the boats were typically between 17 and , with no deck. the mast was tall and made of soursop wood, with mainsails made of 8 ounce duck cloth and jibs of 7 ounce "duck". three times a week they would leave their villages before dawn and set fish traps at reefs along the length of the island. usual catches included grouper, butterfish, goatfish, grunt, snapper, oldwife and hammerheads (a blue fish which is now rarely seen). the fish were sold in "straps" (six to eight pounds of fish strung together through the gills) for between two and four pence. as refrigeration was unavailable at the time, boats were required to reach shore before midday to sell their catch quickly.