:''For other uses see
whalers.''

A steam powered whaler with harpoon canon from Sept-ÃŽles (
Quebec), about 1900.
A 'whaler' (or whale catcher) is a specialized kind of ship, designed for catching whales.
Whalers of the
nineteenth century Moby Dick whaling era in the Pacific were often
bark-rigged wooden sailing vessels of 250 to 350 tons, with a
tryworks on board for processing the whale blubber into oil.
Early
20th century whalers displaced approximately 200 tons, and mounted a
harpoon firing cannon on the forecastle. A
catwalk allowed the gunner fast access to gun.
Early 20th century whalers would tow their whales to a nearby, shore-based, whaling station, like
Grytviken,
South Georgia. Later in the 20th century the whalers in a whaling fleet would tow their kills to a large
factory ship for processing.
The very successful
World War II Flower Class corvettes were based on the design of the whaler ''
Southern Pride''.
See also
★
Whaling
★ ''
Jason''
★ ''
Southern Actor''
★
List of ships built at Framnæs shipyard