The Dangers

Fishing was a dangerous occupation. Many trawlers have been lost over the years in storms or even sunk by U-boats during the war. Many fishermen have lost their lives or been injured while handling the gear or battling through a storm. The weather posed a constant threat of storms and gales. Icing-up, where the top half of the trawler could accumulate so much ice that it could become top-heavy, was a frequent danger. The crew would have to hack the ice off with axes if a disaster was to be avoided.

A significant danger on the early trawlers was the use of carbide for lighting. Contact of the carbide with water would generate acetylene, a highly explosive gas.