boats with the blue tarp!

[double3fd]

i launched out of the atlantic highlands and fished for the first time last week.  all i saw were the same looking boats with two white poles and a blue tarp used as a sail or something.  what the heck are they doing??? 

[Uncle Luna]

Those are clammers raking for clams

[Salty Dog]

The clammers set those up to help them move a little.It acts like a sail,this way their not raking the same area over again.

[Luna Sea 5]

 

[IrishAyes]

I used to see them all the time when my boat was in the Highlands. I always thought it was to shade them. Oh silly me. 

[PeggyLee]

Acts as a sail,provides some movement.
Clark Gable used one to collect water(in that movie)remember.He went thirsty!

[Mr Limpett]

I always wondered about those guy's. Do they work for someone who owns the boat? Do they work for themselves? Do they "Lease" the boat? How many clams do they usually get per day? There are 2 men in each boat,doesn't that reduce their profit by a lot? Is the work as back breaking as it looks? Are the clams used for bait or something? they can't be edible by humans, right?
Jeez, that's a lot of questions. I remember that when I had the boat, fishing for stripers down current from them worked a lot.
Mr Limpett