National Fisherman

Paul Molyneaux

Editor

Paul Molyneaux is the Boats & Gear editor for National Fisherman.

Author Archive

The Michael and Kristin, a 65-foot offshore lobsterboat built in 1982 at Gladding and Hearn, hauled out on the 400-ton Syncrolift at Rose Marine in Gloucester. “We’re putting a new shaft in,” says Frank Rose, company owner and head of operations. Photo co

Rose Marine serves the industry with a large inventory of propeller shafts

Russ Mullins brought his whale rope to the 2025 PME in Seattle. Mullins launched Pacific Rope Works in 2025 as regulations began to kick in requiring Dungeness crab fishermen to use colored rope specific to their particular state. Photo courtesy of Paul M

Pacific Ropeworks helps fishermen save whales and money

Jeremy Zirlott, of Bayou la Batre, Alabama, buys from his three boats and two others. He packs his own shrimp and is pushing up his wholesale prices to try to get more money to the boats as fuel prices rise. “I also preach fuel efficiency,” he says. Photo

Fishermen weigh fuel costs against the catch

The 52-foot-high door in the Belliveau repair shop enables the yard to haul in vessels without having to take down any superstructure, which might turn a quick repair into a lengthier project. Photo courtesy Troy Channing

Strong and seaworthy boats are the pride of Belliveau Shipyard

The Longsoaker timed-release bait container can keep a crab pot fishing even when boats can’t get out to bait their traps. According to its creator, Russ Mullins, the Longsoaker can increase catches by anywhere from 25 to 45 percent. Longsoaker photo.

The Longsoaker promises to bait your pots automatically

Turning the former tuna boat Anela into a salmon tender turned out to be a much bigger undertaking than Kris Mullan expected. But for Mullan, who saw the boat launched in Tacoma in 1971, it’s been a labor of love. Angel Marine photo.

Boat of the Month: Anela

Karl Jordan’s salmon troller, the Samara waiting for the tide to refloat her. For two and a half years before 2025, Sitka had no local haulout and fisherman relied on the grid for whatever work they could do between the tides. Photo courtesy of Eric Jorda

In Sitka the tide provides an economical haul-out alternative

The SIMRAD SY60 is the second-generation SIMRAD omni sonar suited for 8” trunk installations. Photo courtesy of Simrad

More range and resolution with Simrad’s new SY60 omni sonar

Charting a course for electric boats on Maine’s coast

Gene Mafucci bought the Vivian in 1985 and made repairs and replaced the engine with help from his father, Gene, seen with the boat in front of their home on Tomales Bay, California. They used the tide to do things like paint the bottom. Photo courtesy of

At Marshall Boat Works, Gene Maffucci keeps his wooden boat afloat