Many years ago, at the start of the inshore fishery along the Strait when men first began fishing, they used open boats called “sloops” made of wood they were just small dories around 14 feet in length and equipped with a sail and rudder stick. By the early to mid 1900’s the boats were approximately 23 feet in length and fishermen were starting to erect spray shields by the tiller to protect themselves from the elements. These small spray shields changed over time to ‘cuddies’ that were large enough to  hold a small stove and provide you with a warm dry place in which to eat your lunch. The next advancement was the wheelhouse. From the wheelhouse you could steer the boat and also operate any equipment such as Loran-C. This advancement eliminated the need to stand outside. One of the major advancements for fishermen was the use of motors in the boats, which enabled them to travel further in search of fish. The first engines used were referred to as ‘make or break’, “putt putts” or “one lungers”. They next began installing modified car engines, which eventually ushered in the marine engine which when first used ran on gas. Today the marine engines used are mainly diesel. Gradually over the years as the boats were getting bigger and fishermen started fishing with trawls, the boats were built wider in the bow and higher all round to make them more sea worthy It was during this time that the fishermen also began using haulers, which made their work a little easier. Currently, the greatest change is not in the size of the boat, but in how it’s made. Boats now are primarily made of fiberglass, and have navigational systems such as radar, Loran-C or GPS. They also have sounders to help them locate fish. The average boat today along the Northumberland Strait is around 40 feet with a 14-foot beam although by law the boats could be a maximum length of 45 feet in lenght.

BY THE WAY: Do you recall who invented the ‘pot hauler’ used by fishermen in the Pictou area? You would be correct if you said Charles Baird of Caribou.