A spreading device for spreading gear, including fishing gear or seismic survey gear, towed behind a vessel in water, comprising a hollow body of concavo-convex shape and made of plastics material. The body has a general mirror symmetry about a plane which is substantially mid-height and/or mid-length in the body in use. The body has a fore-and-aft to top-to-bottom aspect ratio of between 1:2 and 4:1, and an inner concave side and an outer convex side. The device has a forward towing point on the inner concave side for a tow line to the vessel and aft towing point for attachment of the gear to be towed. The plastic material of the hollow body renders the body buoyant in water and enables ballast or additional buoyancy to be added.

Paravane for floating barrier A paravane (20) including at least one foil with a first side, a second side, a leading end, a trailing end, a top and a bottom, wherein at least one foil is straight (1) and at least one second foil is curved (2), where one side of the straight foil and the other side of the curving foil are interconnected by a number of stays (3), where at least one foil is connected at the top to at least a first buoyant body (10) and that at least the one plane at the bottom is connected to at least one ballast element (13), and that at the second side of the straight foil there are at least one towline (8) and a tow eye (9) by which there is achieved a paravane (20) that can keep an arrangement of lines, nets, floats in a water body in a position suitable for performing the task.

A trawl door used for trawl fishing, and more particularly, a trawl door adapted for stable and efficient operation. The door is equipped with moveable plate members (44) mounted on an outer panel (18) of the trawl door, hereby controlling an opening (42) in the outer panel and as a result controlling the lift of the trawl door.

A trawl door used for trawl fishing, and more particularly, a trawl door adapted for stable and efficient operation. The door is equipped with moveable plate members (44) mounted on an outer panel (18) of the trawl door, hereby controlling an opening (42) in the outer panel and as a result controlling the lift of the trawl door.

There is provided a spreading device (100) for trawl fishing and seismic survey operations. The device has an upper frame (111), an intermediate frame (113) and a lower frame (112). There are at least two upper panels (22, 23) between the upper and intermediate frames, and at least two lower panels (22, 23) between the intermediate and lower frames. One of the upper panels and one of the lower panels adjustable in its angle of attack with respect to other panels. There is provided a manual means for adjusting the angle of attack of the adjustable panels.

An apparatus for spreading the mouth of a bottom trawl comprising an array of flexible foil shaped kites that is capable of being mounted proximate to a wing of the bottom trawl, and wherein each of the kites in the array of flexible foil shaped kites has the same chord length and comprises: a middle kite foil section having an outer profile shape (preferably substantially a NACA 5319 shape) that is capable of assisting in spreading the mouth of the bottom trawl when in use, and having pockets extending longitudinally therethrough that house rope or wire of varying diameter, and a first and second endplate attached at each of a first and second distal end of the middle kite foil section respectively for maintaining a desired rigidity of the kite foil section, said first and second endplates having openings there through in communication with the pockets of the middle kite foil section, such that the rope or wire of varying diameter securely extends through said openings in the first and second endplate.

An apparatus for spreading the mouth of a bottom trawl comprising an array of flexible foil shaped kites that is capable of being mounted proximate to a wing of the bottom trawl, and wherein each of the kites in the array of flexible foil shaped kites has the same chord length and comprises: a middle kite foil section having an outer profile shape (preferably substantially a NACA 5319 shape) that is capable of assisting in spreading the mouth of the bottom trawl when in use, and having pockets extending longitudinally therethrough that house rope or wire of varying diameter, and a first and second endplate attached at each of a first and second distal end of the middle kite foil section respectively for maintaining a desired rigidity of the kite foil section, said first and second endplates having openings there through in communication with the pockets of the middle kite foil section, such that the rope or wire of varying diameter securely extends through said openings in the first and second endplate.

The present invention relates to trawl doors used in trawl fishing, including shallow water trawl fishing applications, deep water trawl fishing applications, bottom trawl fishing applications as well as at pelagic trawl fishing applications. The invention also relates to seismic surveillance line spreading and spreading of other items towed in water. The present application provides a novel trawl door design with improved stability and efficiency. The inventors are able to demonstrate smaller angles of attack using the trawl door of the present invention, which is as little as 7.5 degrees.

The present invention relates to trawl doors used in trawl fishing, including shallow water trawl fishing applications, deep water trawl fishing applications, bottom trawl fishing applications as well as at pelagic trawl fishing applications. The invention also relates to seismic surveillance line spreading and spreading of other items towed in water. The present application provides a novel trawl door design with improved stability and efficiency. The inventors are able to demonstrate smaller angles of attack using the trawl door of the present invention, which is as little as 7.5 degrees.

A trawl door forms a height and a length and has several curved and overlapping plates including a leading plate which extend in the height direction. The trawl door forms a towing face having a towing bracket and an opposite trawl face having a bridle bracket. The trawl door has at least one regulation means for adjusting a hydrodynamic surface of the trawl door. The regulation means has at least one through opening or at least one cut out, a hatch displaceable in the length direction and a hatch actuator, where the hatch covers the through opening or the cut out when the hatch is in a closed position, and the regulation means is positioned on the towing face of the leading plate.