For early longliner smack with well for live fish, see
Well smack.
For other uses, see
Smack.
A smack near Brightlingsea
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A smack was a traditional fishing boat used off the coast of England and the Atlantic coast of America for most of the 19th century, and even in small numbers up to the Second World War. It was originally a cutter rigged sailing boat until about 1865, when the smacks became so large that cutter main booms became unhandy. From then on, cutters were lengthened and re-rigged and new ketch-rigged smacks were built, but the boats varied from port to port. Some boats had a topsail on the mizzen mast, while others had a bowsprit carrying a jib. Large numbers of these boats could be seen operating in fleets from places like Brixham, Grimsby and Lowestoft. In England the sails were usually red ochre in colour, which made them a picturesque sight in large numbers.[1] Smacks were often rebuilt into steam boats in the 1950s. Some of the old smacks have been re-rigged into ketches (or were never made into steam boats) and are now used as training boats for young sailors.
The Excelsior is an example of a preserved smack. Built in Lowestoft in 1921, she is a member of the National Historic Fleet and operates as a sail training vessel.[2]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ March, E J (1970) Sailing trawlers;: The story of deep-sea fishing with long line and trawl. David & Charles. ISBN 978-0-87742-004-0
- ^ Excelsior: History, National Historic Ships Registry. Retrieved 2011-04-21.
[edit] External links
