VESSEL REVIEW | Le Canot – French owner welcomes new scallop trawler to fleet

Armement L'Écume, a family-owned fishing company based in France, has expanded its fleet with the recent acquisition of a new shellfish trawler built by local shipyard Plastimer.

The custom-built Le Canot (“The Canoe”) has a length of 11.9 metres (39 feet), a beam of five metres (16 feet), a gross tonnage of 18, a total installed power of 184 kW (247 hp), and a hybrid design consisting of a monohull bow combined with a catamaran stern for stability. This design was developed by Plastimer’s founders and directors, husband and wife Jean-Bernard and Monique Furstenberger, in close cooperation with L'Écume owner and boat skipper Nicolas Erhel.

Le Canot is the third vessel to be acquired by the company, and it was designed to have a long service life to ensure it can also be handed over later to future generations, beginning with Erhel's own son and nephews. Construction of the vessel lasted 17 months.

Built for year-round fishing using various methods

The vessel will be used to catch a variety of shellfish such as scallops using a combination of trawls and dredges though space will also be available for longlining and potting gear, and it is easy to switch from one type of fishing method to another depending on the time of year. This versatility means the crew can adapt to different seasonal quotas without a change in vessel or having to load specific equipment selections as needed.

Erhel had also requested an ergonomic onboard layout to ensure safe working conditions. The owner then collaborated with the builder, and inputs from both parties were considered as the design was being finalised.

Le Canot will be homeported in Erquy. In addition to catching shellfish, the vessel will also be used to catch whitefish off the Brittany coast.