The fishing vessels are either sloop or schooner rigged, with an
average net tonnage of slightly over 8 tons (new measurement) and an
average value of about $475. There has been a great increase in the
number of these vessels during recent years. Eight vessels were used
in 1880, 29 in 1889, and 130 in 1898. Quite a number of these vessels
are used in other fisheries during their seasons. Two men usually form
a crew, although three, and sometimes four, are occasionally used.
The other vessels comprise sailboats under 5 tons and rowboats.
The sailboats are generally small square-sterned sloops, open in
the afterpart, but with a cuddy forward. They are all built with
centerboards, and some are lapstreak while others are "set work."
Around the afterpart of the standing room is a seat, the ballast is
floored over, and two little bunks and a stove generally help to
furnish the cuddy. They vary in length from 16 to 26 feet and in width
from 6 to 9 feet; they average about 2 tons. They are especially
adapted to the winter fishery, as they are good sailers and ride out
the storms easily.
Dories are in quite general use in the lobster fishery, as are also
the double-enders, or peapods. This latter is a small canoe-shaped
boat of an average length of 15-1/2 feet, 4-1/2 feet breadth, and
1-1/2 feet depth. They are mainly built lapstreak, but a few are "set
work." Both ends are exactly alike; the sides are rounded and the
bottom is flat, being, however, only 4 or 5 inches wide in the center
and tapering toward each end, at the same time bending slightly
upward, so as to make the boat shallower at the ends than in the
middle. This kind of bottom is called a "rocker bottom." They are
usually rowed, but are sometimes furnished with a sprit sail and
centerboard.