Abstract: A rope has a braided sheath that includes a spiraling strand having a greater pitch in comparison with a pitch exhibited by other strands of a coverbraid that encloses that rope's strength member core. The rope is useful for forming pelagic trawl mesh, and is stronger for a given amount of material, has less drag, and exhibits the same or bettered lift when towed through water at trawl mesh angles of attack. The rope also is less costly to manufacture in comparison to known helix rope constructions.

Abstract: A rope has a braided sheath that includes a spiraling strand having a greater pitch in comparison with a pitch exhibited by other strands of a coverbraid that encloses that rope's strength member core. The rope is useful for forming pelagic trawl mesh, and is stronger for a given amount of material, has less drag, and exhibits the same or bettered lift when towed through water at trawl mesh angles of attack. The rope also is less costly to manufacture in comparison to known helix rope constructions.

Abstract: A rope has a braided sheath that includes a spiraling strand having a greater pitch in comparison with a pitch exhibited by other strands of a coverbraid that encloses that rope's strength member core. The rope is useful for forming pelagic trawl mesh, and stronger for a given amount of material, as less drag, and exhibits the same or bettered lift when towed through water at trawl mesh angles of attack. The rope also is less costly to manufacture in comparison to known helix rope constructions.

Abstract: Methods are provided for forming a spliced eye (220) of a sling (222) made from a rope that includes a core rope (37) and includes a braided sheath (398).

Abstract: A rope has a braided sheath that includes a spiraling strand having a greater pitch in comparison with a pitch exhibited by other strands of a coverbraid that encloses that rope's strength member core. The rope is useful for forming pelagic trawl mesh, and is stronger for a given amount of material, has less drag, and exhibits the same or bettered lift when towed through water at trawl mesh angles of attack. The rope also is less costly to manufacture in comparison to known helix rope costructions.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides for a rope that is useful for forming mesh in pelagic trawls, that is stronger for a given amount of material, has lesser drag, is capable of exhibiting same or bettered lift when subjected to water flow at trawl mesh angles of attack, while also being less costly to manufacture, in comparison to known helix rope constructions. Most broadly the construction of the rope of the present disclosure includes a spiraling strand having a greater pitch in comparison to a pitch exhibited by other strands forming the braided sheath that forms the coverbraid about a strength member core.

Abstract: Methods are provided for forming a spliced eye (220) of a sling (222) made from a rope that includes a core rope (37) and includes a braided sheath (398).

Abstract: A method is provided for forming a high strength synthetic rope useful for towing warps, trawler warps, yachting ropes, mooring lines, anchor lines, oil derrick anchoring lines, seismic lines, seismic lines and any other uses for rope, cable or chain.

Abstract: From a first aspect, a method is provided for forming a helix rope for a trawl comprising the steps of: a) situating upon a portion of a rope a bead of a substance being selected from a group consisting of: (i) a liquid substance; and (ii) a semi-liquid substance. From a second aspect, a helix rope (35) is provided for forming portions of a pelagic trawl, the helix rope comprising a braided sheath (398) formed of greater than sixteen strands (397), whereby drag is reduced. From a third aspect, a method is provided for forming a high strength synthetic rope useful for towing warps, trawler warps, yachting ropes, mooring lines, anchoring lines, oil derrick anchoring lines, seismic lines, paravane lines, and any other uses for rope, cable or chain.

Abstract: An improved trawl door (10) is adapted for being towed through water both at shallower and at larger angles of attack. The trawl door (10) includes at least one main deflector (24, 25) having a profile (46) formed by an inner surface (48) and an outer surface (47). The profile (46) spans a chord length “C” that extends along a Chord Direction Line (83) between leading and trailing edges (12, 14) of the main deflector (24, 25). The trawl door also includes at least one leading edge slat (20, 22) at least a portion of which is located in front of the outer surface (47) of the main deflector. The trawl door (10) in one aspect is characterized by an acute angle of inclination (91, 92) between a chord line (81, 82) of the leading edge slat (20, 22) and the Chord Direction Line (83) that is at least thirty-five degrees) (35°). The trawl door (10) in another aspect is characterized by having an aspect ratio of at least two to one (2.0:1.0).

Abstract: Netting (15) includes mesh bars (26) made from twines (11, 13) which possess physical properties that vary, change or alternate along a series of collinear mesh bars (26). The non-homogeneous media obtained by arranging in this way mesh bars (26) having varying physical properties may be configured to dampen or attenuate vibrations in the netting (15) such as harmonic oscillations (resonance). Furthermore, twines (11, 13) that attenuate vibrations may be chosen that also reduce the amount of material required to make netting (15) which has strength similar to or greater than conventional machine-made netting (15). Due to reduced vibration, the improved netting (15) lasts longer than conventional machine-made netting (15), and reduces the possibility of injury to fish which escape through a trawl's mesh cell openings.

Abstract: The present invention includes an improved method of making knotted netting panels (62) in which pairs of mesh bars (66) are knotted at intersections between lines (22, 34). The improved method includes forming a first loop (24) in the line (22) through which the line (34) helixes to form a second loop 36). Another aspect is improved knotted netting which includes at least two continuous lengths of line (22, 34) that form pairs of mesh bars (66) that are knotted together using the knot described above. A final aspect of the invention is an improved trawl that includes improved knotted netting made from twines (22, 34) that have a lay direction (IIZ” or lIS”). The lay direction (IIZ” or lIS”) of twines (22, 34) are opposite to the direction (lIS” or IIZ”) of loops forming the knots. Cambered sections (41) in the lay direction twines (22, 34) which face outward from an outer surface of the improved trawl are oriented generally toward the front and back of the trawl.

Abstract: The technical field of the invention generally concerns pelagic trawls used for catching large tonnages of insignificant air-bladder fish, where narrow, long cod-ends are necessary. The trawl backend of the present invention is designed so as to preclude narrowing of the backend's opening in the region of attachment of the backend to the normally narrow and constrictive codend of the Alaska Pollock Fisheries. The back end design maintains sufficient trawl back end opening so as to optimize fish flow during the entire catch period, with a circumferential stretch measure in that aft portion of the backend bordering the seam with the codend being significantly greater than the average circumferential stretch measure of the codend at the seam to the backend. Light gores are mainly are used in the backend with ribline ropes of pre-determined elongation abilities. Economy of fishing operations is thus improved and ecological conditions are enhanced.

Abstract: Netting (15) includes mesh bars (26) made from twines (11, 13) which possess physical properties that vary, change or alternate along a series of collinear mesh bars (26). The non-homogeneous media obtained by arranging in this way mesh bars (26) having varying physical properties may be configured to dampen or attenuate vibrations in the netting (15) such as harmonic oscillations (resonance). Furthermore, twines (11, 13) that attenuate vibrations may be chosen that also reduce the amount of material required to make netting (15) which has strength similar to or greater than conventional machine-made netting (15). Due to reduced vibration, the improved netting (15) lasts longer than conventional machine-made netting (15), and reduces the possibility of injury to fish which escape through a trawl's mesh cell openings.