SMACKS AND TRAWLS 57 



end and are made by lacing the upper and lower 

 parts of the net for about 16 ft. Each pocket is 

 practically a reversal of the cod-end, and is literally a 

 trap, for the entrance consists of a valve or curtain of 

 netting, called a flapper. This flapper is so constructed 

 that, although it allows free admission to the fish, still, it 

 prevents them from returning. If they turn at all, they 

 must go into the pockets, which are practically inverted 

 cod-ends, so that there is no chance whatever for them 

 to escape, especially as fish are constantly entering the 

 net and often enough forming a solid mass. 



To the trawl-heads, by means of shackles, the bridle 

 was attached, and to this in turn was fastened that 

 important part of the trawl's equipment the warp. 

 The warp had a length of 150 fathoms, consisting of 

 two sections of 6-in. rope spliced together. 



In the old smacks the trawl was almost invariably 

 carried on the port side, and when the beam was not in 

 use it formed, with its trawl-heads, net, and gear, a very 

 prominent feature of the vessel. The great beam usually 

 projected beyond the stern. 



The shooting of the trawl, although a comparatively 

 simple matter, required much skill so as to prevent the 

 trawl from reaching the bottom upside down, and so 

 making the work of towing useless, because the beam 

 would drag on the bottom and the net would not be 

 opened and consequently incapable of catching fish. 

 The mere fact that heavy labour was involved in 

 hauling the trawl was in itself a sufficient reason why a 

 skipper should be careful in seeing that the apparatus 

 was properly shot. First of all, the cod-end was thrown 

 overboard, then the rest of the net followed until it was 



