THE Santa Joana, shown above, is unusually interesting because she is the first large diesel-driven Portuguese trawler, and one of the largest fishing craft so far built with the Maierform hull shape; she is, moreover, the first motor trawler to be fitted with two diesels geared to a single shaft. Built for fishing on the Grand Banks, she is almost a cargo ship in size, having a length between perpendiculars of 208 feet, a beam moulded of 34 ft 9½ in, a depth to the main deck of 19 ft 4¾ in, and a maximum draught in fully-laden condition of 17 ft 10¾ in. The deadweight tonnage is 1,430 tons, and the gross tonnage about 1,230 tons. She has provision for a crew of forty-five.
The fish space, comprising four holds, has a capacity of about 45,000 cubic feet, each hold being served by a small fish hatch on the deck. There is also a cod-liver oil tank, capable of carrying thirty tons, placed underneath the steering engine compartment. The fuel capacity of this ship is large, the two main fuel oil tanks, separated by a coffer-darn from the fish hold, each having a capacity of 109 tons. Underneath the main motors there are two further fuel tanks with a capacity of 29 tons, and underneath these, at the forward end, are two lubricating oil tanks of 3 tons capacity apiece. Thanks to the arrangement of machinery adopted, there are also further fuel oil tanks above the main shaft at the after end of the machinery space, each having a capacity of 55 tons. This means that the ship can engage in long fishing voyages without refuelling.
Propulsion is by means of two Guldner four-cycle single acting airless injection engines developing a total of 900 indicated horse-power, and driving a single -screw through reduction gear and Vulcan hydraulic couplings. On trials the Santa Joana attained a speed of 13.2 knots. The ability to cut out one engine, should necessity arise, makes for economic running at low speeds. In every way the Santa Joana is a most up-to-date and efficient fishing craft.
