[II 228]
[II 229]
[II 234]
[III 114]
The “Hoeker” (howker) is a boat strongly rounded at the stern, showing a great deal of sheer and carrying a tank for fish. The name comes very probably from “hoek” an iron (hook) used in fishing for cod and haddock, but as the “bush” is spoken of before any mention is made of the “howker”, it must be concluded that the latter came later into use, that is to say, that cod fishing on a large scale was a much later occupation. The date of adoption of the fish tanks is not known. It is probable that this arrangement is very old, but it is possible that it was only applied much later to deep sea fishing.
THE “HARINGJAGER” AND THE “BUISCONVOYER”.
The “howker” was used not only as a fishing boat but also as a Haringjager (herring hunter), a boat which is sent to get the first catch of the fleet.
The “howker” was also used as a Buisconvoyer (convoy for bushes); it was then armed with several guns and intended to defend the “bushes” against the enemy. Various circumstances contributed to the complete disappearance of the “bushes” and the “howkers”; these are the more and more severe demands laid on this traffic, the combination of herring fishing with that for cod and haddock on one and the same boat, the use of cotton nets which are much lighter than the old ones so that casting the nets is less important on the boat itself. All these causes brought about the creation of boats with fine lines, so that there existed, in 1886, but one howker for 8 sloops and 181 luggers. The sloop and the lugger, which followed it came to us from France.
THE “SLOEP” (SLOOP).
The “sloop”, having at first one mast with a large boom sail and square stern (HOOGENDIJK, p. 61), was put into use at Middelharnis, Zwarte Waal and Pernis and hence is known generally as a Pernissersloep.
The heavy and unhandy rigging of the single mast was soon replaced by the “lugger” rig, while the square stern disappeared from among the more recent sloops, thus doing away with the principal difference between the two types of vessels.