METHODS OF FISHING 27 



and Dutch steam trawlers, Lowestoft small steamers and the 

 Grimsby steamers, and finally the Grimsby and Dutch steamers. 

 Her conclusion is that " when the otter and beam-trawls are used 

 on a modern steam and sailing vessel, respectively, we find that the 

 former may take as much as eight and a half times the amount of 

 plaice and two and a half times the amount of soles." All these 

 comparisons though interesting are of doubtful utility. There are 

 so many factors to be considered that it is extremely likely that no 

 comparison is possible. In the first place the steamer can fish in 

 many places which are absolutely impossible for the smack, owing 

 either to the distance from the home port, the depth of water or 

 the rocky nature of the bottom. The heavy bobbins used on the 

 foot-rope of the modern steam trawler enable it to fish on " hard " 

 ground which is quite hopeless for the sailer. Even if the com- 

 parison be made for grounds available to both types it is still a 

 difficult matter to arrive at a numerical ratio which shall express 

 the relative efficiency of the two types. The steamer can fish in 

 weather when it would be dangerous for the sailing boat to leave 

 its moorings, and per contra in very calm weather when the latter 

 vessel lacks the power to enable it to drag its trawl over the bottom 

 of the sea. Moreover, to compare the efiiciency of these vessels 

 from the fishing results of a very limited number, or of only one of 

 each type, leads to another point which will be obvious to anyone 

 having practical acquaintance with sea fishing operations, and that 

 is the personal factor. Some skippers will make a respectable living 

 on the same ground where other men would starve. On the whole 

 it is not advisable to place too much reliance on any of the above 

 comparisons. From personal experience the author believes the 

 modern steam trawler is many times more efficient than the smack 

 than the highest of the above ratios would seem to indicate. 



A typical second-class trawling cutter (see Fig. p. 25) would be of 

 the following dimensions, length 42 ft., beam 12 ft. with a draft 

 of 5 ft. 6 in. The stem, sternpost, deadwoods and timbers are 

 usually of British Oak, the keel of American rock elm, the planking of 

 pitch pine, and the decks of best yellow pine. The spars comprising 

 mast, boom, gaff, jib-boom and topsail yard are usually of Oregon 

 pine or selected spruce. The rigging is of best ploughed steel wire, 

 the forestay, topmast stay and topsail halyards of best flexible 

 steel wire. The price of an inshore cutter in 1914 would vary with 

 size and other requirements from £160 to £210. 



Naturally there are considerable variations in the trawling gear 

 used by vessels of this type, though there is a general agreement in 

 main outline. A Lancashire cutter of the type illustrated would 

 carry a trawl beam of from 26 to 30 ft., but if engaged to any extent 



