The Galway hooker (Irish: huiceir) is a traditional fishing boat used in Galway Bay and along the Connemara Coast. The first recorded mention of a Galway Hooker comes from 1790 and is found in Hardimans history. The Bad Mor is the biggest of the 4 Galway Hooker types. They are between 10.5 to 13.5 metres (35 to 44 feet) in length. The hooker is primarily a cargo vessel (turf and limestone) and is specifically designed for the sea and wind conditions found off the west coast of Galway. They are identified by their sharp, clean entry, bluff bow, marked tumble-home and raked transom. Its sail plan consists of a single mast with a main sail and two foresails. Traditionally, the boat is black (being coated in pitch) and the sails are a dark red-brown. Connemara fishermen bought their hookers from the Claddagh until they began to make their own at Mweenish Island. When the Irish settlers at Boston USA needed fishing craft, they built the hooker that they knew from home. These boats became known as Boston Hookers, Irish Cutters in official reports, or Paddy Boats.
