They are passably short but robust and bluff, thoroughly suited for running in shallow water.
THE “BOLLE” AND THE “KNOTS”.
The preceding type of boat is found at Urk under the name of Bolle van Urk, or else of “Bolletje van Urk”. It is derived from the “smack” group. It is curious to note that boats of the same kind have long frequented the port of Antwerp under the name of Knots van Antwerpen. (“Knots of Antwerp”).
THE “JOL”.
At Stavoren, there still exists the Stavorensche Jol (Stavoren Yawl), a small, short, bluff boat with a keel; it is exceedingly steady on the water. It is also met with now at Enkhuizen and at Medenblik. It is a clinker built boat (sometimes carvel built at the present time) which is often compared to a “sabot” on account of its rounded forms. It carries a fish tank and, as it has a keel, the lee boards are lacking. It is spritsail rigged, and its tonnage is from 4 to 6 tons.
At the Helder, at Enkhuizen and at Medenblik a great deal of use is made of flats, of which the length may be as much as 10 metres. The stern has a sternframe; the quite long bow, on the contrary, rises high with a slight rake. The vessel is clinker built and carries two bilge keels and a bit of a false keel at the after end of the main keel. It gauges generally from 2 to 5 tons.
As a rule, the tonnage of the “Botters” and “Schokkers” varies from 20 to 30 tons. The smaller types met with at Huizen run from 16 to 20 tons, and at Harderwijck and Elburg, from 13 to 18 tons.
The variations between the fundamental groups may be attributed to the different ideas of builders, just as there are differences in the costumes of various countries.