A very strongly built boat, which dates only from the second half of the XIXth century, must also be mentioned as belonging to the first group: the Bunder. This boat is shaped like a “Dorstensche Aak”, but it is carvel built and is covered in with hatch covers.
Finally, these must still be mentioned among the boats of our country the “’s Gravenmoersche Aak” which made its appearance at ’s Gravenmoer in the XIXth century and which came from the Upper Rhine to be used at the Biesbosch. Boats of this category were provided originally with “Klaphekken”, a special rudder which later has been sometimes done away with, either because it was too long or because it was not sufficiently strong, and which has been replaced by an ordinary rudder. They resemble the “Lahnaak” and are used especially for carrying hay. The coming of iron and steel will cause these boats, like so many others to disappear.
In order to avoid confusion, it is necessary to dwell upon the fact that some Dutch Akes have been provided later with false stems, which gives them the appearance of “Stevenschepen” but which, does not make them so.
THE MEUSE.
The long, narrow, light draught boats which frequent the Upper Meuse and its tributaries have an entirely different appearance from those which have just been considered. In the first place, their rudder differs entirely from that of the preceding types. It is true that the long rudder attached to the stock has been kept, but the piece of bent wood has given place to a curved balance beam in two parts of which the after ends are fastened to the after upper corner of the rudder, one on each side. The two parts of the balance beam are made fast near their middle and by means of a chain to the head of the stock of the rudder. The forward end of the balance beam is connected with the end of the tiller by a rope drawn up taut so as to make the whole very solid. The balance beam is composed of two twin pieces. The rudder stock comes up through the stern, but the latter, instead of rising gently and regularly aft, bends sharply inboard.
THE WHALEMAJOL.
Originally, the bow of the Meuse boats had another form; of late years, these craft have been made fuller, and their bow has been bent back to reduce the length of the boat and increase its capacity. The oldest type of this category is the Whalemajol (or Mijole). Its bow and stern are pointed and its main frame is a trapezoid on which the three upper tiers of planking are clinker laid and the hull below is carvel built.