps, and consequently demand more power and steaming on the part 

 of the steamer. Further, the volume of water displaced causes a strong 

 current to rush back against the wings. If this water passed down into 

 the net it would be an advantage, but it is found that even with double 

 meshes on the head of the wings it is necessary to leave a gap between the 

 boards and the net. It might be thought, therefore, that if an opening 



