28 MR. A. H. PATTERSON' OX A DECAYED TRAWL-FISHERY. 
construction of new vessels. They were described to me by 
Mr. King as cutter-rigged, bluff-bowed, with “ liftie ” (cut-up) 
sterns. The reasons for their migration to Yarmouth were 
chiefly economic ; previously they had to lose a fortnight in 
going home to refit and returning to the fishing-grounds. 
The difference of some 150 miles meant a great saving of time 
and expense ; in bad weather, with baffling winds, it meant 
something, both to owners and crew. With these trawlers 
came many fast-sailing cutters, which “carried” the fish 
direct from the fishing fleets at sea to the London market. 
These fine carriers were veritable sea-arabs. 
The dandy-rigged fishing-smack made its appearance at 
about the time the steam-cutter came into being — in the 
early 70’s. The first vessel, with this rig, to sail out of 
Gorleston was the “ Linnet,” a converted fishing-lugger. 
She was fitted with a dandy mainsail (with much shortened 
“ boom ”) and a lug mizzen ; the latter clumsy sail was 
superseded in the “ Delight” that was launched shortly upon 
its predecessor’s heels, by the present type of “ jawed ” mizzen. 
At this period they were classed as 60 tonners. 
In my youthful days it was a common practice to fit out 
a number of the largest herring-luggers, at the close of the 
herring fishery, with a taller mainmast (a process often then 
seen in operation at the old crane) in lieu of the handier 
movable mast used on the herring voyage ; they were fitted 
with a suit of dandy sails and with all the gear necessary for 
trawling. The first voyage began immediately after Christmas, 
then the fishermen, who often left the one vessel to man the 
other, had 1 enjoyed their short holiday ashore. But the 
different build of the hull, with its less sturdy timbering than 
the specially-built trawler, designed for the wilder turmoil of 
the deeper seas, did not meet with general favour ; it became 
the customary thing to haul up the luggers, after dismantling 
them, on to the “ yards ” for the winter months. 
The dandy-rigged smack (of which the Lowestoft boat of 
to-day is a noble example) is a stately and seaworthy craft ; 
her shortened boom, and handy rig, made her remarkably 
easy of handling, besides adding to her stiffness, her greater 
