370 KEPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



FISHING VESSELS AND BOATS. 



Tbc number of sail era It omploycd rcjiiularly in the fisheries of Texas 

 ill 1890 was 311, valued at $10(J,80(). Of this number only 18 measured 

 over 5 tons, tlie combined tx>nnage of these being 152.50. Tlie fisher- 

 men prefer boats of less than 5 tons measurement in order to escape 

 the inconveniences of having them licensed at the custom-house. Be- 

 sides the sail craft, 530 skiffs, valued at $~),C>l~t^ were employed in 1800. 

 Along the Texas coast the expression " boat" is applied to all sail craft, 

 while the word " skiff" is used to designate something propelled by 

 oars; and it is with these meanings that the two words are used in 

 this report. The sloop, cat, and schooner riggtMl centerboard boats are 

 the prevailing types employed in the oyster,, seine, and turtle fisheries. 

 Square or ''lugger" rigged boats arc not in use at present in the fish- 

 eries of this State. The lugger is particularly adapted to winding 

 bayous, where sailing close to the wind is necessary, as in Louisiana; 

 and as few such places occur in the fishing regions of Texas, the safer 

 and more speedy sloop and cat rigged boats are obviously preferable. 



The construction and the rig of the sailboats do not materially differ 

 from the styles in general use along the coast of the Middle and New 

 England States. In order to easily pass through the shoal waters of 

 the bays, these boats are built very shallow, having either a flat or 

 "round-knuckle" (one-half flat) bottom. They are iisually from 22 to 

 34 feet long, from 8 to 12 feet wide, and from IJ to 3 feet deep. The 

 Cosati)q)orta, which was built at Corpus Christi in 1880, may be taken 

 as a type of the best class of sail craft in use. Her dimensions are, 

 length, 30.7; breadth, 10.0; depth, 2.7; net tonnage, 5.37. 



The sailboats are built without elaborate or unnecessary finish or 

 equipment. They are decked over fore and aft, and frequently the 

 entire length. All of them have a small cabin, which serves as a cook- 

 ing and sleeping room. The cost ranges from $150 to 11,800, averag- 

 ing about $400. Tlu^y are built mostly in Texas, at Galveston, on the 

 Lavaca River, at St. Marys City, and Corpus Christi. There are, how- 

 ever, no extensive boatbuilding establishments in the State. 



Occasionally, under the inlluence of a southeast wind, s«mie of the 

 bays become exceedingly rough. Ks]iecially is this true of Matagorda 

 liay, which in thr(^atcning weather the fishermen avoid almost as much 

 as they would tli(^ open (!ulf. More wrecks have probably occurred in 

 f his bay during the ])ast six years than in all the remaining bays of the 

 State combined. As the boats are never insured, their loss is a serious 

 matter to the lisheniien. 



Each sailboat usually carries one or two skifi's or tenders, costing 

 from $5 to $15, These skiffs are roughly constructed, many not being 

 l)ainted. All of them have flat bottoms, so that they may be easily 

 run ashore. 



