The vessels used to hunt whales did more than
transport their crews; they were part of the weaponry itself and
embodied the best possible design for the task.
he Basques used small, sturdy
and very seaworthy whaleboats called chalupas to approach their
resting prey. A harpooned whale would flee and drag the boat containing
its attackers behind it. The whaleboat acted as a drag, slowing and
tiring the whale until, exhausted, it could be killed. The basic design
of the chalupa was widely adopted by others and endured for
centuries.
Hunting whales, 18th century
(Source: Henri-Louis Duhamel du Monceau, Traité
général des pesches et histoire des poisons,
Paris, 1777.)
Modern whaling technology dispensed with the use of whaleboats and used
motorized whaleships as platforms for powerful deck guns. The masts of
these catcher ships worked with easing gear to prevent the harpoon lines
from snapping from the tensions to which they were subjected as the
whale struggled to escape.
Whalers on their way to the hunt, 1904
(Courtesy: National Archives of Canada
C-24523)
Date Created: May 18, 2001 | Last Updated: April 30, 2010
he Basques used small, sturdy
and very seaworthy whaleboats called chalupas to approach their
resting prey. A harpooned whale would flee and drag the boat containing
its attackers behind it. The whaleboat acted as a drag, slowing and
tiring the whale until, exhausted, it could be killed. The basic design
of the chalupa was widely adopted by others and endured for
centuries.
