If the two latter conditions arc satisfied, loran may offer 

 the most promise of all the navigational aids available to the fishing 

 industry. Tlie equipment could substantially raise vessel efficiency 

 by reducing travel time to and from the fishing grounds. 



Radar 



Vessels currently engaged in the shrimp fishery do not have 

 radar installations. It is generally felt that radar is not Justified 

 because of its cost and limited value to the vessel. 



Other Navigational Aids 



Speed indicators and logs are generally dispensed with on 

 board shrimp trawlers. Instruments or publications for celestial 

 navigation as well as adequate means for taking reliable visual bearings 

 are also frequently missing. 



Extent of Use of Electronic Devices in the Shrimp Fleet 



The extent of use of electronic devices as navigational and 

 fishing aids in the shrimp fleet is closely related to length of vessel 

 and length of trips. Vessels under kO feet in length included in the 

 Harvrell, Knowles and Associates survey had no electronic devices what- 

 soever. Slightly less than half of the vessels in the 40-60-foot size 

 class had automatic pilots, 39 percent had depth recorders, and 83 per- 

 cent had radio telephones. All of the larger vessels, those over 60 

 feet in length, were equipped with automatic pilots, depth recorders and 

 radio telephones. Around 13 percent of these vessels were also equipped 

 with radio direction finding equipment. Shortly before the survey was 

 made three of the larger vessels had installed loran and one a depth 

 sounder . 



Typi cal Prices of Ele ctroni c Devices 



Prevailing costs of electronic equipment in shrimp vessels 

 were surveyed in 1955 • Automatic pilots could be installed for ap- 

 proximately $400. Depth recorder costs averaged about $1,000, although 

 a small set which was little used by the fleet could be bought for half 

 this price. Radio telephones were higher than $700 depending on the 

 type and wattage of the installation desired. While the equipment could 

 be rented and fully serviced for about $50 a month, most boat o^mers had 

 bought the equipment outright. Aerials varied from $^5 to $90 in price 

 depending on the type used. A depth sounder with cathode tube cost 

 $2,500 installed or could be rented for about $70 a month. War surplus 

 loran, originally designed for aircraft, had been installed at a cost 

 of $750 shortly before the survey was made by a small number of vessels 

 operating out of Tampa, Brownsville, and Port Isabel. Hovrever, the re- 

 search firm emphasized that no moderately priced loran was available on 

 the market at that time . 



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