Chapter 4 (headpiece)
Chapter 4 (headpiece)
DESCRIPTION OF TYPES OF VESSELS
Drop cap, A
Afew sketches, taken from old engravings and descriptions, have been added to the plates of this work. They give an idea of the development of the ship from 1200 to 1600 inclusive. Reference is made, for more details in regard to them to the preceding chapters. As the drawings refer to the period subsequent to 1600, they are all made in accordance with the working drawings.
As has been repeated many times over, the old forms will have to be sought in the small types of vessels. Ships of war will, therefore, be set aside, while large merchant men will receive only a passing mention.
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ThePinasschip(pinnace) is the oldest vessel of which we have any exact description extant. It dates from the first half of the XVIIth century and disappears at its close. This ship had a raking stem, a much developed beakhead and a square stern. The square stern and the beakhead come from the South; furthermore, this vessel is descended from the one of the XVIth century; its size however was greater and it carried cannons.
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TheVlieboot(flyboat), which is found as far back as 1600, is very bulging and has a narrowed deck. From this type is derived the “Fluit” (flute) which bulges still more in order to profit by the way in which boats used to be gauged in Denmark.
An ordinary “flute” was 130 feet long, 26½ feet beam and 13 feet 5 inches deep. It had no beakhead at first, but the larger flutes, built later on, had one in imitation of the square sterned ships.
These vessels were used for various purposes and underwent many changes on this account. It is for this reason that the “East Indian flute” was more strongly built than the one which traded in the ports of the Baltic Sea. Let it be said, among other things, that the iron futtocks of the channels are doubled in order to reinforce the rigging, while their projections aft are made larger so as to obtain more spacious staterooms. In the matter of this enlargement, they were strengthened from the inside by means of iron ribs and bands (WITSEN, p. 159). In the beginning of the XVIIth century and until 1640, these vessels and generally all East Indian ships were built open forward and without quarters for the crew, whose bunks and hammocks were placed on either side of the ship.
The flutes were known as good sailers. Their slender construction gave little hold for the wind; they carried three masts and the well known rigging of the XVIIth century. Those which went for grain in the Baltic Sea, were rather smaller than the others; they were called “Oostvaerders” or “Oostervaerder”. Their dimensions were: length, 125 feet; beam, 25 feet; depth, 12 feet; or else: 115, 23½ and 11½ feet; or again 100, 22 and 11 feet; and carried cargoes respectively of 200, 150 or 100 “lasts.” (1 last = 2 metric tons). Most of them had no beakhead. Some idea of the importance of our traffic with the Baltic Sea can be formed when it is stated that, in 1604, 400 “Oostvaerders” were lying at the same time in front of Amsterdam. In less than a fortnight they were unloaded, reloaded and ready to retake the sea. (WITSEN, p. 448.)
The “Noordvaerders” or “Noortsvaerders” were also flutes, but two feet deeper than the “Oostvaerders”, because more space was needed for loading the wood (WITSEN, p. 160) which they had gone to seek in Norway. Their beam was, as a rule, one-fifth of their length. They were massive and solid like the“Oostvaerders”. (WITSEN, p. 53.) but had no beakhead. When the continual wars are considered, the vessels trading with the Baltic Sea had smaller crews than those trading with the West. (WITSEN, p. 160.)
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The “Katschepen” are descended from the “boeier” and the “fluit”. They are therefore vessels of marked curves. As they were often used in shoal water the bottom was very flat and, furthermore, it was very angular all around the edge. They were known as poor sailers, but they carried a large cargo. WITSENsays (p. 163) that their slowness earned for them the name of “asses” rather than that of “kats”.
It had no beakhead; there were a forecastle, and a cabin. The tiller, which was manœuvred underneath the cabin, had no extension bar. These vessels were built most generally of pitch-pine.
All the types mentioned above have the stern of a flute, that is to say: they are square sterned, which is characteristic of the old Dutch naval construction.
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The pinnace gave the “Oost-Indisch Compagnieschip” (ship of the East India Company). Its stern was rounded. As a merchant ship, it was heavily armed and was often used as a man-of-war in case of need. The plate of our album showing this vessel gives a good idea of the form and construction, hence, more detailed explanations are superfluous. Let it be mentioned only that the stern is very much ornamented, that there is a beakhead and that the length of the deck is greater than that of the “flutes”. It carried three masts and the ordinary sails and rigging.
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The vessel of the same kind, but smaller in size and with two masts only, was called “Snauwschip” (rind). It is met with frequently in Flanders. WITSENcounts the rinds as among inland vessels (p. 170).
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The “Boeier” belongs to an isolated type of boats carrying on their traffic especially with Rouen. It was a flat-bottomed vessel with keel and lee-boards, as it frequented shallow rivers as much as the sea. The lee-boards reached two feet below the keel. The stem was much curved, whence their name of “Kromsteven”.
Judging by the old engravings, the boats of this class had a very high “statie”, which recalls rather the construction of the Mediterranean than that of Holland. Besides, the “Boyer” is not a purely Dutch type, and it is probably descended from a Mediterranean type, modified to suit the needs of our country.
Boeiers were built at Rotterdam as “draai-over-boord” with doubtless a raised deck astern, for WITSENsays that they had a small lodgment under the rudder (p. 164.) This author speaks wrongly of a “boeier” or of a “galliot”, for this latter is an entirely different kind of vessel. The “boeiers” were about 86 feet long, 20 feet beam and 9½ feet depth of hold.
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The “Hoeker” (hoy), originally a fishing boat, was already a great deal used toward the middle of XVIIth century, as a merchant ship with one, two or three masts. It was a sea-going vessel, built very solidly, and later equipped for the East Indies, in spite of its relatively small size. It was 80 feet long. The large hoys had a cabin on deck.
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The “Buis” (bush) was also used as a merchant vessel, which sometimes carried three masts, although originally it was only a fishing boat.
The “hoy” and the “bush” will be spoken of again among the fishing vessels. It will be superfluous to say that neither “boeiers”, “hoys” nor “bushes” carried a beakhead.
There should be mentioned also the following three types of vessels which are descendants of those which precede:
The lower part of this vessel is that of a “flute” and the upper part that of a “pinnace”, that is to say: a vessel having a broad deck which increases its capacity.
This vessel is a rather large “flute” which carries a beakhead (WITSEN, p. 168). (A large number of names referring to a same type of vessel arise in this way).
The Stokker is a massive ship with two decks. It has the bow of a “Spiegelschip” and the stern of a “hoy”.
We have received from abroad:
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The frigate occupies an important place especially at the end of the XVIIIth and beginning of the XIXth centuries. It has been seen in the preceding chapter how it came to us. This vessel, rigged in different ways, bore various names, such as: “Gaffelschoener”, “Brigantijn”, “Schoenerbrik”, “Brik”, “Bark”. Reference is made in this connection to the various plates of the collection relating to rig.
When one reads that the King of Denmark stopped, in 1587, more than 600 Dutch ships in the Sound, ships which had all left the Vlie in a day as related by Hendrik Rantzon; see WITSEN, (p. 36), it must not be imagined that they were all large vessels. It is very probable, on the contrary, that most of them were no larger than the kuffs and hoys of the present time. It is easy to form an idea of the characteristic appearance of the Zuyder Zee, at this period, where the many fishing vessels then in use swarmed about all these ships. The Zuiderzee is well and rightly named therefore the cradle of our shipbuilding art. The little coast towns of the Zuiderzee, with their glorious past, are its witnesses.
Hence, there will be no cause for astonishment that, in the course of the many wars waged between Holland and Friesland and Gelderland, innumerable battles should have been fought on the Zuiderzee. Thus, for example, a naval battle was fought in 1504 between Holland and Gelderland, which was described by Wilhelm Hermszoon, an Augustine monk (WITSEN, appendix, p. 19). This author relates that the Gelderlanders came down the Zwarte Water with a large number of “Kochevers” to surprise the Hollanders, who had seven armed boats. He adds that the Hollanders understood war better than the Gelderlanders, for the latter used only the bow, the cross bow and the sling, and that finally, the largest of the Holland ships having grounded, the Hollanders succeeded in frightening the Gelderlanders so much by firing their arquebusses, that they made them give up the fight.
The same author relates, at another place, that, on the advice of the Spanish merchants, the inhabitants of Amsterdam caused a ship called “Galeoot” to be laid down and that a year was required to build it. This ship could be propelled by sail or with oars. It was handled by 32 rowers. It was called the “Terror of the Zuiderzee”.
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These narratives are interesting in this that, in telling about the battle of the Zuiderzee, a “Kochever” is spoken of, which proves that the “Koch” or “Kogge” and the “Ever” are closely related. They also show that the “Galliot” came to us from abroad. The “Galliot”, like the “Ever”, is still met with to-day; but it is no longer handled by oars.
Our ships of the XVIth century were much smaller also than those of the states to the South; our navigation toward the Baltic was almost exclusively coasting and required smaller vessels.
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The “Galjoot” (galliot) of the XVIth century was built still later in large numbers, and, besides, it is mentioned at all subsequent times. It is probable however that the “galliots” were built later with a more rounded hull like all our ships, for that matter. It is to be noticed, in any event, that the “galliot” of the XVIIIth century displays great analogy with the ordinary “Koftjalk”.
The side of the galliot is more nearly straight and the castles fore and aft are higher. (LECOMTE, p. 18). The vessel is 85 feet long, 21 feet beam and 11 feet deep. The stern and the bow are more rounded than they are in the boeier (WITSEN, p. 165). Thevessel therefore, is one which may not be classed among the Dutch types. The main mast, in one-and two-masted galliots, was placed at one-third the length of the ship from the stem. The ship is a “draai-over-boord”. It had at times the stern of a “flute”, in which case it was called a “Bootschip” or simply a “Boot”. At other times, the upper part was that of a pinnace witha converso[21]so as to increase its cargo capacity. Again it can be noted how most boats can be brought back to a fundamental type. It is in this way that “advies Jachten” are often spoken of in history. This was merely a generic name for all kinds of vessels employed for the same purpose and including, especially, the “galliots”. (WITSEN, p. 165.) These vessels were then built with finer lines and greater sail power so as to be able to move more quickly. The “galliots” had generally two masts of different heights and, exceptionally, they had three. They had no beakhead. They carried lee-boards at the beginning. Their capacity varied from 160 to 300 tons. There are still a few left, trading on the Baltic Sea, but they are smaller, having an average length of 19 metres, a mean width of 4.50 m., and a depth of 2.20 m. They too will soon disappear and give way to the steel “Kofs” and “Hoys”. (LECOMTE, p. 22.) The name “Galliot” is probably of Italian origin. (KOENEN, p. 140.)
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The “Galeas” like the “galliot”, belonged to the largest types of vessels used for navigation near shore. The name alone indicates a foreign origin for this kind of vessel, although they were frequently found in Holland. Their mode of construction also shows the same origin. Most of them were built at Königsberg, Stettin, Stralsund, etc. They gauged up to 100 and even 260 tons. (LECOMTE, p. 35.)
The galeas traded especially between Holland, England and France. They drew from 8 to 14 feet (2.26 to 3.96 m.) Like the “galliots”, they had two masts, as a rule. Their build was very much like that of the “Kotter” (cutter) and the “Sloep” (sloop).
Hence it was an exotic type of which, a few specimens are still met with on the Baltic Sea, and which made its appearance later, probably under the influence of the naval construction of the peoples of the South. (In the Mediterranean: the names of Galeazza, Galeona, Galeota, are still found).
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The “Koff” (kuf) is a purely Dutch type mentioned neither by WITSENnor VANYK. It seems to date from the end of the XVIIth century and later it replaced, in many cases, the “flutes” and the “cat-boats”. (LECOMTE, p. 10.)
The forms of the kuffs are very much rounded and show in this way their affinity to the “smacks” and the “hoys”. They are flat-bottomed with a square bow or, as VANLOONsays (p. 64), “stomp rond” (round and bluff). Later, some were built with finer lines.
They are solid ships and withstand storms very well, whence the saying: “Koffen en Smakken zijn waterbakken” (Kufs and Smacks are reservoirs of water). I cannot partake of the opinion of Mr. Koenen, who claims that “Kof” is descended from “Kog” because the “Kofs” made their appearance much later than the Kogs and are descendants from small inland boats. They are, as a rule, vessels of light draught, 72 feet long, 17 feet wide and 8 feet, 3 inches deep. Their capacity varied from 100 to 300 tons. They have ordinarily two masts, the larger being at one-third the length of the vessel from the bow. They are provided with a slightly raised deck aft without “statie”. The small “Kofs” have lee-boards, the large ones, none.
Making the bow of these vessels finer was begun in the XIXth century (VANLOON, p. 65), and this caused their old characteristics to disappear. It was desired to give to them, in this way, greater steadiness in steering. These vessels are still built in the province of Groningen, where they originated. Now, they are made, however, as are the “hoys”, with a more rounded bow. Formerly they were also met frequently in the province of Holland; they ran not only to the Baltic Sea, but also to Norway, England, Scotland, Ireland, France, Portugal and the Mediterranean and even to Rio de Janeiro. (LECOMTE, p. 11.)
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The “Smak” (smack) is as interesting a vessel as the “Kof” which it resembles a great deal. It is a pure Holland type, bluff and flat and very stable on the water. Le Comte calls it the sister of the “Kof”. The shape of the “hoy” is found clearly again in this type. They are not fine either at bow or stern, and resemble exactly the old engravings of the “Smalschepen” and “Wijdschepen” and the “Turfschepen”! Furthermore, they belong to the same family with these last, but they are rather more strongly built as they are intended to make longer voyages. The “smack” is the type of Frisian vessels. It carries a “statie” and lee-boards. The main mast is at one-third of the boat’s length from the bow and it carries also a small mast at the stern in the “statie”. These vessels are generally 80 feet long, 22 feet wide and 9 feet deep. Their capacity varies from 70 to 140 tons. They traded with France, England, even with Lisbon, to say nothing of their traffic with the Baltic Sea. They were, however, especially built, as LECOMTEsays (p. 12), to sail across the “Wadden” to Groningen, Friesland and East Friesland. Witsen does not mention the “smack”.
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If the design of the “smack” be compared with that of the “Wijdschip” mentioned by WITSEN(p. 171), it is seen at once that it is a question here of a mere change of name. Nor is there at bottom any essential difference between the “Smalschip” and the “Wijdschip”. VANYKsays (p. 308) that the only difference between the two types was this: the “Smalschip” was so narrow that it could go through the city of Gouda, while the “Wijdschip” had to go around. Hence they are two like vessels which differ only in dimensions. If now, the designs of these boats be compared with those of the “Turfschepen”, a perfect resemblance is again to be noted. It is at the end of the XVIIIth century that the generic name of “hoy” is given to all these vessels, thus imitating what was done in Friesland.
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The “Smalschip” had the following dimensions: length, 60 feet; beam, 16 feet; depth, 14 feet: those of the “Wijdschip” were respectively: 70 feet, 20 feet and 8 feet 2 inches. These vessels carried a “statie”.
The “Damlooper” was a vessel of the same type as the preceding but so built that it could pass through the lock of the “Leidschen Dam”. VANYKgives its dimensions as follows (p. 312):
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“’T Schip (de Damlooper) zal lang zijn 56 voeten, wijd dat de zwaarden afhangen, het rakende en echter gemaklijk door de Duikers van den Leidsen dam kan gebragt werde, zo sal dat schip op de bovebuitekant van de Kimmegang of wentelstrook, so wijd als op ’t Barkhout wesen moeten en ten minsten van binnen tegen de zetwegers gemeeten zijnde elf voeten en een duym wijdte hebben.”[22]
The capacity of the vessel is given further on as 18 last (= 36 tonnes).
The lock of the “Leidschen Dam”, which is in question here, was built under authority of the provincial Act of 1617 and reconstructed in 1648. This lock, like the one of the Gouwe, dating from the XIVth century[23], was only replaced in 1885, by a new lock of 7 metres clear width and with a depth of 2.20 m. on the mitre sills. The provincial States of South Holland had the following inscription placed on a stone in the lock keeper’s dwelling of the “Leidschen Dam” in order to commemorate the event.
“In 1885 is de verbetering der vaart tusschen Rijn en Schie door de Staten van Holland ondernomen. Hier waar de naijver der steden tot 1648 slechts een overtoom en daarna een verlaat van 3.80 m. wijdte en doorvaarthoogte van 2.20 m. gedoogde,hebben zij deze sluis wijd 7 meter met beweegbare bruggen bevolen”[24].
Hence, the existing obstacles were only removed in 1885. It was therefore up to this time that the “Smalschepen” and “Wijdschepen” and the “Damloopers” had any reason to exist. They are no longer mentioned, however, in the XIXth century, the “hoys” being then almost exclusively spoken of. Hence, it is here again merely a change of name without any change of form in the vessels. All the same, the inland boats underwent an important modification in the course of the XIXth century. Indeed, VANLOONtells us (p. 69): “The angular forms of the bow and stern gave way to the more rounded forms of these parts of the vessel and of the hull in general”. This gave the boat a generally regular and smooth shape. These angular shapes are no longer found save in a few old “Poonen” and “Schuiten”. The old engravings give a good idea of this angular construction which, on some of them, is so deep that it would be believed that the planking outside was clinker laid.
Hence it is seen that, in the XIXth century, a certain number of vessels, which had been known previously by different names, were all included under the generic name of “hoy”.
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The “Tjalk” or “hoy” properly so called, is a native of Friesland and of the province of Groningen. Its capacity varies between 30 and 80 tons, but sea-going hoys, measuring up to 200 tons, are built, however, in the province of Groningen. The essential difference between a Groningen and a Friesland hoy is this: the former has a “draai-over-boord” and the second a “statie”. The Friesland vessel is sometimes called “Friesche Praam” if its lines be a little more nearly straight. (LECOMTE, p. 17).
Furthermore, the stem of the Frisian hoy has a greater rake. Like our inland boats, the “Tjalken” were rigged formerly with sprit sails which, during the XIXth century, were replaced nearly everywhere by the ordinary fore and aft rig. They generally carry a single mast, but some large “hoys” have, at times, a second small mast on the “statie”.
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The “Schuit” is for South Holland what the “hoy” is for Friesland and the province of Groningen, and thePoonfor Zeeland and the island of South Holland. There is very little difference between the “Poon” and the “Schuit”; each of them recalls the Dutch type of the “smack” of which the lower part is rather fuller. Hence the deck is rather less wide than the bottom, and the “Poon” has a greater sheer than the “Schuit”, of which the deck is more nearly flat. Both of these vessels have a “statie” but the “Poon” has often a “draai-over-boord” and a slightly raised deck in the stern. These characteristics are rarely found in the “Schuit”.
They are very strong vessels and, above all, very steady in heavy weather. One peculiarity of these vessels lies in the fine point which terminates the stern. This point is thrown back a little and should point toward the hounds of the mast (upper part where the standing rigging is fastened to the mast). This same point is found among the boats which frequent the Belgian Scheldt, with the exception of the hoys.
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Alongside of the Schuit, there is found in North and South Holland, especially about Amsterdam, theKaagwhich resembles the “Poon” closely. The hull of the kaag has sides which do not fall in as much as do those of the “Poon” and therefore, it forms a sort of transition between the hoy and the “Poon”. This vessel is much used as a light boat and is rigged with a sprit. Some are met with, however, carrying gaff sails; they are then calledGaffelkaagorGaffelschip. The kaag is of about the same size as the “Poon” and the hoy. The “Schuit”, the “Poon” and the“Kaag” kept their angular shapes until the end. It is useless to dwell on the fact that the kaag also carries a “statie”.
The last three types of boats also kept longest the round hatchways which were formerly in general use.
TheSteigerschuit(literally: landing boat) was often met with in the XVIIth century. The boats of this category were small Schuiten, Poonen or Kaag, used in ports and along rivers to carry passengers and freight back and forth between the landings on shore and the large vessels. The name shows the use and the type of boat.
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If boats with a narrow deck were built in South Holland and Zeeland, narrow bottoms were preferred, on the contrary, in North Holland. This boat was then called “Yacht” aNoord Hollandsche Yacht.
It is generally about the size of a small hoy. In order to classify the preceding vessels in accordance with their bottom width, it would be necessary to begin with the “Yacht”, then to take the hoy and, finally, the “Poon”.
Its more narrow bottom and its more converging sides make the Yacht look more slender and more swift than the “Poon”.
The bends of the Yacht show a great deal of sheer with a straight element at the middle. The Yacht has a “draai-over-boord” with a slightly raised deck at the stern.
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TheBoeierschuitbelongs to the family of the “Boeiers” or “Kromstevens” above mentioned, but it is smaller and also somewhat like the ordinary “Schuiten”, whence comes probably the name of “Boeierschuiten” given to these vessels. The stern carries a “draai-over-boord”, often with a poop deck. The Boeierschuiten have one characteristic and that is a sort of cockpit where the helmsman stands in order to handle easily the tiller. This cockpit is often met with among theBoeieraken. The “Boeierschuiten” are found in South Holland, Zeeland and Flanders.
Shipbuilding was also early developed in Flanders. Let us mention only ancient Damme and Antwerp, and we shall not be surprised that the types of vessels found there resembled those of our country. Let us mention, in the first place, among them,
ThePleitenand theOtterschepenwhich are also to be found in the North-West of Northern Brabant.
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The “Pleit” is a very old boat, often spoken of in history. It was seen trading with England. It had about the same capacity as our “hoy”, of which it had the shape except that the length was proportionally a little greater as compared with the breadth. Hence this vessel appeared longer than the “hoy”. Its lines also were graceful. Its dimensions were: length, 23 to 27 metres; breadth, 4.80 m. to 5.00 m.; maximum draught of water, 1.90 m., capacity from 125 to 180 tons.
These vessels are now built larger; their length reaches 35 m.; their beam, 5.00 m.; their draught 0.40 m. light and 2.00 m. loaded; they carry 270 tons.
These boats are wrongly calledBélandres Hollandaisin Belgium, from the newer inland boats called “bélandres” of which more will be said later.
These latter have no affinity with the “Pleit.” (See DEHEM,Annales des Travaux Publics, August 1901, p. 508).
The “Pleit” has a “statie”. It is curious to observe that the “Pleiten” of to-day are rigged very lightly considering their length. Formerly they had two masts.
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TheOttera small, narrowed “Pleit”, from 16 to 30 metres long (see DEHEM, p. 507); 4 metres beam; draught of water loaded from 1.70 m. to 2.20 m.; generally, 1.80 m. Its capacity varied from 70 to 180 tons.
The “Otter” had a “statie” and carried the ordinary foreand aft rig mast, and a small jigger mast set in the “statie” often completed the outfit.
“Schuiten” which correspond to the Dutch “Schuiten” are still met with on the Scheldt alongside of the “Pleiten” and the “Otter”. This type of vessels is just as different from the “Otter” as our “Schuit” is from the “Hoy”. DEHEMis, therefore, mistaken when he says, in his work mentioned above (p. 507): “The Schuit is an ‘Otter’ of smaller size....”
The “Pleiten” like the “Otters” are often met with in the Netherlands.
If the boats of the West of Belgium thus show the same characteristics as those of our own country, it will be the same for those of East Friesland.
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The “Motten” replace the “Hoys” in East Friesland. They are divided into:Buiten Motten,Binnen MottenandSpitsche Motten.
These boats have the same shape as those of the last two categories considered; they differ only in size.
They correspond to the hoys of Groningen, even in what concerns the shape of the bends and the rudder. Hence they belong to the family of the “Hoys”.
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The “Spitsche Mot” is a small boat which differs in shape from the ordinary boats of this class. It is sharper, less heavily built, and is 14.50 m. long; 3.90 m. wide, and 1.60 m. deep. The difference between a “Spitsche Mot” and a “Binnen Mot” is the same as that between an “Overijsselsche Praam” and a “Hoy”.
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The “Ever” and the “Bremerkahn” are met with all along East Friesland coasts as far as Denmark. They have kept some very old forms which recall the ancient “cogs”. They were built, especially, near Hamburg and were used originally as fishing boats. The same thing has happened here as in our country where the “Howker” and the “Bush”, which were fishing boats at first, became merchant vessels later.
The “Ever” will be treated of again among the fishing craft.
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The “Bremerkahn” is a narrow “Ever”. Both have the square stern which came to them from the South.
These last two boats have smooth hulls; formerly they were clinker built. The “Kahn”, straighter and flatter than the “Ever”, has a less sloping stem. They are fore and aft rigged and have often a small additional mast at the stern. Their capacity is very much the same as our “Hoys”.
The Hamburg “Ever” is 17 metres long; 6.40 m. beam and draws 0.70 m. of water when empty and 1.50 m. when loaded. The dimensions of the “Bremerkahn” are respectively: 15.50; 4.80; 0.70 and 1.50.
Save the Galliot and the Galeas, all the vessels belonging to group II-B, are found all the way from Denmark along East Friesland, Groningen, Friesland, North and South Holland, Zeeland, the West of North Brabant, Flanders, the West of Utrecht and also a very small part (West) of the Betuwe; in short, all along the coast and on our lower tidal rivers.
So soon as the Meuse, the Waal and the Lek are reached, the character changes. This applies also to the province of Overijssel and to a part of Drenthe. The greater part of the province of Drenthe only became accessible to navigation after the opening of the canals built in the XIXth century. The southern part of this province formed early, however, one with Overijssel, from the shipbuilding point of view, and the types now in use were developed in both at the same time.
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The oldest vessels known in Overijssel are thePottenand thePujen(WITSEN, p. 170), of which few engravings are extant. The names are now no longer met with; the primitive “Potten”and “Pujen” have, however, not entirely disappeared there. The old forms have been preserved there as everywhere else and, aside from a few changes, these vessels have merely changed their names.
Clinker built hulls gave way first to those carvel built, and later the forms of the boats became less angular. The old rig has changed and the old round hatchways have made place for more simple flat hatches. By these transformations, these vessels change their appearance somewhat although the hull remains the same, but the names of “Potten” and “Pujen” have given place to those of “Sompen”, “Peggen” and “Snijboonen”, more generally met with to-day.
Already, Witsen and other authors have noted that the “Potten” and “Pujen” are distinguished from the “Smalschepen” and “Wijdschepen” by their finer bow and stern; the same difference as is now found between the Hoys on the one side and the “Snijboonen” and “Sompen” on the other. Besides, the name “Snijboon” (string bean) shows that it is a question of a long and fine boat, that is: a flat bottomed boat with lengthened bow and stern.
III 34III 31–33
The “Snijboon” and the “Somp” have the same shape. Both have a “draai-over-boord” and generally a poop deck. Their characteristics are the fine bow and stern, the sudden fall of the bends near the sternpost and the stem; these bends being almost horizontal for the remainder of the length of the vessel; the sternpost and the stem are nearly vertical.
These characteristics distinguish them almost immediately from the boats of the other provinces. The “Somp” is 15.50 m. long, 3.70 m. beam and 1.80 m. deep.
When the “Somp” is smaller and draws less water it is called a “Pegge”, of which the dimensions are respectively 12.00 m., 2.65 m. and 1.45 m.
The dimensions of the “Snijboon” are 17.50 m., 3.90 m. and 1.50 m.