Pros and Cons of South Asian fishing trawler

[LowelandSystem]

Hello Good people,
I am into designing in v hull and semi v hull coastal shore boats, but recently went to survey in south Asia traditional fishing trawler design and engine. This is what I have found, 90 percent of boats are designed like this. Every year there are 100 storm casualties with increasing death rate. But this Ignorant people argues this designs are the best. I dont think messing with Indian ocean with this kind of boat is a good idea. Can you let me know some pros and cons of this design.

 

[TANSL]

Any design can be good or bad, have pros and cons, depending on the degree of compliance of its initial SOR.
What in a given ocean, or some use, can be pros in other circumstances may be cons.
Normally ignorant people, like intelligent, through the years has reached the object that best meets their needs.

 

[LowelandSystem]

But this boats has higher capsizing ratio in mid range storm and payload....

 

[Tad]

Fishermen will not demand a better boat until they understand the need. Therefore you start by educating fishermen in safety and stability. Then some will start to see the benefit of a different boat.

 

[gonzo]

Changing boat design will likely also include modifying fishing gear and techniques. It is difficult to change tradition. However, if you want to convince them, offer a complete package rather than only a new hull design. For example, show any economic advantages.

 

[Rurudyne]

Have you established if there is some common set of causes as to have there been so many deaths?

Unless whole crews were lost the fishermen will be aware of the particulars and you can possibly use an interview process to help underscore the idea that there may be defects in the type, establish the narrative that you need. There may be different causes, not just the hull but the particulars of how they handle their nets.

Just a hypothetical from someone who is taking a stab in the dark: is it a problem with capsizing? It's pretty obvious based on the sheer that they pull any nets in amidships but are they also working from the fore and aft to do the heavy lifting on the belief that being up high gives them a better place to pull from? If so the maybe gradually they have raised the ends in successive versions till they reached a point that there's an issue. If that were the case they could keep their beloved style of hull, just with lower ends like their proverbial grandfather's boat.

Again, that's just a what-if from someone far away. Reality is probably different.

 

[Mani Kandasa]

What part of South Asia is this? In southern India, most of the sea-faring fishermen have been using primitive catamarans for more than a millennium. The origin of the word catamaran can be traced to the South Indian Tamil language. Perhaps these guys are using these rocker tricked out boats in estuaries for better maneuvering...

 

[Mr Efficiency]

Who says the boat design is the problem, other designs of similar cost might be just as dangerous, fishing is a dangerous business, and more so if they are 'pushing the envelope' due to need to stay at sea in marginal conditions to extract a living. You would need to be well informed about the local situation to make a meaningful judgement about whether switching designs is a good idea, especially the economics of it.

 

[messabout]

My first impression is that such a boat would tend to pitch rather disconcertingly. It is difficult to tell where the actual waterline is but there is a lot of rocker.

 

[Rurudyne]

My first impression is that such a boat would tend to pitch rather disconcertingly. It is difficult to tell where the actual waterline is but there is a lot of rocker.

When I first glanced at the boat I actually wondered if the type has problems with sagging and over generations of copying old hulls without plans they've just sorta happened on this droopy drawers look (if that boat were a man he'd have serious plumber's crack).

 

[SamSam]

It almost looks like a solution that has made the problem worse. There's no telling what the problem was to begin with, but it's hard to imagine that as a solution to anything. Maybe fishermen were getting too soft and lazy, so they designed a boat that made working on the deck a life or death situation, where a little carelessness would leave the crew piled up in the waist with multiple injuries. Ship builders had it too easy, so they made them work for their money by assuring every board had compound curves that had to be bent to the maximum and constantly repaired when they sprung loose.

Maybe they can only get Mexicans to work for them and the only Mexicans they can get wear boots like these...???

???

 

[LowelandSystem]

Guys I got some interview with some fishermen there, and they know nothing, how much naval architectural design has evolved. The trawler are rocky as hell. here is the map where, Indian, Bangladesh, Myanmar, all use same kind of boats, even worst, boat for offshore fishing operation. Kind of sad though. Am trying motivate them its time to change.

 

[Rurudyne]

Maybe they can only get Mexicans to work for them and the only Mexicans they can get wear boots like these...???

???

Those boots would have been worn by SERIOUS fashion pates back in the 15th century (granted, they would also be wearing codpieces back then).

I'm guessing that in some circles that still holds true (less the codpieces of course).

 

[Rurudyne]

Guys I got some interview with some fishermen there, and they know nothing, how much naval architectural design has evolved. The trawler are rocky as hell. here is the map where, Indian, Bangladesh, Myanmar, all use same kind of boats, even worst, boat for offshore fishing operation. Kind of sad though. Am trying motivate them its time to change.

What follows is based more on advise picked up on how to sell something to a customer rather than actual design suggestions.

I think you may ultimately accomplish more by working the angle that new designs will make them more money, enable them to get to the fish faster and then to market faster. Possibly also save on the operating expenses at the same time from lowered fuel use.

You might also employ (some sample designs for styling as discussed below in hand) a really nifty idea like that that John DeLorean used to help create the Ford Mustang: asking fishermen that if their neighbor got one of these new style boats, what do they think would make it cooler, something really neat.

By this I'm referencing something discovered after they built the Edsel: when they asked people what THEY would want people responded with what was respectable and conservative, though laden with gadgets, and the Edsel resulted; but, when DeLorean asked what would be neat if their neighbor got it respondents were freer in their responses, less staid and predictable, actually indicated what they might want without it being respectable and conservative ... because in their mind they were putting themselves in their neighbor's shoes ... and the result was the Mustang. How this might work for you is rather than respond that this is the boat I want because it's like the boat I've got those you question might appraise the designs without that bias because you aren't asking them about their boat, but a neighbor's if they got one of these.

Take something like a Bolger Advanced Fisherman or a design of your own preference as a starting point and style it to give genuine homage to their beloved boats (several different versions might help). Maybe even modify it to handle the fishing tackle as they are used to if that doesn't undermine other goals you've expressed. Find out what the fishermen might think would be a sweet ride "if it was their neighbor's boat". Then sell just a few owners needing a new boat on the thought that this will make them more money that a new old-style boat.

You might at a later stage before boats are built invite a prospective owner to sail on some other modern boat of similar specifications elsewhere as observers and "honored guests" (catch more flies with honey than vinegar), let them see other fishermen take advantage of the benefits you say will help them make money.

These fishermen may be simple folk, but that doesn't mean they aren't savvy. Especially if you choose your would be first owners carefully: looking for someone who is hungrier than the rest. Once they succeed those new style boats could start looking a lot better to their neighbors.

 

[TANSL]

These people have no fishing ports where download fishing. They have to beaching and, perhaps, these forms allow them to do so without much sink the boat in the sand and, above all, balance the boat putting weights astern, to put it back afloat.
It's just an idea.