Seiner Under 15 tons

A few small seine boats up to 50 ft. (15.24 m.), but mainly below 15 tons, have been built in recent years for salmon fishing, but in the last 2 or 3 years there has been a good deal of interest in smaller seiners using a drum to handle the seine similar to a gillnetter. The object of this is to cut the number of hands from 6 to 4 or even 3.

Most of the boats have been just below the 15-ton limit about 42$ ft.x!2 ft. (13x3.7 m.). The design requires careful consideration of trim and stability as the net and turntable or drum are mounted high and far aft and the combined weight is about 2\ tons. By limiting the draft of these boats, it is possible to obtain an apparently adequate stability. But, although the GM may be no less than that of the average fishing boat, the centre of gravity is too high for adequate range. One such craft which, by superficial examination appeared to have excellent initial stability, lay over on its side in a tide rip off Cape Mudge and would not right itself.

As in the case of trollers and long-liners, drum seiners in small sizes would be beamier and often longer, and consequently more seaworthy, were it not for the 15-ton limit set paradoxically to increase safety. A few drum seiners have been built up to 50 ft. (15.24 m.) but in most cases their design has followed the pattern of existing seiners with turntable. When building is resumed, a trend to beamier flatter boats with transom or deep rim sterns and, consequently, great initial stability, is expected. It is hoped there will be less tendency to keep below the 15-ton limit and a step to help such a trend has been taken by the Steamship Inspection Depart- ment. In 1951, a regulation was adopted authorizing small fishing boats to carry a flat-bottomed skiff of simple construction, but equipped with buoyancy tanks, instead of a standard lifeboat. The skiffs may be stowed on deck wherever convenient and need not have the chocks and lifting arrangements required for the standard lifeboat. The standard seine skiff has always been accepted as lifesaving equipment for seine boats.