Dutch sailing barge

[Laminar Flow]

Please do write that article LF!

The most difficult part (I am sure) would be in trying to keep it as an article, rather than allowing it to become an encyclopaedia, as there are just so many interesting boats of all shapes and sizes and types in the Netherlands.

I'm a keen student of naval architecture and take a lively interest in the indigenous craft in every country we visit. The traditional Dutch boats are quite different from any type of craft other regions/countries have developed and, as most other traditional craft, have evolved to meet specific local conditions. That they do rather well. Apart from being able to float on wet grass, they frequently humble much more modern designs, or what the Dutch call "sharp yachts" when sailing head to head.
The German sailing magazine "Die Yacht" sponsored a race between an X-yacht and a Lemster. To windward, the difference in tacking angle between the computer optimized modern yacht and the 200 year old traditional, gaff rigged fishing boat design with lee boards was only 1 degree, while the speed through the water was at least equal. The X-yacht did eventually win the race, not due to it's superior speed, but to it's comparative ease of tacking. In conclusion, it was thought that in a point to point race, rather than an olympic course, the Lemster probably would have won.
I've also watched Skutjes racing, these are barges, once used for transporting peat and farm products. Seeing these boats exchange tacks, sparring in the gentle evening breeze off Grouw should dampen anyone's conceit about the supposedly much superior performance of modern design, at least in flat water.
Looking at the lines of traditional Dutch craft, I used to joke that if the Dutch were right, everyone else must be wrong.

The interesting thing about the Sloepen is that they operate around the speed restrictions in the canals which can be as low as 3km/h for the smaller, suburban/urban ones, usually it is 6-9km/h and no more than 12.5 km/h for the larger waterways such as the Princess Margriet, if I remember correctly. In this sense we are predominantly talking about displacement hulls, though some of the more traditional inspirations have planing wedges underwater to let them reach higher speeds where allowed. Most are open dayboats, even the larger ones that may have an enclosed heads at best, though some have a convertible cover that can be enclosed for "glamping". Quite a few of the smaller 18-20' ones have bowthrusters and most have inboard power.

 

[Bajansailor]

Looking at the lines of traditional Dutch craft, I used to joke that if the Dutch were right, everyone else must be wrong.

I think that the Dutch are right - not only are they masters of design and construction regarding traditional working craft, but they are also the leaders in high tech / modern small ship (and large yacht) design and construction.

 

[Dan Tribe]

We were in Sneek one year and witnessed the skutsjes racing. An amazing spectacle, they race them like they are Optimists.
the whole of Sneek Week is a great event, never seen so many sails in one place.

 

[ds797]

The German sailing magazine "Die Yacht" sponsored a race between an X-yacht and a Lemster. To windward, the difference in tacking angle between the computer optimized modern yacht and the 200 year old traditional, gaff rigged fishing boat design with lee boards was only 1 degree, while the speed through the water was at least equal.

Do you have a copy of this? Or know which issue it was in? Or a weblink? Sounds really interesting to have a read!!

Thanks.

 

[Laminar Flow]

Do you have a copy of this? Or know which issue it was in? Or a weblink? Sounds really interesting to have a read!!

Thanks.

Sorry, I can't remember which issue that might have been; I frequently borrow them at the take one, leave one libraries at the marinas we visit. I do believe there is still a Youtube vid on it, in German, as a promo for the magazine, unfortunately it lacks some of the technically relevant data/details I like.

The lee boards and rudder on the Lemster had supposedly been optimized with a flow program, mind you so had the appendages of it's competitor. Regardless, even in the past the leeboards had been given an asymmetric profile to improve lift and a slight toe-in. Tests done on historic leeboard shapes have shown them to have already reached a a close to optimum hydrodynamic form.

 

[Tradewinds]

 

[Dan Tribe]

Great little film, thanks.

 

[westhinder]

In those days most of the skippers and crew were professional bargemen, freight skippers, shipwrights and I believe to this day that is still partly the case. Add to that the vast number of professional charterskippers in ‘de bruine vloot’, the traditional sailing craft, and you will see that the world of traditional sail is very much alive in the Netherlands, in a way that to my knowledge is unique in Europe.

 

[Alicatt]

The interesting thing about the Sloepen is that they operate around the speed restrictions in the canals which can be as low as 3km/h for the smaller, suburban/urban ones, usually it is 6-9km/h and no more than 12.5 km/h for the larger waterways such as the Princess Margriet, if I remember correctly. In this sense we are predominantly talking about displacement hulls, though some of the more traditional inspirations have planing wedges underwater to let them reach higher speeds where allowed. Most are open dayboats, even the larger ones that may have an enclosed heads at best, though some have a convertible cover that can be enclosed for "glamping". Quite a few of the smaller 18-20' ones have bowthrusters and most have inboard power.

The little 6.5m sloop we had could get up to 12km/h but there was no log onboard, the canals were 6km/h and in town it was no wake speed. Balance with the little boat was quite critical on some of the canals as she would squat quite deep, deep enough that the rudder would touch bottom. Unless in the dredged channels most of the waterways you could stand up in and it may come up to your chest. We were on a tourist boat out of Geithoorn and crossing the lake there the skipper stopped another boat with a swimmer and asked the swimmer to stand up, which he did, the water didn't come to his waist.

At the museum in Sneek they have lots of models of all sorts of sailing ships/barges, mainly barges though, was speaking with the guy that made some of them on another forum he is German and that is his full time job making historically accurate museum models of ships.
Paling is an eel, Buis is a pipe, they used these barges to take eels from Friesland over to London as well as around Friesland, they also had slightly larger vessels that carried potatoes from Friesland to the UK.

"Nog een beetje... nog een beetje..." another little bit... another little bit...