RE: [Paddlewise] Andrea Gail - Perfect Storm

Good morning Darrel,

> but the movie clearly showed anchors hanging from the
booms, not
> stabilizer
> wings, didn't it?  I'm familiar with the otter doors used
by
> shrimp/flounder/scallop trawlers.  They're used to spread
> the net and
> they do "fly" and stabilize, but they're not what hung
> from the Andrea
> Gail.

I haven't seen the actual movie yet, but I did see the TV
documentary
about the making of the movie .... I assure you that
actually I'd bet
my life that the Andrea Gail had stabilizers.  Remember this
was a
film maker 'idea' of what happened.

> There was a lot of well-meaning misinformation given out.
> Gillnets are
> not trawled.  They're hung from floats and either drifted
> or anchored.
> The mesh size dictates what they catch.  You might use 4"
> mesh for
> salmon, and 1/4" mesh for anchovies.  As Kirk Olsen noted,
> there's a lot
> of potential abuse from gillnets, and lost drift gillnets
> continue to
> kill for years.  All nets are indiscriminate killers of
> anything that
> gets caught in them, including undersize fish, turtles,
> and dolphins.

Gill-netting is used quite a bit for sword-fishing also,
the mesh being much larger.  Can still catch dolphins.

> Longliners use the hook and bait method shown in the movie
> Perfect Storm.
>  Halibut, sharks, and Swordfish are longlined.  I think
> most tuna are
> caught by net or by hook and line, not longlining as Kirk
> Olsen said.
>

Actually longlining is the most used method for catching
tuna
and swordfish worldwide.  The Japanese and Koreans use lines
up to 75 miles in length.  Most Americans are less that 35
miles in length.

> I have to admit that the 200' swell that
> capsized the Andrea Gail was hard to stomach, but the
> visual effect was
> gripping.

I have operated tug boats in average seas of 35' +, and rode
out
seas of up to 50' .... thank God, I've never seen a 200'
wave. I
know other captains that claim to have been in 90' seas.

But, even in  50' (a true 50' wave) you might well think it
was
200' ..... especially in a tug or a fishing vessel ... no
fun
at all.

Capt. Donald R. Reid



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