401.—(1) A fishing boat’s agreement shall be signed by each seaman, and the skipper shall cause the agreement to be read over and explained to each seaman, or otherwise ascertain that each seaman understands the same before he signs it, and shall attest each signature.

(2) When the crew is first engaged the agreement shall be signed in duplicate, and one part shall be sent by the skipper to the superintendent at the port of departure and retained by him, and the other part shall be retained by the skipper, and shall contain a special place for the descriptions and signatures of substitutes, or persons engaged subsequently to the first departure of the fishing boat.

(3) Where a substitute is engaged in the place of a seaman who has signed the agreement, and whose services are lost by death, desertion, failure to join, or other unforeseen cause, the skipper shall, before the fishing boat puts to sea, if practicable, and if not as soon afterwards as possible, cause the agreement to be read over and explained to the substitute, and the substitute shall thereupon sign the same in the presence of the skipper who shall attest the signature.