The Hémérica: embark a fishing boat

Hémérica quittant le port (1957)Musée de la Pêche

History of the boat

Built in 1957 and registered under the name Pactole, this side trawler is the last in a series of eight trawlers built at the Ateliers et Forges de l'Ouest in Saint-Nazaire. It is 126 feet long and 22.6 feet wide (34.8 x 6.9 m).

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.

Maquette de l'Hémérica de 1990, 1957, From the collection of: Musée de la Pêche
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Plaque AFO de l'Hémérica, 1957, From the collection of: Musée de la Pêche
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AFO is the name of the Ateliers et Forges de l'Ouest shipyard that built the Hémérica.

Bannette de l'Hémérica (1957)Musée de la Pêche

The forward crew post

This crew post is the first room that is visited on the Hémérica. Each crew member had his own locker. In each berth or bunk, there is a mattress and antiroll planks.

Cale à poisson dans l'Hémérica (1957)Musée de la Pêche

The fish hold

This is dedicated to storing and preserving fish. The Hémérica's fishing campaigns lasted 15 days on the continental plate, 18 hours at sea from the French coast. Its fishing territory extended from the Bay of Biscay to Southern Ireland.

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.

Salle des machines de l'Hémérica (1957)Musée de la Pêche

The machine room

This is the nerve center that allows the ship to run smoothly.

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.

Moteur principal de l'Hémérica (1957)Musée de la Pêche

The main motor

This motor, once started, starts the propeller, which leads to the launch of the trawler.

It is fueled with diesel, which is stored in tanks in the wall between the fish hold and the machine room.

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.

Carré d'équipage inférieur de l'Hémérica (1957)Musée de la Pêche

The second crew post

This post and the crew galley were the living areas for the sailors on board.

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.

Cuisine de l'Hémérica (2020)Musée de la Pêche

The kitchen

Here, the cook prepared meals for the entire crew.

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.

Carré d'équipage du pont principal de l'Hémérica (1957)Musée de la Pêche

The crew galley

The cook slept alone on the bench. Bottles could be stored under the benches. The engineer and his second were in a separate cabin with a window that allowed them to keep an eye on all the machines.

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.

Passerelle de l'Hémérica (1957)Musée de la Pêche

The bridge

On the bridge, the master of the trawler was in charge of driving the boat. He decided the area where they would fish. Here, two individual sleeping cabins equipped with sinks are reserved for the captain and first mate.

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.


Poste radio de l'Hémérica (1957)Musée de la Pêche

The radio post

The wireless post
The radio operator (sailor in charge of communication) must know Morse code and maritime flags (Q code).

Coursive babord de l'Hémérica (1957)Musée de la Pêche

The deck

On deck is where fishing took place. The pace was intense.

The men sometimes worked night and day, depending on the activity.

Managing sleep was an important part of the job, the right to work ensuring that rest must happen on land.

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.

Remontée du chalut à bord de l'Hémérica, 1957, From the collection of: Musée de la Pêche
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Vue aérienne de l'Hémérica, 1957, From the collection of: Musée de la Pêche
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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.

Proue de l'Hémérica (1957)Musée de la Pêche

The stern

Visit the Hémérica !

Visite commentée sur l'Hémérica, 1957, From the collection of: Musée de la Pêche
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Médiation en famille sur l'Hémérica, 1957, From the collection of: Musée de la Pêche
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