Dogger (boat)

Type of fishing boat originating in the Netherlands

A dogger viewed from before the port beam. Her gaff mainsail is brailed up and her lateen mizzen is set. c. 1675 by Willem van de Velde the Younger

The dogger (Dutch pronunciation: [dɔɣər]) was a group of similar fishing boats, described as early as the fourteenth century, that commonly operated in the North Sea. Early examples were single-masted and were largely used for fishing for cod by rod and line. By the seventeenth century, two-masted doggers were common and were using trawl nets. Doggers were slow but sturdy vessels, capable of fishing in the rough conditions of the North Sea.

## Name

[edit]

The boats were used for fishing for cod, now called kabeljauw in Dutch, but in that era the name dogge or doggevis was more common. Dutch boats were ubiquitous in the North Sea, and the word dogger was given to the rich fishing grounds where they often fished, which became known as the Dogger Bank. The sea area in turn gave its name to the later design of boat that commonly fished that area, and so became associated with this specific design rather than the generic Dutch trawlers.[1]

## Design

[edit]

The dogger was a development of the ketch. It was gaff-rigged on the main-mast, and carried a lug sail on the mizzen, with two jibs on a long bowsprit. The boats were generally short, wide-beamed and small, and were used for trawling or line fishing on the Dogger Bank. The name "dogger" was effectively synonymous with ketch from the early seventeenth century, until the ketch began to increase in size during the period, eventually rising above 50 tons in the middle of the century.[1]

Doggers were considerably smaller vessels in comparison, usually displacing around 13 tonnes, and carrying around a tonne of bait, three tonnes of salt, and half a tonne each of food and firewood for the crew. Around six tonnes of fish could therefore be carried.[2] They would generally have been around 50 feet (15 m) long, with a maximum beam of 15 feet (4.6 m), and a draught of about 5 feet (1.5 m). They had a rudder rather than a steering oar, and high sides. A decked area forward probably provided limited accommodation for the crew, as well as a storage and cooking area, with a similar area aft. There would have been two small anchors, and one main anchor to allow for extended periods fishing in the same spot, in waters up to 60 feet (18 m) deep. The dogger would also have carried a small open boat to maintain the lines and serve as a tender.[2]

## Significance

[edit]

Doggers were slow but sturdy vessels, capable of fishing in the rough conditions of the North Sea.[2] Some doggers were even used as military vessels, and fitted with cannon. The Royal Navy was one such operator, using doggers as support vessels during the seventeenth century.[3] They could also be used for short trading voyages, ranging into the English Channel. In 1646, during the English Civil War, the Parliamentary commander of the ship Andrew, a man named W. Batten, wrote to his superior

> Sir, I believe the castle of Pendennis will not be long out of our hands; a dogger boat with four guns I have taken, whereof one Kedgwin of Penzant was captain, a notable active knave against the Parliament, and had the King's commission; and now would fain be a merchant man, and was balasted with salt and had divers letters in her for Pendennis castle.[4]

## See also

[edit]

* Herring buss

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b Peter Kemp, ed. (1976). The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea. Oxford. p. 256\. ISBN 978-0192820846.
2. ^ a b c Fagan, Brian. "Chapter 10: "Bucking the Trades"". Popular Writings About Archaeology. Archived from the original on 19 August 2008.
3. ^ Colledge
4. ^ Burke, John (838). A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Commoners of Great Britain and Ireland. p. 288.

## Further reading

[edit]

* Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben (2006) [1969]. Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy (Rev. ed.). London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN 978-1-86176-281-8.

* v
* t
* e

Fishing vessels

Commercial|

* Commercial fishing boats
* Drifters
* Factory ships
* Fishing fleet
* Longliners
* Research vessels
* Seiners
* Trawlers
* Whalers

Traditional|

* Traditional fishing boats
* Armadahan
* Awang
* Bagan
* Bago
* Bangka
* Basnigan
* Bawley
* Bigiw
* Bokkura
* Brixham trawler
* Caïque
* Camakau
* Cape Islander
* Chasse-marée
* Chhot
* Coble
* Coracle
* Couta
* Currach
* Dhoni
* Dogger
* Dugout
* Falkuša
* Felucca
* Fembøring
* Ferilla
* Fifie
* Frejgatina
* Friendship sloop
* Gableboat
* Galway hooker
* Herring buss
* Ipanitika
* Jongkong
* Jangada
* Jukung
* Junkun
* Kajjik
* Kaep
* Kakap
* Kolae
* Korkor
* Kulibo
* Lakana
* Lepa
* Lepa-lepa
* Lis-alis
* Londe
* Lugger
* Luzzu
* Mackinaw
* Mayang
* Monterey clipper
* Nobby
* Nordland
* Ontang
* Orembai
* Owong
* Paduwang
* Pajala
* Panineman
* Paopao
* Paraw
* Patorani
* Pelang
* Perahu payang
* Peter boat
* Pirogue
* Poveiro
* Pump boat
* Reed boat
* Sandeq
* Salambaw
* Sampan
* Sgoth
* Shad boat
* Sixareen
* Smack
* Sneakbox
* Takia
* Tatara
* Tataya
* Va'a
* Vinta
* Voadeira
* Wa
* Waka
* Well smack
* Tipnol
* Yawl
* Yoal

Dories|

* Banks
* Cape Ann
* Gloucester
* McKenzie River
* Swampscott

Oyster boats|

* Bugeye
* Buy-boat
* Deadrise
* Log canoe
* Pungy
* Schooners
* Sharpie
* Skipjack

Recreational|

* Bass boat
* Farley

Builders and designers|

* Philip C. Bolger

* Category

* v
* t
* e

Fisheries and fishing topic areas

Fisheries|

* Aquaculture
* Diversity of fish
* Fish diseases and parasites
* Fish farming
* Fisheries management
* Fisheries science
* Individual fishing quota
* Sustainable fishery
* Overfishing
* Wild fisheries

Fishing|

* Artisanal fishing
* Fisherman
* Fishing vessel
* History of fishing

Industry|

* List of harvested aquatic animals by weight
* By country
* Commercial fishing
* Marketing
* Markets
* Processing
* Products
* Seafood

Recreation|

* Angling
* Big-game fishing
* Catch and release
* Fishing tournaments
* Fly fishing

Techniques|

* Destructive fishing practices
* Fish trap
* Fishfinder
* Fishing net
* Gathering seafood by hand
* Handline fishing
* Spearfishing
* Trawling
* Trolling

Tackle|

* Artificial flies
* Bait
* Bite indicators
* Hook
* Line
* Lures
* Rod
* Sinker

Locations|

* Fish ponds
* Fishing banks
* Fishing villages
* Marine habitats

Crime|

* Bering Sea Anti-Poaching Operations
* Coral poaching
* Freshwater eel poaching and smuggling
* Illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing
* Arctic

* Glossary
* Index
* Outline
* Category

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template