TRAWLING. 23 



The beam of course varies in length according to 

 the size of the net, and depends to some extent also 

 on the length and power of the vessel which has to 

 work it. In the large "smacks," as the trawl-boats 

 have long been called, the beam ranges from 36 to 50 

 feet in length. Elm is generally preferred for it, 

 selected if possible from timber grown of the proper 

 thickness, that the natural strength of the wood may 

 not be lessened by any more trimming or chipping 

 than is absolutely necessary. If the required length 

 and thickness cannot be obtained in one piece, two or 

 even three pieces are scarfed together, and the joints 

 are secured by iron bands. Appearance here is not of 

 so much consequence as strength and toughness, to 

 resist the strain to which the beam is commonly 

 exposed when the net is at work. I have mentioned 

 that the length of the trawl-beam has some relation to 

 the length of the vessel ; the explanation of this is, 

 that when the trawl is being hoisted in, the first part 

 that comes on board is the large heavy beam ; and it is 

 important that it should be secured as quickly as 

 possible without being actually taken into the vessel, 

 which would commonly be a work of difficulty, and 

 sometimes of danger, seeing that in most cases the 

 vessel is rolling and pitching about far out at sea, when 

 this part of the work has to be done. The beam is 

 therefore made of such a length as to reach from the 

 extreme end of the stern to just in front of the after- 

 most shroud, nearly opposite the mast. When, there- 

 fore, the beam is hoisted up alongside, one end of it is 

 made fast by a rope which comes in over the stern and 



