What are the characteristics of fishing boats?
Below we present some of the features of a fishing boat:
- They operate in specific areas and catch certain types of fish or shellfish, depending on geographical location, season, fishing regulations, and market demand. We're talking about very common fish such as tuna, hake, salmon, cod, sardines, and anchovies. Or shellfish like shrimp, lobsters, squids, mussels, clams, and oysters.
- They are equipped with refrigerated storage systems to preserve the quality of the caught fish. This may include refrigerated storage holds or onboard ice systems.
- Specialized fishing equipment is installed, such as nets, hooks, tackle, and winches, according to the specific fishing techniques used. The arrangement of the equipment varies depending on the type of fishing, whether it's trawling, bottom trawling, or longlining, among others.
- The deck of the fishing boat is usually spacious to handle the nets comfortably and process the fish onboard.
- They are designed to provide stability at sea, especially during fishing operations. This may include a specific hull shape and stabilization systems.
Unlike modern ones made of steel or fiberglass, an old fishing boat was made of wood and other natural materials. They relied on sails, and later, rowing propulsion. Their fishing methods were logically more rudimentary, using trawls, hooks, and traps, and they had a more limited storage capacity.
Nowadays, most fishing boats use internal combustion engines, incorporate advanced technology to increase efficiency and improve catch selection, and have much more capacity to store, process, and prepare fish for sale as quickly as possible. So the whole process becomes much more efficient.
What types of fishing boats are in OcCre?
We will find the quintessential fishing boat model, called a coastal fishing boat. These are vessels designed to operate in coastal waters such as bays, estuaries, rivers, and other areas near the coast. They are small and focused on navigating in shallower waters compared to boats that go fishing offshore.
A coastal fishing boat can have various functions, such as coastal fishing, goods transportation in inland waters, tourist navigation, or other recreational activities. Due to the specific conditions of coastal waters, these boats often have specialized designs to maneuver in more confined areas and adapt to the changing conditions of waters near the coast.
This type of fishing is vital for many coastal communities worldwide, as it provides an important source of food and employment. Furthermore, it is an activity that is often carried out sustainably since smaller vessels using more selective techniques allow greater control over the quantity of catches and the preservation of local marine resources.
Easy fishing boat models
Indeed, they are ideal for getting started in the world of ship modeling without much difficulty. Additionally, each fishing boat model comes with its corresponding instruction file and YouTube videos with detailed explanations.
In this section, you can find replicas of the Palamós, an iconic boat from the Catalan coast, dedicated to coastal fishing and a versatile hull that fully adapts to the conditions and geography of the Mediterranean coast.
Continuing along Catalonia and the Costa Brava, we find the Calella, which practiced a type of traditional artisanal fishing: that practiced with light boats. That is, provided with light. These boats, usually operated by two people, were dedicated to catching mackerel and sardines, although any other fish or crustacean attracted by the light emitted by the gas-fed lanterns was not ruled out.
Finally, and with a bit more difficulty, is the Essex fishing boat model, a whaling boat that ended up being rammed by one of these large cetaceans.
