“’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, VAN LOON tells 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”.
THE TJALK.
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. (LE COMTE, p. 17).