mohammed bin rashid al maktoum

Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum

knowledge, sharp will, and unwavering resolutio

n.

We admire our past, boast our p

resen

t, and look forward for our future with confidence

,

Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum

S

hould the path to glory be smooth, ever

yone

w

ould have trotted, but it is a highly testing g

roun

d.

The Sea played a huge role in shaping the heritage & culture of the UAE’s people. It had a lasting impact in forming & enrich-ing our culture for ages.

Our leaders and national figures kept urging us to relish our traditions & national identity, and preserve our rich heritage for future generations.

Boat building industry is a headline of our marine heritage in which our ancestors made huge & admirable efforts. It is our duty to at least make every effort to preserve this legacy for our generation and present it to our visitors. By doing so, we will be able to instill a sense of true belonging in our current generation and enable them to maintain a healthy balance be-tween tradition & modernization.

This publication, compiled by RTA Marine Agency, is a valuable contribution to revive & preserve the industry of boat-building in the UAE and the whole Gulf area. We hope it will provide a link between generations and strengthen the base of our mari-time heritage.

We hope that all those concerned with the marine legacy of the UAE and the Gulf region will find this publication useful in documenting the traditional boat-building industry. We equal-ly hope that researchers and innovators will be inspired by the collections contained in this book in developing heritage-ori-ented initiatives & modern products.

Our Marine Heritage is Testament to Our True Belonging

Mattar Al TayerChairman of the Board

and Executive Director of the RTA

Types of Sailing Boats ......................................................................... 13 Al-Jalibout ...................................................................................... 14 Al-Sanbook .................................................................................... 15 Al-Shouee ...................................................................................... 16 Al-Baqqara & Al-Bateel .................................................................. 17 Al-Boom ......................................................................................... 18 Al-Boom Al-Qata’a .......................................................................... 19 Al-Boom Al-Saffar .......................................................................... 20 Water Boom ................................................................................... 21 Al-Baghla ....................................................................................... 22 Al-Warjiah (Al-Shasha) ................................................................... 23 Al-Lanj ............................................................................................ 24 Al-Hoori .......................................................................................... 25 Al-Mashwa ..................................................................................... 26 Al-Keet ........................................................................................... 27 Al-Katter ......................................................................................... 28 Al-Ghanja ........................................................................................ 29 Al-Balam ........................................................................................ 30 Al-Chala ......................................................................................... 31 Al-Kashti ........................................................................................ 32 Al-Kooteh ....................................................................................... 33 Al-Abri ............................................................................................ 34 Al-Abra ........................................................................................... 35 Rowing Abra ................................................................................... 36 Al-Badan ........................................................................................ 37

Ship Building Terminologies ............................................................... 40

Building of Sailing Boats .................................................................... 52

A Selection of Antique Photos ............................................................. 76

Contents

Marine Agency

Types ofSailing Boats

Sailing boats in the Arabian Gulf Area15Sailing boats in the Arabian Gulf Area14

Type of Boat Al-Jalibout Type of Boat Al-Sanbook

Usage

Length, Width & Load

Name

Place

Used in pearl diving, Al-Tawasha operations, and in the buy-ing & selling of pearls.

Base length ranges from 20 to 100 feet. Base length of the Omani Jaliboat is 50 feet.

Derived from a type of western boats called the Jolly Boat.

Most Arabian Gulf countries.

Usage


Name

Place

One of the most famous boats in the Gulf after Al-Boom and it is one of the key diving boats. It was used for Al-Tawasha or pearl trading. The Omani Sanbook is larger than other models in the Gulf countries. Al-Sanbook was used for sea voyages to India & Africa, whereas the Yemeni Sanbook was used in marine transport and pronounced as “Al-Sanbooq” in Yemen.

Base length is about 60 feet (40 arms length).

Unknown.

Most Arabian Gulf countries and Yemen.


Type of Boat Al-Shouee Type of Boat Al-Baqqara & Al-Bateel

Usage


Name

Place

It is smaller than Al-Sanbook and used for pearl diving. It is considered one of the most important fishing boats in the Arabian Gulf.

Up to 75 feet or less.

Unknown.


Usage


Name

Place

They are two of greatly similar diving boats and considered one of the oldest pearl diving boats. As they were fast they were used by some pirates in the Gulf & Arabian Sea. They were also used in the military.

Load ranges from 100 to 300 tons.

Unknown. Building of such boats had since been stopped.

Most Arabian Gulf countries and India.


Type of Boat Al-Boom Type of Boat Al-Boom Al-Qatta’a

Usage


Name

Place

It is one of the most famous types of boats designed by Gulf boat builders. It was used in marine transport, and used to a lesser extent in pearl diving.

Length ranges from 50 to 70 feet, and load is in excess of 300 tons.

Unknown.

Originally famous in Kuwait but built in all Arabian Gulf countries as well as in India and Persia.

Usage


Name

Place

Similar to diving boats, it was used in cargo transport within the Arabian Gulf.

Load not more than 100 tons.

Unknown.

Built in all Arabian Gulf countries and India.


Type of Boat Al-Boom Al-Saffar Type of Boat Water Boom

Usage


Name

Place

It is a sailing boat built to replace Al-Baghla in serving Gulf marine transport. They proved themselves as the best sailing boats in the Gulf, the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean. Their success led to the spread of its building in many places.

Load in excess of 100 tons.

Called Al-Boom Al-Saffar as it was used in long distance sea travels.

Built in all Arabian Gulf countries and India.

Usage


Name

Place

A medium-sized Al-Boom boat, but slightly different as it has no deck in a bid to increase its loading capacity. It was used for water transport. Water used to be loaded in wooden tanks (called fantas or tankee).

Information unavailable.

Called Water Boom as they were used in transporting drink-ing water only.



Type of Boat Al-Baghla Type of Boat Al-Warjiah (Al-Shasha)

Usage


Name

Place

Built to transport dates & woods across deep seas open to wind.

Information unavailable / looks like Al-Ghanja boat.

Called Sea Prince and Master of Marine Transport. There is a similar boat called Bugalet used along the northern French coast in the seventeenth century. However, Arab sea men were inspired by the design of Al-Baghla and Al-Ghanja from the Portuguese.


Usage


Name

Place

Called Al-Warjiah in Kuwait and Shasha in other Gulf coun-tries. It was used in fishing trips near the coast.

A small boat made of palm leaves, firmly fastened by ropes and has two rowing pedals.

Unknown.



Type of Boat Al-Lanj Type of Boat Al-Hoori

Usage


Name

Place

Used as a fishing boat.

Base length ranges from 15 to 40 feet and has a straight bow similar to Al-Sanbook.

Unknown.

Most Arabian Gulf countries and Persia.

Usage


Name

Place

A small boat carved from a stem of a tree. Used in transport-ing fish from fishing yards (Al-Hazrah) to the coast. It was also used as a means of transport from one boat to another.

Length ranges from 10 to 20 feet.

Unknown.

An Indian boat, and Arabs derived its design from India in the Pre-Islamic era.


Type of Boat Al-Mashwa Type of Boat Al-Keet

Usage


Name

Place

It is one of the small Gulf boats used for transporting dates, with a loading capacity of 20 tons, and as a rescue boat affixed on board Al-Boom. It was also used as a means of transporting sailors along with their luggage and cargo from ports to boats and vice versa. It is operated by rowing pedals.

Has a length of 25 feet.

Unknown.


Usage


Name

Place

One of the small boats used in transporting individuals and supplies as well as transporting individuals between diving boats. It was also used by sailors when they intended to visit other sailors.

Loading capacity: 6 – 8 persons.

Unknown.


Sailing boats in the Arabian Gulf Area29 Sailing boats in the Arabian Gulf Area28

Type of Boat Al-Katter Type of Boat Al-Ghanja

Usage


Name

Place

A small boat usually carried on board Al-Boom & Al-Baghla boats for use by sailors from one place to another in different ports.

Loading capacity: from 4 to 6 persons.

Unknown.


Usage


Name

Place

An Indian ship similar to Al-Baghla, but with a different bow. Such type of boats originated from Muscat and was used in long travels.

Information unavailable / looks like Al-Baghla boat.

Unknown.

Originally it is an Indian-make boat, and currently built in the Sultanate of Oman.


Type of Boat Al-Balam Type of Boat Al-Chala

Usage


Name

Place

The small Balam was used in fishing and the large Balam was used in diving, but at a limited range.


Unknown.

Built in most Arabian Gulf countries and Iraq.

Usage


Name

Place

A strange name given to a sailing boat that looks like the Al-Boom boat at the bow. It is a medium sized boat that was used in transporting rocks for building houses.

Has a base length of 36 feet (24 arm length).

Unknown.



Type of Boat Al-Kashti Type of Boat Al-Kooteh

Usage


Name

Place

One of the fishing boats. Looks like Al-Baqqara in body and is still used at some docks around the entrance of the Arabian Gulf.


Al-Kashti means a boat / ship in Persian language.

Most Arabian Gulf countries in addition to Persia.

Usage


Name

Place

An Indian origin boat bought by Gulf traders from India, but made some modifications making it similar to Gulf boats. It was used in long distance travel in ferrying wood, dates, etc. from India to the Arabian Gulf countries.

Large and small-size models are built.

Unknown.

An Indian made boat that looks like the Dutch & British military ships.


Type of Boat Al-Abri Type of Boat Al-Abra

Usage


Name

Place

Makalla (the main port of Hadramaut) was famous for build-ing such pattern of small boats used in light transport across the coast.

Loading capacity ranges from 5 to 15 tons.

The name originates from Abbara; a boat used in transit from one bank to another.

A Yemeni made boat.

Usage


Name

Place

The city of Dubai was famous for this type of small boats used in light domestic transit between Bur Dubai and Deira across Dubai Creek.

Loading capacity ranges from 5 to 11 tonsLength: 35 feetWidth: 12 feetDepth: 5 feetPassenger capacity: 20 passengers.


UAE, India and Pakistan.


Type of Boat Rowing Abra Type of Boat Al-Badan

Usage


Name

Place

The city of Dubai was earlier famous for this type of small boats used in light domestic transit between Bur Dubai and Deira across the Creek.

Loading capacity: 5 tonsLength: 18 feetWidth: 5.5 feetDepth: 2.5 feetPassenger capacity: 4 passengers.


UAE, India and Pakistan.

Usage


Name

Place

One of the most famous Omani boats used in fishing and coastal transit throughout the Sultanate of Oman. It is one of the antique Omani boats.

Loading capacity ranges from 20 to 100 tons.

Unknown.

Omani made boat.


Overview of Boat DecksOverview of Boat Decks

Al-Boom Al-Saffar

Diving Boom

Al-Boom Al-Qatta’a

Water Boom

Hammal Bachi

Al-Ballam

Chala

Bateel & Baqqara

Mashwa

Jalibout

Keet

ShipBuildingTermino-logies


Ship Building Terminologies

Bard

Barmeel

Barandah

Bissah

Ballad

Baleema

Bandeerah

Bumeh

Bais

Beewar

Taj

Tareej

Ta’aradah

Tafer

The internal / external side of the body of the boat.

A piece of wood of rounded edges extending along and covering the front & back Mail.

One of the ropes fixed at the front end of the main mast and the body of the boat. It is linked with the side of the boat behind the mast.

A line extending across the pulleys at the top of the mast and used to hoist the sail.

An iron block hung with a thread and used in detecting the straightness of the front & back Mail with regard to Al-Bais (bottom of the boat).

A line used to tie & control the front end of the sail (Al-Yoush).

The flag.

A small triangular-shaped sail at the bow of the boat.

The base of a boat (Al-Harrab).

A line used to keep the mast in place, and is positioned to the front of the main mast.

The front part of Al-Baghla or Al-Ghanja boat.

The last (upper) wooden plates extending from the bow up to the stern of the boat.

A wooden piece between two posts at the bow & stern for supporting the Farman, when lowered.

Stern.

Jali

Jama’a

Jaddoom

Jalangha

Jib

Hezamat

Hul

Halaqa

Hamar Bahar

Hamlah

Khudd

Kharab

Khunn

Khabeesa

Daper

Cover of the entrance to the inside of the boat.

A piece of hard wood containing four pulleys rotating around an axis inside which the lines hoisting the sail are entered (lines collector).

A handheld tool used for cutting & trimming woods used in boat building.

A V–shaped piece of wood (part of a tree branch) used as Atfa at the stern (Tafer).

A triangular sail hoisted on the headstay in unfavourable weather conditions.

A number of wooden boards inside the body of the boat used for tying Shalameen & Atfa together (belting the internal body of the boat).

An oil extracted from the palm trees used in cotton needed for Qalfat-ing the boat.

An iron ring used for tying ropes.

A large Sawar at the bow of the boat near Tashkeel used for tying ropes.

The boat’s body profile from the base up to the specified draught line, determining the ability of the boat to take load and navigate.

The next wooden board in building a boat following Al-Malij.

A line tying the anchor in a pearl diving boat.

The internal store of the boat.

A long and outward sloping pole in the stern (at the end of Al-Neem) corresponding with a pole at the other end, and the two carry Al-Gaf-la; which is a horizontal bar upon which the Farman of the small sail (Al-Qalami) rests. Sometimes the small sail is tied with Al-Khabeesa.

When the boat sails and the wind blew from the back.



Dasi

Damen

Dabbosa

Dar

Darrabah

Darkal

Darkeh

Darmit

Darisha

Dastoor

Daqal

Dahmeh

A line on one side of the sail. There is an upper Dasi and a lower Dasi, both act as the frame maintaining the shape of the sail.

A line at the bottom of the back end of the sail for tying and affixing it to the boat.

A chamber below the upper deck of Al-Baghla or Al-Boom used for storing foodstuff or sails.

The plural is Daroor. They are small ropes to tie the edge of the sail with the Farman or the wood used to hoist the sail.

The plural is Darareeb. They are wooden boards put vertically on the sides of the boat to increase the height of the body and protect the cargo from getting wet. Their height might be 1 meter or more in large boats.

Maintenance & repair of the boat.

A line fixed on the edge of the boat (Al-Zabadreh) with a stick to which one of the sail lines is tied.

A board put below Al-Salbees board on both of the internal sides of the boat to help Al-Salbees board carry Al-Sawarat on which deck boards are fixed.

A small window at the right side of the stern used for loading woods to the inside of the boat, and has a lid to cover it before boat departure.

A straight wood, the edge of which is tied with Al-yoush rope and moved from the upwards to the front side of the boat to pull the edge of the sail. This process is known as Nas’a Al-Dastoor.

Boat mast. There is Al-Daqal Al-oud and Al-Daqal Al-Qalami.

One edge of the sail

Dawar

Dome

Deira

Riqa’ah

Rummaneh

Ruwaisi

Reel

Zabadreh

Zaghbeh

Zand

Zolli

Ziyar

Satoor

Sajajeh

Sadeeri

A hand rotated machine used for winding lines and tightening loads.

The upper end of the sail.

Compass.

A non-pointed stern like Al-Baghla, Al-Sanbook, Al-Shouee and oth-ers. It is usually engraved like Al-Baghla and Al-Sanbook.

A wood on both sides of Al-Neem behind the pole used for tying the sail. It also has a protruding wood at the front end of Al-Baghla, known as Al-Bageet.

A rope tied with the upper end of Al-Farmen and fixed to one side of the boat to prevent the Al-Farmen from moving to the other end.

Boards at both sides of Al-Neem including a number of steel rods, with openings in-between to prevent them from falling in the sea.

A wooden board covering the sides of the boat horizontally.

A piece of wood placed above Al-Farmen at the point of linking it with Al-Daqal to strengthen the Al-Farmen.

A half circle shaped piece of wood fixed to Al-Kashteel through which the anchor line passes and tied to it.

A semi circular wooden box used as a water closet and hung to a side of the stern.

A line tying the main mast with the Al-Abed, or the wood at the front.

The upper front outward protruding part of the boat (Al-Boom), the side of which is usually painted in black & white.

A piece of wood used to close openings in the body of the boat to prevent water leakage.

Two boards at the bow (Al-Boom) fixed on both sides above Al-Tareeh board to protect Al-Kashteel from the waves.



Sikkan

Sakniah

Salbis

Sun

Shart

Sharkh (Jarkh)

Shafzeh

Shaqqeh

Shalman

Sal

Soofi

Tariee

Tableh

Abbari

Abd

Rudder of the boat. The driver of the rudder is called Sakkooni.

A bundle of iron (Zuwaileh) used for fastening wooden boards together with the base of the boat.

A thick wood affixed to both interior sides of the boat to carry Al-Sawarat on which deck boards are fixed.

A piece of iron or rock used as anchor.

One of the lines tied to the mast and fastened on the boat sides.

The wheel that moves the rudder in a boat (Al-Boom or Baghla).

The right and longer side of the sail.

A piece of cloth of limited width (50 cm) sewed together to form the sail.

A piece of wood used to build the inner ribs of the boat.

Fish oil used in painting the interior and exterior of boats to preserve & maintain them.

A tool through which the rudder is moved when turned by the wheel or Al-Jarkh (a wooden cylinder).

A piece of wood fixed on both sides of boat’s base to tie the worn out body boards of the boat as a temporary measure.

Located at the front around Al-Satoor and at the back behind the deck of Al-Neem.

The distance between the entrance of Al-Khun (boat interior) and the other front opening.

A standing wood in front of the mast tied to it by ropes as a further measure to stabilize it

Abaidar

Atfa

Aqrab

Amarani

Anafeh

Anaj

Aibat

Falki

Faten

Farman

Fils

Fanneh

Qa’iem

A piece of wood fixed on board a boat to the front of Al-Neem through which pass the lines necessary for lifting the sail.

An obtuse angle-shaped piece of wood fixed inside the body of the boat above Al-Jafatoah board by means of nails between two Shalmans

A piece of wood at the point of linking Al-Mail with Al-Buss inside the boat to enhance its stability.

One of the lines used to prevent the mast from movement and fix it to the body of the boat.

The curved Al-Zarf of the stern column (Mail Tafer) in Al-Boom boat, with a star usually engraved to garnish it.

A piece of wood encircling the boat from the inside above the deck at the point of linking it to both the sides of the boat. Its role is to prevent the water from leaking inside the boat and to ensure firm con-nection between the deck and sides.

Pieces of wood on both sides of Al-Neem boat (Al-Boom) between which there are iron rods, all of them called Al-Reel.

An upper board on both sides of Al-Neem (Al-Boom) ending with a pointed end.

A piece of wood in the mid of the lower deck of the boat upon which the mizzen mast (Al-Qalami) is based.

The horizontal frame holding the sail and lifting it up the mast, which is usually composed of several firmly tied ropes together.

A solid piece of wood used as a base for the main mast.

The back deck of the diving boats and Al-Qatta’a which is raised a bit above the front deck.

A vertical bar on both sides of the boat at the bow of Al-Neem, with a strong square shape, and the mast line is sometimes tied to it. It also helps sailors in hoisting the main mast.



Qab (Jib)

Qabit (Jabit)

Qafleh (Jafleh)

Qaitan (Jaitan)

Katli

Kamreh(Jamreh)

Kawer

Kabrat

Kattat

Katter

Karwah

Kashteel

The mast head where its head is leveled as it were a four-sided pyra-mid with the head cut.

The protruding front end of the front bar (Mail Sader) in Al-Baghleh. It is characterized by a downward curve, with a protruding end (Ram-maneh).

A piece of wood inside which is a rotating wheel, and it is used for tightening the lines tied with the sail.

A thick board of the boat body wood located between Al-Kammer board and Al-Tareej board.

A table slightly elevated above the deck of Al-Neem, where the cap-tains of the boat sit and sleep.

An entrance to the chamber under Al-Neem (Al-Daboosa).

A solid piece of wood with a pointed end and triangle shape, placed under any wooden piece of the boat, so that when it is hit strongly, the wood will not come out of its place.

A place at the start of the upper deck of the boat, triangular in shape at the backside of the boat where Sawar Kabrat is located.

A small rod on which a small boat is hanged at the side of the boat. A small boat used by the captain in transit from a place to another in different ports.

A piece of wood in the shape of a right angle.

The raised front end of Al-Boom where the anchor and lines are placed.

Kalb (Jalb)

Kakalfat

Kamer

Kankha

Koriah(Korajah)

Kuwaisiyeh

Langoti

Maddeh

Makri

Malaj (Malak)

Matah

Majdafeh

Mazwari

A circular cut wooden bar placed horizontally above the front Mail of the boat at the start of Al-Kashteel, backed by two small upright bars, each one named Al-Abd.

(Qalfatat) Filling the external cracks between the wooden boards on the external sides of the boat, using thick cotton thread.

A thick wooden board of the body of the boat used to determine the water level around the boat.

Kits at the point of connection between the Al-Farmen and Al-Daqal (such as Al-Qabeeb & Al-Maltani and others).

A measure of the number of wooden pieces necessary for building a boat. It is said that the boat needs 5 Korajah, and the Korajah con-tains 20 pieces.

A nail with a long head used to tie the boards together.

A large nail used for fastening Al-Shamalain with the base of the boat.

A piece of copper fixed around the stern bar (Mail Tafer) containing a hole where a nail (Nar) is fixed on one side of the rudder to facilitate rotation.

A piece of wood with multiple uses. There is a Makri at the side of Al-Qayem so that a solid wooden bar is fixed, and accordingly the main mast is fixed before being lifted. There is a Makri at one side of Al-Satoor in Al-Boom boat such that anchor lines pass around. There is also a Makri at the end of Al-Farman (Al-Nabbash).

The first wooden board of the body of the boat directly linked with the base and Mails.

One of the ingredients of the line. (There are three Matahs of the line running together).

A long straight piece of wood. Several pieces of these woods are placed around the boat and tied with the body so as to maintain the boat’s balance at the time of tide.

A labourer to assist in transporting woods and others in the boat building yards



Mashai

Magher

Mankher

Mandate (Mandeh)

Manzareh

Manqer(Manjer)

Mail

Nabbash

Nur

Nashab

Naael

Neem

One of the boards placed vertically on the building Sawarat of the body of the boat which determines the frame of Al-Khun entrance.

An opening with a shutter where the water inside the boat is dis-charged when the boat is hoisted for maintenance on the coast.

An opening at the masthead where the lines tied to Al-Farman enter.

A piece of wood upon which the deck of the boat rests. There are Mandats under the lower deck at the opening of Al-Khun. There are Mandats at the lower deck under Sawar Al-Neem, both of them con-tribute to hold the load of Sawar Al-Neem.

Two wooden boards of the boat’s body between two Qaitans.

A handheld tool used for cutting and leveling wood.

The bow or stern bar (Mail Sader or Mail Tafer).

A piece of wood added to the front or back end of Al-Farmen such that a bigger sail can be lifted thereon.

Part of the hinge fixing the rudder and passes through Al-Madeh fixed around the stern wood (Mail Tafer).

A wooden board between the Al-Sawars supporting the deck of the boat. It is also a piece of wood used to prevent the Al-Fils from moving to the right or left.

Wooden pieces placed on the inner base of the boat on which the cargo is placed lest it will not be wet

The upper deck of the boat, and it occupies around one third of the main deck (Al-Qamareh / Al Cabineh)

Handaseh

Hawaseh

Hoori

Wadereh

Wanis

Wisadeh(Waside)

Washaar

Yardeeleh

Yamalooh

Yammeh

Yoush

A quarter of a circle of copper where there are marks determining specific angels called Khun or Akhnan from where a thread is hung containing a heavy piece of iron used for measuring the deviation angle of the front & rear bars from the base.

A line tying two wooden pieces, tilted at the middle by a wooden rod, pressing the two pieces to bring them together.

A small boat carved from a stem of a tree imported from India.

The pit extending along Al-Mail or Al-Bais where the boards building the body of the boat are entered.

A cover of the chamber where diving sailors keep their food (Al-Majileh).

A piece of wood formed in such a way to touch Al-Satoor and its upper boards at the bow. They are located under the boards of Al-Tabaleh and to the front of Al-Kashteel.

A description of the boat that has just been built.

A piece of wood entering and rotating around Al-Qafiyeh and through which the ropes are tied to the sail pass.

Wooden boards forming a barrier at both sides of the back of the div-ing boat.

The inner side of the bottom of the boat where water is accumulated.

The front (short) end of the sail

Building of Sailing Boats


• BoatsWood

In building their boats, Kuwaitis relied on various woods imported from In-dia and East Africa(1). Al-Saj is considered one of the most important types of wood, as it is resilient and has a high durability. It is brought from Al-Nebar in India and used in building boat sides & decks. It has different types such as Shakki, Al-Faini, Al-Manteej, Al-Daman and Baraweh. As to boat Shalameen and sides, they are usually built of Al-Saj or Al-Fanus woods brought from Al-Nebar, Baraweh, Al-Daman and Khoramian. Sometimes Shalameen are built of Sabeet(2), which is brought from Somalia. It is different from Al-Jankhari wood important from Al-Nebar, which is solid and strong, and is therefore used in building Al-Bais, Al-Sader, Al-Salbees and Al-Sawar(3).

Abdullah Al-Hatem(4) says that Ahmed bin Rizq Al-Asaad is the first to bring the giant wood for building various sizes of sailing boats in Kuwait. Later on he was followed by a number of Kuwaiti traders who used to bring it together with other materials needed for boat building and was delivered to the masters for building the required boats. Among the most famous of these traders(5) is Hamad Al-Saqr, Abdul Aziz Al-Othman, Ahmed Al-Khurafi, Falah Al-Khurafi, Ab-dul Aziz Hamad Al-Saqr, Khaled Dawood Al-Marzook & brothers, Shaheen Al-Ghanim, Mohammed Al-Asfoor, Abdul Wahab bin Abdul Aziz Al-Qattami, Mo-hammed Thunaiyan Al-Ghanim, Rashid Bu Rasli, Abdullah Bu Rasli and others. When the boat building finishes, the remaining material are sold(6) to other wood traders in Kuwait.

• BoatNails

Beside wood, ship building is based on metal nails made by blacksmiths in Kuwait. Kuwaitis used to bring it from Abadan and India(7). Their sizes and lengths vary according to the place in which they will be placed. Lengths rang-es from one zura’a (arm) or more, for the normal sized nail(8).

• Al-Fatayel

Al-Fatayel are cotton threads used in filling the gaps between the wooden boards(1), after being placed in Al-Sal, so as to stick between woods and prevent water from leaking inside. Wood traders used to bring them from Dubai & India.

• Al-SalandAl-Shooneh

Al-Sal is extracted from fishes and is brought to Kuwait from southern part of the Arabian Peninsula and Al-Nebar in India. It is used for painting the woods of the boat after being built and before launching, as it expands the lifetime of wood(2). Al-Shooneh or Al-Wadak is a blend of grease and lime, used for painting the lower part of the boat affected by water so as to make it salt resistant. The lower part of the boat is sometimes clamped with copper to prevent wood erosion(3).

• SailCloth(Al-Gazl)

In addition to wood, nails, Al-Fatayel, Al-Sal and Al-Shooneh, boat building also requires sailing cloth (Al-Ghazl) used to be brought by Kuwaitis from Bah-rain, India, Karachi and Barawa in the form of Duriyat or rolls, each measur-ing 40-50 meters in length(4). Then they cut Al-Duriya to rectangular shaped pieces known as (Al-Shiqaq) composing the sail, depending on size and type.

• BoatRopes

There was also a need for ropes made of palm tree fibres as well as Asaweh & Arajeen of date trees brought in the form of small or large bundles (Baitat) from Calicut. Ropes are tied in different ties and knots known as Al-Nashqa, Al-Tarbia’a, Al-Ghurfa and Al-Hindiah.

Ropes are defined according to length, thickness and usage. Thick ropes are known as Al-Ammar & Al-Sagheer, and those used by divers are known as Abri-doon. Al-Sarkali was known as the best type. There are other types of ropes such as wooden ropes, Albi, Maleet, Asawa, Al-Janb or Al-Qanb(5).

A number of ropes are linked to the Daqal & sail of the boat such as Laziar used to link Al-Daqal. There is Al-Amareen on the left & right sides of the middle part of Al-Daqal, Al-Bayawer on the front side of Al-Daqal, and Al-Khamari on the upper part. There are also Al-Damen, Al-Daroor and Al-Mukh ropes used in strengthening & tying the sail. Each one of them has a unique job(6).

1. Interview made with Al-Haj Ali Abdullah Abdul Rasool.2. Ibid3. Two interviews made with Al-Haj Hassan Abdullah Abdul Rasool.4. In his book: From Here I Started Kuwait, Umumia Printing Press, Damascus, P975. Two interviews made with Al-Haj Ali Abdullah Abdul Rasool on 31/5/81 and Al-Haj Hassan Abdullah Abdul Rasool

on 6/12/1981.6. Ali Abdullah Abdul Rasool says that building a boat requires about 20 Badaneh i.e. 200 pieces of large wooden

boards cracked in the form of Al-Saj boards. It also requires 20 Koriah (Korajah) i.e. 400 pieces of wood for Al-Shal-amin, in addition to some wooden boxes used on the deck of the boat. It also requires about 200 to 500 Hudder or more (i.e. from 10 to 35 thousand KG) of metal nails. See a report on boat building in Kuwait, Al-Kuwaiti Magazine, Issue of 16/10/1969, P38. See the interview made with Al-Haj Hassan Abdullah Abdul Rasool on 6/12/1981.

7. C. W. Hawkins says that Kuwaitis used to use Bahraini nails and prefer them to Indian nails as they are smooth. See The Dhow, Nautical Pub. CO. LTD, London, P44.

8. Interview with Al-Haj Musa Sabti Suleiman and Al-Haj Ali Abdullah Abdul Rasool.

1. David Howarth, op cit., p.722. The first interviews made with Al-Haj Hassan Abdullah Abdul Rasool.3. Eisa Al-Qattami, ibid, p217 John H.A. Jewell, Dhows at Mombasa, East African Pub. House, Nairobi, 1969 p.284. Width of Al-Duriyah is about 70 cm, Past Memories, a radio program, prepared & presented by Mohammed

Habib, series 985. Saif Marzook Al-Shamlan, Diving History, V2, p4586. Ibid, V2, P507


• ToolsUsedinBoatBuilding

The tools used in boat building are very simple. Nevertheless there are many good types of boats that were produced and were plying the Arabian Gulf & Indian Ocean, and proved to be accurate, strong and safe. These tools included:

1. Al-Manqer:

It is stated in Lisan Al-Arab, by Ibn Manzoor, that Al-Manqer originates from the word “Al-Naqer”; which is a sort of grinding stone and also means “to hit”. The Minqer is a tool and the plural is Manaqeer. Al-Naqeer is the leftovers of wood, rocks … etc. It follows that Al-Manqer is an Arab word that gives the meaning of shaving and cleaning the wood.

2. Manqer Kalfat:

It is a metal piece with one part having two ends; such that it is used to insert threads between wooden pieces, so that water cannot penetrate inside the boat.

3. Al-Gadoom (Al-Jadoom):

The plural is Gadayem or Gudam. It is a tool used by boat workers for slicing or carving of wood.

4. Al-Minshaar:

It is stated in Lisan Al-Arab that Al-Minshaar (saw) is a tool used for cutting wood. It is made of different sizes; large and small and each one has its own use.

5. Al-Sheba:

It is a tool used by boat workers to hold the wood. It is an Arabic word and it is mentioned in Lisan Al-Arab that Al-Shabus means overlapping tree thorns; which is the same job done by Al-Shabaseh.

6. Al-Sakkineh:

It is a tool used for holding wood.

7. Al-Mitraqeh:

Al-Tarq means hitting, and Al-Mitraqeh (hammer) is used by blacksmith for hitting(1). Therefore Al-Mitraqeh is a tool used for hitting nails in the wood of the ship.

8. Al-Majdeh:

It is a tool used by boat workers in making holes(2) in the wood through the arch so that it will be easy to place and hammer nails.

9. Al-Qoos:

It is a cylindrical rectangular shaped wood, with two ends tied with a light string, and is used in operating the Al-Majdeh holes in the wood from which boats are made(1).

10. Al-Randeh:

It is Al-Fareh (iron jack plane) used in shaving woods.

11. Al-Handazeh(Al-Handaseh):

It is a metal piece of a triangular shape, with grading & marks (Akhnan) with a hole from which hangs a light rope at the end of which is a heavy iron piece. It is used to gauge the degree of deviation and as a balance of the boat.

12. Al-Khait (Duriya):

It is used to measure the length of woods necessary for building various parts of the boat.

13. Al-Shakeh:

It is the chalk by which the Ustaz (boat builder) of the boat marks the woods used in boat building.

14. Al-Maiber:

It is a large needle used in sewing the sails of the boat

15. Al-Balad

It is a block of lead with a rope tied to it containing marks for measuring water depth(2).

16. Boat Parts:

The above mentioned boat building tools are used in making various boat parts that together form the external body of the boat, deck and inner parts. They consist of the following:

• FirstlyExternalBodyoftheBoat(3)

1. Bais of the Boat

It is the base and backbone of the boat. Al-Bais is an Arab word and Ibn Manzoor said that it means toughness or something inevitable. It is the baseline from which boat body is built and from it ribs extend. It is also known as Harrab; which is a Persian word that means the draught of the boat or the submersible part.

1. Lesan Al-Arab – Key word: Tarq2. Lesan Al-Arab – Key word: Jadeh

1. Howarth, op cit., p.702. Al-Ballad was mentioned in the book of Ahmed bin Majid: Thalathet Azhar in Ma’arifat Al Behaar, p.102, edited

and published by New Door Chomonoski, translation & commentary of Dr. Mohammed Munir Musa, Aalam Al Kutub, Cairo, 1969.

3. See Eisa Al-Qattami, ibid p.228 and on. Articles we made about boat builders whose names already mentioned, and books of Ustaz Saif Al-Shamlan, and the Concise Kuwaiti Encyclopedia. Howarth, ibid, p.23

2. Mail Sader

It relates to the boat’s front parts

3. Mail Tafer

The board of the stern

4. Al-Malek (Al-Malej)

A wooden board extending above the Bais of a boat

5. Al-Khudd

A wooden board next to Al-Malek directly

6. Al-Barmeel

It is placed above the Al-Mail to keep it in place

7. Al-Da’aoomeh

Placed on the head of Al-Bais near Mail Sader to protect it in case of collision

8. Al-Kamer

A thick wooden board placed in the middle of the boat’s body to bind it together

9. Al-Qaitan

A wooden board above Al-Kaher encircling the boat’s body

10. Al-Manthareh

A wooden board between Al-Qaitan & Al-Kamer

11. Al-Tareek (Al-Tareej)

The last board in the body placed at the edges of a boat

12. Al-Zabdreh

A wooden board placed at both sides of Fannat Al-Naqer

13. Al-Hejab

The upper part of the stern of the boat

14. Al-Aalia

The upper part of the bow of the boat

15. Al-Jald

The lower part of the stern or bow of the boat

Parts of Boat’s External Body

Sekkan

Aidar

Jalibout

Khunn

Qaffiah

Yamaou

Hawa

Kayaeh

Farmal

Farmal

Bandeereh

Qaffiah

Qayem

Qabqeb

Qaffiah

Qaffiah

Qalami

Qaffiah

Qaffiah

Qaffiah

Qababeeb

Al-Abd

Rayar

Qaffiah

Qaffiah

Kalb

Taj

Satoor

Farmal

Dustoor

Shareek

Al-Sades

Al-Saabeh

Al-Sades

Al-Khames

Al-Raaba’a

Al-ThalethAl-HuddMalekBais

Ja’amaQaffiahDaqqal



16. Al-Qayem

A perpendicular board at the stern of a boat.

17. Al-Kalb

A wooden rib at the bow of a boat.

18. Al-Khaiseh & Al-Taaradeh

Prominent wooden ribs at the stern used for tying the boat’s flag, sail lines, and supporters of the small and large Farman.

19. Al-Satoor

A prominent wooden piece at the bow, also known as Al-Aanafeh.

20.Al-Falki

Safety barrier located at the stern.

• Secondly:InternalParts&DeckoftheBoat(1)

1. Sawr Al-Daqal

They are the center point upon which the large Daqal rests.

2. Al-Sawari

A bundle of perpendicular woods of various sizes extending from the bow to the stern to lift the boards of the deck.

3. Al-Mashaiyat

An opening in which the mast is fixed and also used in entering various com-modities.

4. Al-Obaidar

A permanent wooden pulley used to lift the sail.

5. Deck’s Boards

Wooden boards forming the deck of a boat.

6. Al-Fakh

Internal belt of the boat, located in the middle area.

7. Sawer&BoardsofAl-Neem

Located at the stern and made as a store of supplies, known as Al-Daboosa.

8. Kashteel Sader

A place at the bow to protect the front of the boat from waves by means of Al-Mazareeb affixed therein.

9. Hejab (Hiab)

It is a front wooden board located above Kashteel Sader to prevent water leakage.

10. Jali

A cover used to cover the nozzle of the boat’s chamber (Al-Jamereh) such as Jali Makina and Jali Sader.

11. Shalman

Plural is Shalameen. They are wooden ribs upon which the external boards of the boat are based.

12. Atfa

They are curved wooden ribs taking the shape of boat’s ribs and supporting them.

13. Karweh

They are wooden ribs in the shape of angles fixed at the front of the boat.

14. Hezam

The plural is Huzum. They are thick wooden boards of a rectangular shape extending throughout the length of the boat to support it.

15. Fils

It is the wooden base upon which the boat’s Daqal is based.

16. Al-Ghol

They are wooden blocks supporting the Fils and hold up Al-Naash.

17. Jalankeh

They are wooden ribs to stabilize the boat’s body.

18. Aqrab

They are wooden ribs linking the left & right Anaj similar to boat belts.

19. Al-Reqa’a

It is the stern with parts called Al-Reel, Al-Anaafeh, Wardeh, Al-Mail Al-Tafri, Taraf Al-Bais, Al-Thania, and Al-Manhaz.

20.Al-Maqaz

A small opening at the right side of the boat to discharge water from the inside and is closed with a Ajajeh wood.

1. Al-Qattami, ibid, p.31, Interviews we made with boat builders whose names already mentioned, and books of Ustaz Saif Marzook Al-Sha’alan, and the Concise Kuwaiti Encyclopedia.

21. Al-Sikkan (Rudder)

It is used in changing the course and reducing the speed of a boat. It consists of: Raqabet Al-Sikkan, the steering wheel, Al-Waside, Al-Gardeh, Al-Teslameh, Al-Muliah, Narrath Al-Sikkan, Al-Qafaniah, and Al-Maddeh.

22. Al-Kaneh

A wooden piece vertically fixed in Al-Sikkhan (rudder).

23. Al-Hatbat Al-Aalem

It is the mast on which the boat’s flag is raised.

24. Al-Daqal

It is the boat’s mast. It is stated in Lesan Al-Arab(1) in the definition of Al-Daqal and Al-Doqal: A long wood fixed in the middle of the boat upon which the sail is extended. The boat has more than one Daqal. There is Al-Daqal Al-Aud (main mast) and Al-Daqal Al-Qalami (small mast). The boat’s Daqal is iconic shaped and its base rests on the lower part of the boat known as Al-Lesan or Al-Musht on the Fils of the boat at the location of Al-Daqal(2). Al-Musht is above the broad side of the base known as Al-Seej, and the upper part of Al-Daqal is known as Al-Salat located above the Qab of the sail. Near to the south of Al-Qab there is Al-Ranq; which is a paint for the upper part of Al-Daqal so as to facilitate identifying the extent to which the sail should be lifted.

25. Al-Abd

It is a wooden rib used to support Al-Daqal and tying it with a rope (Lazyar).

26. Drinking WaterTanks (Tanaki)

The Fanatees (water tanks) are filled with drinking water for sailors during their voyages and various tasks.

27. Al-Mirsah

Ibn Manzoor(3) defines Al-Mirsah as: The anchor for docking the boat. It is a huge anchor tied with ropes and released in water to hold the boat motionless. The anchor consists of a long metal bar of different sizes known as Al-Karrab and the crescent shaped anchor known as Al-Meej; which has a sharp edge known as Al-Qafsheh(4).

1. See Daqal.2. John H.A. Jewell, Dhows at Mombasa, East African Pub. House Nairobi, p.273. Lesan Al-Arab, Key word: Rasa4. Saif Al-Shamlan, ibid, V2, p.234 H.R.P. Dickson, The Arab of the Desert, a glimpse into badawinn life in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, George Allen &

Unwin. Ltd, London, p.482

Parts of Boat’s External Body

Al-Farman which holds the sail

RopesAl-Salah

Al-Qab

Ranq: A point put here to

know the extent of lifting the sail

Location of Al-Daqal

Location of Al-Abd

Al-Fils

Al-Seej

Al-Musht

Al-Daqal (Al-Sari) : Mast

Al-Nabbash Izghaba Al-Nabbash

Al-Harth Al-Dustoor Al-Harth


From: Saif Marzook Al-Shamlan, History of Pearl Diving in Kuwait & Arabian Gulf, Volume II

1. Saif Al-Shamlan, ibid, V2, p236-2432. ibid, V2, p.241 and on3. Past Memories, a radio program, prepared by Mohammed Habib, Series 984. Hamad Mohammed Al-Saaidan, Concise Kuwaiti Encyclopedia, V3, p.13415. Saif Al-Shamlan, ibid, V2, p445

28. Al-Sin

It is a type of anchor made of solid rocks in a triangular shape and a pointed end with a hole to hold a short iron chain known as Al-Karrab. A hole is also made in the base to place Hadiat Al-Sin, which rises a little bit from the surface in both directions such that it will hold the rocky seabed. Al-Karrab is tied with a long tail known as Al-Kharrab extending 25 – 30 Baita or Hizma, each of them measures 50 Ba’a (span of overstretched hands) i.e. 90 meters so as to hold the boat when it reaches Al-Maghas(1).

29. Al-Bawareh

It is a metal tool of different sizes & weights used as an anchor for the boat in the bed of sandy & muddy seas. It consists of a metal bar linking the ring where a rope called Al-Ataad is tied. Its arched head (Al-Hilp) is known as Al-Meej, and it has two sharp edges known as Al-Qafsha. A rod called Al-Danqa is placed in a perpendicular manner with Al-Saq near the ring, to hold Al-Saq by means of Al-Qirdi(2).

There are several types of Al-Bawareh, among them is Al-Muliah, which weighs 6 Hanader (300 kg), with a length of 7 up to 8 zura’a (arms). The length of its Qafshats ranges from 4 to 5 arms, and its Dang from six to seven arms(3).

30. Al-Mejdaf (Rowing Pedals)

It is a tool used to operate boats in case the sail was not in use. It consists of a stem and a head. The stem is a long piece of wood and the part linking the head is known as Al-Madaj, the central as Al-Sawar, and the last as Lezban. The head has different shapes such as the heart, square, and rectangle depending on the type of use. The rowing pedal of Al-Jalibout has a heart-shaped head. Those used for diving boats have square heads and upright handle, whereas fishing boats have rectangular-shaped rowing pedals(4), and so on.

31. Boat Sail

Sails used by boats up a time not very long ago have a variety of names depend-ing on size and conditions of use; and the most famous types of which are(5):

a) The Large Sail

It is the biggest sail and used in the normal climatic conditions where the wind is blowing reasonably.

b) The Medium Sail

It is a middle sail between the Large Sail and Al-Tarkeet Sail, and is used when the wind increases.

Al-Karrab

Al-San

Hadeedat Al-San

Anchor

Al-Qafsha

Al-Meej

Al-Saq

Al-Halaqa



1. ibid, p. 446

c) The Sail (Al-Qalami)

It is a sail of a size smaller than Al-Tarkeet Sail and is lifted if the wind blew heavily.

d) The Sail (Al-Jibe)

It is smaller than the Al-Qalami Sail and is lifted by sailors if the wind is ex-tremely heavy. There are also other small sails which have different uses such as side sails, like the Al-Koshi sail, Al-Maraba’a, and Al-Bumiah. Sometimes sailors opt not to lift any of these sails and settle for air & wave thrust.

32. Parts of the Sail

The Sail consists of multiple parts as stated below(1):

a) Al-Farman

It is a long wooden piece holding the sail with a slight curve in the middle when touching Al-Daqal at a point known as Izghubeh.

b) Al-Nabbash

It is a light & long wood fixed to Al-Farman and used in lifting the main mast.

c) Al-Dastoor

It is a wood located between the front of the boat and Al-Daqal. It forms the base upon which the sail is based and tied. Both sides of Al-Dastoor are known as Al-Harth.

d) Al-Thafreh

It is the front side of the sail.

e) Al-Shuqqeh

It is a piece of the sail’s cloth.

f ) Al-Damen

It is the rope of the sail and also known as Al-Karr.

g) Al-Daroor

They are the short ropes tying the upper and lower Daisi of the sail with Al-Farman.

Al-Qafsha

Al-Bowreh

Al-Meej

Al-Meej

Al-Danqa

Al-Saq

Al-Gurdi

Al-Gurdi

Al-Halaqeh

Al-Qafsha

LazabanAl-SawarMadjeej

Al-Maidaf

Al-Dharrab

Al-Saf

Al-Gharbiah Al-Maidaf (Large Boats)

Al-Maidaf (Small Boats)

LazabanAl-SawarAlMadjeejAl-Ghadoof



1. Lesan Al-Arab – Key word: Naqa’a2. Saif Al-Shamlan, ibid, V1, PP231-235, Kuwaiti Folkore, V1, Kuwait 1978, p47 and the following pages.

h) Al-Josh (Al-Yoush)

The back of the sail tied with the Darakat Al-Josh

i) Al-Mukh

It is the rope placed inside the sail to strengthen it.

j) Naqa’aoftheBoat

Boat building is linked with the availability of several Naqa’as, which were un-til recently, extending along the coast of Kuwait.

Ibn Manzoor(1) says: Al-Naqa’a is a water coral, refined / accumulated water. Al-Naqiee is a well with plenty of water. The word refers to the availability of Al-Naqa’a at that time in Kuwait. They were small dock bays engulfed by marine rocks to break waves. They were built by Kuwaitis and were attributed to those responsible for them and their maintenance.

Different sources(2) list the names of those Naqa’as extending from the Qubleh to Sharq as follows:

– Naqa’a of Ahmed Abdul Mohsin Al-Kharafi

Al-Shafrah

Batn Al-Jibe

Batn Al-Jibe

Darakat Al-Damen

Al-Damen Rope

Al-Dasi

Munafa’a

Darakat Al-Jebe

Munafa’a

Munafa’a

Al-Yoush

Darakat Al-Yoush

Parts of the Sail

Al-Dome

Thick Rope

Al-S

hafr

eh

Batn Al-Shura’a

Shuq

qeh

Shuq

qeh

Shuq

qeh

Thick Rope

Upper Dasi

Thick Rope

Nafas Al-Yoush

Al-Dahmeh

Darakat Al-Yoush Thick RopeDarakat

Al-Khamari

DarakatAl-Damen

Al-DasiAl-Hadri

Al-DamenRope




Different types of Sikkan (Al-Annafeh)

Al-BadanAl-BaqqarehAl-Bateel

Za’aeemaZa’aeemaZarooq

A type of Balam in Shutt Al-ArabEast African Boat

Different types of Sikkan (Al-Shindeh)

Al-Dingiah

Al-Ghanja Al-Raghla Al-kuteti Al-Harir Boat

Al-SanbookAl-ShuneeAl-Boum


Al-Neem Upper Deck Al-Kashteel

Al-Boum Deck

Draught Line

Body Plan

Upper Deck

Lower Deck

Base Length

Draught Line

Sheer Plan

Half Plan


Half Plan

Sheer Plan

Body Plan

A Selectionof AngiquePhotos

Thank God, and thanks to the efforts of our true compatriots, as well as the employees of RTA Marine Agency, this publica-tion could be compiled with a view to document and preserve our maritime heritage from oblivion & extinction. We are now able to have it presented in a fashionable shape to our current and future generations so as to strengthen their sense of be-longing to this land, and deepen their pride of ancestors, who excelled in boat-building, sea-surfing, and pearl-diving.

The intention of compiling this book was to list and document terminologies that were prevailing & circulating among our ancestors in boat-building industry. The book narrates various names & designations of components, materials and all par-ticulars containing rich heritage expressions that ought to be highlighted, defined and sustained by our community.

While compiling this work, we have been privileged to meet a handful of elderly UAE boat builders, who made substantial contribution to this industry and boast extensive knowledge in this field. They assisted us in listing and documenting jargons and language spoken in those decades, and their rich knowl-edge & experience helped developing our marine heritage up to the admirable current standards.

Heritage Harvest is Crucial to the Welfare of our Generations

Engineer Mohammed Ali Al-BastakiDesign Manager

Marine Projects Dep’tMarine Agency

Sailing boats in the Arabian Gulf Area84

mohammed bin rashid al maktoum

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