Multihull fishing vessel and method of use

Abstract

The invention is directed to a fishing vessel and a method of menhaden fishing. The fishing vessel comprises catamaran or multi-hulled type boat or ship used as a purse boat. The fishing vessel is outfitted with a jet propulsion drive system and also has various equipment necessary for handling the purse seine, such as with an articulated crane necessary to manipulate the seine or fishing net and partially lift it out of the water, a purse winch, and a tom winch. The fishing vessel can be transported by a steamer boat and once in the fishing area is launched or it can be navigated to the fishing grounds. Once the fish are caught, the fish are unloaded from the seine or fishing net using a vacuum transfer device and stored in a refrigerated storage area on the steamer.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A vessel for purse seine fishing, the vessel comprising:
 a pair of laterally spaced, longitudinally extending hulls,   a main deck;   a purse winch disposed on one side of the main deck, the purse winch having at least one drum used to retrieve the purse line;   a tom winch located on the main deck, the tom winch having a drum used to retrieve a tom; and   a crane located on the main deck, the crane including a power block.   
     
     
         2 . The vessel of  claim 1  further comprising a jet propulsion system. 
     
     
         3 . The vessel of  claim 2 , wherein the jet propulsion system is a TRAKTOR Jet 610 HT jet propulsion system. 
     
     
         4 . The vessel of  claim 2 , wherein the jet propulsion system is powered by a diesel engine. 
     
     
         5 . The vessel of  claim 2 , wherein the jet propulsion system is powered by a gasoline engine. 
     
     
         6 . The vessel of  claim 4 , wherein the diesel engine is a Cummins QSM11 diesel engine. 
     
     
         7 . The vessel of  claim 1 , further comprising a fuel storage tank, wherein the fuel storage take is located within the main deck of the vessel. 
     
     
         8 . The vessel of  claim 1 , wherein the purse winch is located on the port side of the vessel. 
     
     
         9 . The vessel of  claim 8 , wherein the tom winch is located on the starboard side of the vessel.