The beginning of the end
The Demise of the Steam Trawler
The Rise of Motor Diesel Trawler
This demise was gradual if not inevitable. The large post war catches were declining, the cost of coal ever increasing. These trawlers most of whom had been built before or during the First World War were now beginning to show their age. The Board of Trade had over the post war years introduced new tough sea worthiness and safety checks. The cost of attaining these standards was on some vessels prohibitive. The discarded vessels were mainly sold for scrap to the British Iron & Steel Corporation (BISCO). The vessels were then allocated to breakers yards across the country. Malcolm Brechin had a yard in Granton Harbour, there were also yards at Inverkeithing, Bo’ ness, Grangemouth, St Davids and Charlestown all on the Firth of Forth.
The price paid for each vessel would be based on its tonnage and condition.
Prices ranged from a few hundred pounds to five or six thousand pounds this also being reliant on the fluctuating steel market.
These new diesel powered vessels were built with the latest technology and mod cons. There was no coal to bunker or trim and no ashes to haul up and tip.
The crew’s accommodation was moved aft out of the Fo'c'sle and was drier and a little more spacious but still smelly. Washrooms, showers and toilets were provided for the crew. The new electric winches could haul the net up faster. These new vessels had more powerful and efficient generators which allowed for improved lighting on the deck.
Up until the introduction of these diesel engined vessels the wheelhouse equipment on a trawler was very basic. Consisting mainly of the steering wheel, engine telegraph control, a compass, an echo sounder and a two way radio. The skippers on these vessels were experienced Old Sea Dogs who watched the skies with a weather eye, who had catching fish down to a fine art and 50% luck.
Up on the Bridge (wheelhouse) of the motor diesels new electronic equipment was introduced
Such as Decca navigators & plotters for tracking / recording the ships movements and position. Radar to help aid vision in fog and on dark and murky nights. It also helped the watch keeper ensure he kept without the designated fishing limit from the land.
Catching fish was now becoming a science.
Otter Board Trawl
New nets were being developed such as the Larsen trawl developed in Denmark to replace the tried and tested Granton Trawl (Otter Trawl) which had replaced the Beam Trawl not long after the steam trawlers were introduced. There are today many variations of this trawl and otter boards which were originally of wood but now nearly always made of steel.
These trawlers though much fewer in numbers had a greater catching power and proved to be more efficient.
At this time possibly due to the reduction in trawlers…The trawler owners and some skippers had wooden Seine net boats built and went into partnership. Geordie Main & Joe Croan and “Sincerity” LH 10. These were soon followed by Wm Liston (Trawler Owner) and other skippers (Bobby Brown, Jock Wilson and Carnie Seaton who had the Seiners “Laverock” LH 3, “Undaunted” LH 5 and the “Progressus” built. The trawler owners had a share in most new boats at this time.
Share fishing was making a come back to Newhaven.
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Geordie Main Skipper (Owner) " Sincerity " LH 10 1955 |
Crew of the " Sincerity " LH 10 in Oban 1960 Front John Grainger Malcolm Main Back Charlie Main Winston Grainger Wullie Greig |
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| "Undaunted" LH 5 & "Sincerity" LH 10 South Pier Oban 1961 |
The two trawler owners Joe Croan & Wm Liston also had a hand in the development of the so called “Sputnik” trawler these were steel built 75ft, 200hp miniature trawlers.
These trawlers were built at the Berwick shipyard of Fairmile and named the Fair Isle class of pocket trawler. Five of these were built for Granton / Newhaven Owners.
http://www.berwickshipyard.com/
“Summer Isle” LH 69, “Starbank” LH 249, "Fair Isle" LH 259 for William Liston and Others. “Mary Croan” LH 225 and “Monica Croan” LH 231 for Joe Croan and Others.
These were built as Seiner/Trawlers.
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| "Summer Isle" LH 69 | "Starbank" LH 249 having refit in Berwick |
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| "Mary Croan" LH 225 trials on the Tweed | "Monica Croan" in Leith Docks |
These vessels were not a success for their Firth of Forth owners and were sold, the Liston owned boats to John N Ward & Sons Fleetwood and the Two Croan boats to Moray Firth Owners and converted to Seine net fishing.
This period of vessel replenishment followed the “Fairfree” experiment and the new age of the stern trawler. Even so these new motor diesel side trawlers would be in operation for another twenty years. Towards the end in the late 1970's Skipper Andrew Wanless from Newhaven bought shares and skippered one of these "Sputnik" trawlers "Dandara" A528 this also proved unsuccessful.
Today no British side trawlers are left fishing. A few such as the fishery research vessel “ Explorer” in Leith, “Ross Tiger” GY 398 in Grimsby and “Arctic Corsair” H 320 in Hull have been preserved for posterity.
