A fluyt (archaic Dutch: fluijt "flute"; Dutch pronunciation:[flœyt]ⓘ)[1] is a Dutch type of sailing vessel originally designed by the shipwrights of Hoorn as a dedicated cargo vessel.[2] Originating in the Dutch Republic in the 16th century, the vessel was designed to facilitate transoceanic delivery with the maximum of space and crew efficiency. Unlike rivals, it was not built for conversion in wartime to a warship, so it was cheaper to build and carried twice the cargo, and could be handled by a smaller crew. Construction by specialized shipyards using new tools made it half the cost of rival ships. These factors combined to sharply lower the cost of transportation for Dutch merchants, giving them a major competitive advantage.[3][4]: 20 The fluyt was a significant factor in the 17th-century rise of the Dutch seaborne empire.[4]: 68 In 1670 the Dutch merchant marine totalled 568,000 tons of shipping—about half the European total.[5]
The standard fluyt design minimized or completely eliminated its armaments to maximize available cargo space, and used block and tackle extensively to facilitate ship operations. Another advantage of its pear-shape (when viewed from the fore or aft) was a shallow draft which allowed the vessel to bring cargo in and out of ports and down rivers that other vessels could not reach. This ship class was credited in enhancing Dutch competitiveness in international trade, and was widely employed by the Dutch East India Company in the 17th and 18th centuries.[4] However, its usefulness caused the fluyt to gain such popularity that similar designs were soon developed by seagoing competitors of the Dutch. For example, the English shipbuilding industry began to adapt the design of the fluyt during the later part of the 17th century as English merchants, seeing how much cheaper Dutch shipping was, acquired Dutch-built ships that were captured in the Anglo-Dutch wars.[6]
The design of fluyts was largely similar to that of the early galleons (a ship invented in Spain, and received by the Dutch as a part of the same Kingdom). These ships typically weighed 200–300 tons and were approximately 80 feet (24 metres) in length.
It is a persistent myth that the fluyt was developed and functioned to evade Sound Tolls. The toll registers, however, show that during the 70 years from 1562 to 1632 it was a well-established procedure in the Sound for the toll-officers to use the bills of lading to determine the loading-capacities of the vessels passing through. They did not employ any sort of measuring device to assess the width, length, and depth of the vessels and then calculate the size of the ships.[7]
The fluyt was square rigged with two or three masts. When rigged with three masts, the fore and main (front two) masts were square rigged, with the mizzen (rearmost) mast often rigged with a triangular lateen sail, as pictured above. Masts were much higher than those of galleons to allow for greater speed. At times fluyts were also armed and served as auxiliary vessels, which was a common practice in the Baltic Sea.
The Swanedit
In 2003, Martin Mattenik and Deep Sea Productions, using side scanning sonar, discovered a shipwreck lying on the floor of the Baltic Sea. The wreck was visited five times between 2003 and 2010. The Baltic is unusual in that there is a thick layer of fresh water inhospitable to saltwater-loving shipworms and shipwrecks are protected from the ravages of shipworms. The top of the wreck's rudder is decorated with three flowers which is typical of Dutch-built ships of the era. This ship is believed to be named the Swan due to the sculpted body of a swan found in the wreckage. At the time it was customary to attach a figure depicting the name of the ship to the transom. Dutch fluyts were built and used in the 16th and 17th centuries as a contract-for-hire vessel. England had not yet established its own large-scale shipbuilding industry and the Dutch dominated the market.[8] During the 17th century, English companies leased ships like the Swan to carry colonists to America.
Replicasedit
Hector, a replica
The Hector, constructed in Pictou, Nova Scotia, and launched in 2000, is a replica of an early 18th-century fluyt which, in the summer of 1773 carried 189 Scottish immigrants to Nova Scotia. The replica was constructed according to line drawings from the Maritime Museum Rotterdam, and built using traditional shipbuilding techniques. As of 2017, the Hector is operated by the Hector Quay Society and is open to the public.[9]
The Mayflower II before her launch, showing the lower part of her hull, which would normally be underwater
^van Brederode, Willem; Doedens, A. (2008). Doedens, A.; Looijesteijn, Henk (eds.). Op jacht naar Spaans zilver: het scheepsjournaal van Willem van Brederode, kapitein der mariniers in de Nassause vloot (1623–1626) [On the hunt for Spanish silver: The logbook of Willem van Brederode, Captain of the Marines in the Nassau Fleet (1623–1626)]. Hilversum: Verloren. ISBN9789087040475.
^Wheatley, Joe. "Fluyts and Katts". The Captain Cook Society. Retrieved 11 May 2017.
^de Vries, Jan (1976). The Economy of Europe in an Age of Crisis, 1600–1750. Cambridge University Press. pp. 117–18.
^ abcBoxer, CR (1965). The Dutch Seaborne Empire 1600–1800. Alfred A. Knopf.
^Blanning, Tim (2007). The Pursuit of Glory: Europe, 1648–1815. Penguin. p. 96.
^Davis, Ralph (1962). The Rise of the English Shipping Industry in the 17th and 18th Centuries. Newton Abbot: David & Charles. pp. 47–54. ISBN0-7153-5462-0.
^Mogens, Jensen (2018). "Was the flute a vessel designed to evade paying toll in the Sound?" (PDF). Tijdschrift voor Zeegeschiedenis [Marine History Magazine]. 37 (2). Retrieved 1 April 2022.
^Unger, Richard W. (April 1981). "Dutch Shipbuilding in the Golden Age". History Today. Vol. 34, No. 1.
^"Hector Heritage Quay – The Symbol of Scottish Immigration in North America". shiphector.com. Retrieved 2017-07-05.
January 09, 2024
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For the concept orbital transfer vehicle or space tug see Reaction Engines Limited A fluyt archaic Dutch fluijt flute Dutch pronunciation flœyt 1 is a Dutch type of sailing vessel originally designed by the shipwrights of Hoorn as a dedicated cargo vessel 2 Originating in the Dutch Republic in the 16th century the vessel was designed to facilitate transoceanic delivery with the maximum of space and crew efficiency Unlike rivals it was not built for conversion in wartime to a warship so it was cheaper to build and carried twice the cargo and could be handled by a smaller crew Construction by specialized shipyards using new tools made it half the cost of rival ships These factors combined to sharply lower the cost of transportation for Dutch merchants giving them a major competitive advantage 3 4 20 The fluyt was a significant factor in the 17th century rise of the Dutch seaborne empire 4 68 In 1670 the Dutch merchant marine totalled 568 000 tons of shipping about half the European total 5 Dutch fluyt 1677 Contents 1 Ship design 2 The Swan 3 Replicas 4 See also 5 ReferencesShip design editThe standard fluyt design minimized or completely eliminated its armaments to maximize available cargo space and used block and tackle extensively to facilitate ship operations Another advantage of its pear shape when viewed from the fore or aft was a shallow draft which allowed the vessel to bring cargo in and out of ports and down rivers that other vessels could not reach This ship class was credited in enhancing Dutch competitiveness in international trade and was widely employed by the Dutch East India Company in the 17th and 18th centuries 4 However its usefulness caused the fluyt to gain such popularity that similar designs were soon developed by seagoing competitors of the Dutch For example the English shipbuilding industry began to adapt the design of the fluyt during the later part of the 17th century as English merchants seeing how much cheaper Dutch shipping was acquired Dutch built ships that were captured in the Anglo Dutch wars 6 The design of fluyts was largely similar to that of the early galleons a ship invented in Spain and received by the Dutch as a part of the same Kingdom These ships typically weighed 200 300 tons and were approximately 80 feet 24 metres in length It is a persistent myth that the fluyt was developed and functioned to evade Sound Tolls The toll registers however show that during the 70 years from 1562 to 1632 it was a well established procedure in the Sound for the toll officers to use the bills of lading to determine the loading capacities of the vessels passing through They did not employ any sort of measuring device to assess the width length and depth of the vessels and then calculate the size of the ships 7 The fluyt was square rigged with two or three masts When rigged with three masts the fore and main front two masts were square rigged with the mizzen rearmost mast often rigged with a triangular lateen sail as pictured above Masts were much higher than those of galleons to allow for greater speed At times fluyts were also armed and served as auxiliary vessels which was a common practice in the Baltic Sea The Swan editIn 2003 Martin Mattenik and Deep Sea Productions using side scanning sonar discovered a shipwreck lying on the floor of the Baltic Sea The wreck was visited five times between 2003 and 2010 The Baltic is unusual in that there is a thick layer of fresh water inhospitable to saltwater loving shipworms and shipwrecks are protected from the ravages of shipworms The top of the wreck s rudder is decorated with three flowers which is typical of Dutch built ships of the era This ship is believed to be named the Swan due to the sculpted body of a swan found in the wreckage At the time it was customary to attach a figure depicting the name of the ship to the transom Dutch fluyts were built and used in the 16th and 17th centuries as a contract for hire vessel England had not yet established its own large scale shipbuilding industry and the Dutch dominated the market 8 During the 17th century English companies leased ships like the Swan to carry colonists to America Replicas edit nbsp Hector a replicaThe Hector constructed in Pictou Nova Scotia and launched in 2000 is a replica of an early 18th century fluyt which in the summer of 1773 carried 189 Scottish immigrants to Nova Scotia The replica was constructed according to line drawings from the Maritime Museum Rotterdam and built using traditional shipbuilding techniques As of 2017 the Hector is operated by the Hector Quay Society and is open to the public 9 nbsp The Mayflower II before her launch showing the lower part of her hull which would normally be underwaterThe Mayflower II is a replica of the original Mayflower which transported the Pilgrims to Plymouth in modern day Massachusetts and is a fluyt design See also editFlyboatReferences edit van Brederode Willem Doedens A 2008 Doedens A Looijesteijn Henk eds Op jacht naar Spaans zilver het scheepsjournaal van Willem van Brederode kapitein der mariniers in de Nassause vloot 1623 1626 On the hunt for Spanish silver The logbook of Willem van Brederode Captain of the Marines in the Nassau Fleet 1623 1626 Hilversum Verloren ISBN 9789087040475 Wheatley Joe Fluyts and Katts The Captain Cook Society Retrieved 11 May 2017 de Vries Jan 1976 The Economy of Europe in an Age of Crisis 1600 1750 Cambridge University Press pp 117 18 a b c Boxer CR 1965 The Dutch Seaborne Empire 1600 1800 Alfred A Knopf Blanning Tim 2007 The Pursuit of Glory Europe 1648 1815 Penguin p 96 Davis Ralph 1962 The Rise of the English Shipping Industry in the 17th and 18th Centuries Newton Abbot David amp Charles pp 47 54 ISBN 0 7153 5462 0 Mogens Jensen 2018 Was the flute a vessel designed to evade paying toll in the Sound PDF Tijdschrift voor Zeegeschiedenis Marine History Magazine 37 2 Retrieved 1 April 2022 Unger Richard W April 1981 Dutch Shipbuilding in the Golden Age History Today Vol 34 No 1 Hector Heritage Quay The Symbol of Scottish Immigration in North America shiphector com Retrieved 2017 07 05 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Fluyt amp oldid 1188948713, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
