Dhow

A dhow, dhow also, English dhow, is a to-find in all the riparian countries of the Indian Ocean sailing vessel type. Peculiarities of the Dau are one to three one-piece masts with partly distinct vorlichem case, large trapezoidal sails (so-called Settee - Sails ), as well as far -defaulting Steven.

A Dau has a flat, sometimes to a " hoe " pronounced keel that reduces the drift at rates close to the wind. While originally planks were tied to each other and to the bulkhead with coconut fibers, this technique has been displaced by nailing.

Term

The term duration is not for a single ship type as Kogge or brig, but for a whole family of different genera with sometimes severe differences. With the collective term Dau about 60 different ship types, from small one-masted boats with 10 tons of displacement for fishing up to 200 tons carrying cargo ships are currently being described. The common feature of all Daus is a long stem that emerges obliquely from the keel.

Origin and meaning of the word duration are uncertain. For the first time the name in the records of the Russian Salesman Athanasius Nikitin was called, who arrived in India in 1470. He spoke of " Tavs ". Circa 1856 M. Guillain published the picture of a masted ship, which he described as Dau. Another possible explanation could be dawh the Persian word, which also denotes a small boat to old Dutch documents. The word Dau, whatever is written, but not used by local people in the catchment area. Instead, use the exact name of the ship type.

History of Dau

The origin of the Dau is unclear. Controversial guesses According exist Daus since the 4th century. Probably the duration from India spread slowly across the Indian Ocean to the Arabian Peninsula and East Africa and eventually into the Mediterranean. In the Middle Ages by dealer drove with two-to three-masted dhows the entire Indian Ocean. There, the six-monthly monsoon winds made ​​it to advantage. This was in November to May the southwest wind Kaskasi and from May to November to the north-west wind Kusi.

It is believed that the duration originally had a square sail. However, all Daus found so far were built after the year 1000, so that there is as yet no certainty of this assumption. In the Mediterranean, later the square - settee sail, with which one could go higher to the wind developed. Thus, the dhows go today. Only in the Mediterranean, the sail further developed for triangular lateen sails. So also the Daus originated in Egypt, where they are called " Feluka ". The Xebec is not related to the duration, even if it resembles it externally.

After the decline of the Roman Empire disappeared, the Roman merchant ships, with which trade over Persia had been operated to India. This gap was filled by the dhow, with the sea routes between the Arabian Peninsula, East Africa, India and the Empire of China have been made.

After Arab warriors had conquered in 654 AD and Rhodes with their Daus AD 711 had advanced to Gibraltar, to Dau and European shipbuilding began to influence each other. The European shipbuilding industry has evolved from clumsy coastal sailors to elegant ocean-going vessels, while the Dau won the transom, what they did dry in a seaway.

Dhows are still built today. Are known among other shipyards in the United Arab Emirates and in Indian Kerala.

Dautypen

According to Wolfram Mondfeld

• Zaruk
• Ghanja
• Trigon or sambuk
• Bang
• Bagalla
• Pattamar
• Khalissa