The Hémérica: embark a fishing boat

The Pactole was delivered to the outfitters Le Huédé of Lorient in April 1958, then registered in La Rochelle. In 1971, the trawler was sold to the outfitters of Concarneau, Nicot, where it was renamed Hémérica. It was decommissioned in 1981, in other words it is no longer used for fishing. A preservation association sent it to the museum and, since 1985, it has been docked at the quay and open to visitors.

Up until the 1960s, the trawl, the net which forms a pocket and is dragged by a boat, was hauled at the side of the ship. They were described as side trawlers or classic trawlers. For safety and comfort, these ships have evolved and become stern trawlers. The trawl is hauled using gallows at the stern of the boat. The deck is covered and allows the sailors to work in a more sheltered environment.

This refrigerated hold was 4,200 cubic feet (120 cubic m) and was used to store the fish. Two traps allow the fish to be brought down, sorted and placed in wicker baskets from above deck. Around 20 tons of ice was brought aboard for each excursion. The fish spread on the ice was therefore preserved for the duration of the excursion, between 10 and 15 days.

During an excursion, the Hémérica fished around 24 tons of fish. The most commonly caught fish were anglerfish and hake.

The ship is started by launching the electric compressor. This injects compressed air (stored in blue carboys) into the main motor to start the pistons. It then returns to its main function: creating electricity to light the ship and for the cold group that will ensure the preservation of the ice and the fish.

Access to the machine room was only through the main deck, unlike now, when the boat has been refurbished to accommodate visitors. The ambient temperature was around 100°F (38°C), as the motor was never stopped. The crew took advantage of this to dry work clothes, despite the persistent smell of diesel.

Eleven men lived aboard:
- The captain (master) commanded the crew and organized the fishing;
- The first mate (bosco) replaced the captain when he was off duty;
- The cook prepared meals for the whole crew;
- The chief engineer assisted by a second, worked in the machine room;
- The sailors were dedicated to the whole logistical chain, from fishing to preparing the fish;
- The deck cadet was a nautical apprentice.

Relaxation time is rare so life on board is organized around work patterns. In the confined space that makes up a boat, a sailor needs to be able to cope with bad weather, cold, lack of sleep, being almost always wet, or sleeping fully dressed in an area as narrow as the galley, where solitude is often difficult to find.

Life on board was difficult; at sea each aspect of daily life had to be adapted, from rationing drinking water with about 2.5 gallons (10 l) of water per person for 15 days, to dealing with injuries and other issues caused by sorting through the trawl. The galley is the place where sailors assembled and shared news while eating and spending the rare moments of free time that come with life on board a ship.

The navigation bridge has the following instruments:
- the radio linked to the maritime radio center of Conquet;


- the goniometer, to locate the direction of a fixed emitter;


- the Decca navigation system, which allowed ships to create their own maps;


- tension sensors to monitor the tension of warps between the trawl and the boat;


- the depth gauge;


- the compass showing North;


- the radar, to avoid obstacles at night and also during the day and in low visibility.

Every time the trawl was brought in, the work actions were performed skillfully. The net was thrown off the side of the boat, then the sailors hoisted it aboard. Bringing the trawl back on board using the winch was a delicate maneuver and not without its risks due to the cables that could cut fingers and waves that could sweep away the men.

The trawl was dragged on a rope measuring 1,300 feet (400 m), at a depth of between 260 and 390 feet (80 and 120 m). It could catch up to 1,100 pounds (500 kg) of fish and was brought up every three hours during the day and every four hours at night. The fish was then sorted into species on deck then interposed in the boxes. Once emptied and washed, including the deck, the fish were placed on ice to ensure they would last 15 days, the time of the excursion.