Commercial fishing looks a little different than it did a century ago – and few companies know that better than Hampidjan, the trawler equipment supplier founded in 1934. Originally a manufacturer of nets, ropes, and long lines for fishing fleets based in its native Iceland, Hampidjan has evolved into one of the world’s largest makers of fishing gear and high-tech ropes, with sites on four continents.
And with its policy of relentless product development, reputation for working at the cutting edge of technology, and wealth of quality and safety certifications, the company is a natural partner for Dyneema®! The highlight of our collaboration? DynIce® Warp lines, made with Dyneema® fiber.
DynIce® Warps are heatset and stretched with a specially molded core to make them highly compact and stiff. The high-strength lines have extremely low elongation and high cross-sectional stability, giving them similar qualities to steel wires – but at a much lower weight. In fact, a set of 40 mm-diameter DynIce® Warps weighs only 4 tonnes, while a set of comparable steel warps weighs in at around 25 tonnes. But they offer much more than just impressive weight savings…
1. Greater efficiency and productivity
With DynIce® Warp lines, the full trawl opening can be achieved sooner, since the doors to which the warps are attached – responsible for effecting the horizontal spread of the net – don’t have to square out the weight of steel wire. As a result, the same spread can be achieved with smaller doors, or larger doors can be positioned at a lower angle, resulting in less drag.
2. Longer lifetime for greater cost savings
Steel warps generally only last for around two years in Iceland and Norway, since they’re used more or less constantly. In Ireland and Scotland, where ships generally only trawl for two or three months of the year, they can last for up to five years, but their lifetime is still limited by corrosion. The durability and reliability of Dyneema® fiber, however, means DynIce® Warp lines don’t rust or degrade as steel warps do – so they can be used for more than five years, even in Icelandic conditions.
3. Easier trawling at the surface
DynIce® Warps help avoid trawlers’ tendency to collapse during turning, because the sinking effect of heavy steel wire is absent. It’s also easier and faster for crews to pull the trawl up, to avoid debris on the sea floor, and to catch fish higher in the water. Plus, the warp length close to the surface can be longer, enabling more distance between the vessel and its trawl and thus minimizing the potential damage to sensitive species such as herring and mackerel. And as if all that wasn’t enough, the reduced stern load makes it easy to improve sea-keeping qualities and speed.
4. Improved safety
Compared to steel warps, DynIce® Warps have a greatly reduced safety risk from backlash and line breakages. There’s also no risk of steel wire sticking out from the warps and potentially causing hand injuries to the vessel’s crew.
5. Minimal maintenance and superior handling
Finally, the Dyneema® fiber in Hampidjan’s DynIce® Warps means the lines are much less abrasive on blocks and wire guiders than steel alternatives, with less scratching on inner winch drum flanges and no lubrication required. The warps can easily be spliced, too, for maximum convenience. Less damage means less maintenance – saving fishing operations time and money.
Coming with such a long and varied list of advantages, Dyneema®-based DynIce® Warp lines are the obvious choice for commercial fishing vessels and fleets in Icelandic waters and beyond. Together, Hampidjan and Dyneema® are delivering fishing solutions fit for the 21st century!
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