METHODS OF FISHING 19 



overboard, and then the body of the net ; when this is stretched 

 out the beam is lowered over the side, the bridle next the stem 

 having been previously taken round to the port side of the cutter. 

 The peak of the mainsail is then lowered and the vessel runs down 

 before the wind to bring the bridles even. The course is now held 

 on until sufficient trawl warp has been paid out for fishing, the warp 

 is then made fast forward. The amount of warp paid out depends 

 on circumstances such as the nature of the ground and the strength 

 of wind and tide. When the net is shot on rough ground or where 

 there are obstructions, such as rocks, derelict anchors or wrecks, 

 precautionary measures are taken to prevent the trawl being lost. 

 A short piece of rope, called a stopper, is made fast to the vessel's 

 gunwale, and the other end of the stopper is fastened to the trawl 

 warp. The stopper is weaker than the trawl warp, possessing only 

 sufficient strength to drag the trawl over the ground. When the 

 trawl meets an obstruction the stopper breaks, and the loose trawl 

 warp commences to run out. The helm is now put down imme- 

 diately so as to bring the vessel's head to wind as soon as possible ; 

 this stops her way and saves the trawl or, at least, gives a chance 

 of saving it, since the cutter can now be hove up to the trawl by 

 the trawl warp. When hauling under ordinary circumstances the 

 head sail is lowered and the vessel luffed up to the wind, the trawl 

 warp is then hauled in over the bows until the bridle is reached. 

 One end of the bridle is now passed aft, both ropes are then hauled 

 in together until the beam is at the surface of the water. It is then 

 hove in over the gunwale, made fast temporarily, and the net hauled 

 in by hand. 



In modern steam trawlers the beam-trawl is replaced by a much 

 more effective instrument — ^the otter-trawl. In this instrument 

 the beam is omitted and the heads are replaced by two large boards, 

 the " otter " boards.- These are shod with iron and are somewhat 

 larger and much heavier than ordinary house-doors. One great 

 advantage of the otter-trawl is that the width of the mouth of the 

 net can be greatly increased. 



The ponderous and clumsy beam is replaced by a strong head-rope. 

 The net is kept open by the reaction on the pair of boards. Each 

 board, and consequently each end of the net, is attached to the 

 steamer by a separate warp. 



A pre-war type of steam trawler would be a large and powerful 

 vessel of most excellent sea-going qualities. Since the outbreak of 

 war vessels of even larger type have been built, but the details of 

 their structure are not yet available. A pre-war steam trawler would 

 be of about 123 tons net tonnage or upwards, with engines of 80 

 or more nominal horse-power and would cost at pre-war rates from 



