Harpoon gun

M00337

Harpoon gun

 

Harpoon gun on board a whaler at Ronas Voe. Svend Foyn, a Norwegian master mariner developed the first steam whale catcher which could chase, kill and recover blue and fin whales. Prior to this, only small whales, such as the sperm, right and humpback, could be caught. These smaller whales were a manageable size, and also float when they're dead. The harpoon cannon was fixed to the bow of the boat, and fired a harpoon with an explosive head and a rope attached to it. The rope passed through a system of pulleys and springs to absorb the shock of the harpooned and diving whale. A steam winch was used to haul the harpoon, and the whale, back in. This type of harpoon and whale catcher became the foundation of the modern whaling industry.

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