These types, originating in the part of Western Germany of which Dorst is the centre, were imported into our country and have existed there for a very long time. This is why the “Geldersche Samoreuzen” are already mentioned in the XVIIth century. Although badly shown, they are to be seen also on old engravings. They are seen circulating on the Lower Rhine and the Waal where they are called Hollandsche Aaken and Stevenschepen; even now, they are still built in North Brabant where they have been in existence for a very long time.
These types of vessels came from the West of Germany (Westphalia) and entered the Netherlands by way of the Lower Rhine and the Waal, and through the North-West of North Brabant. They are not met with on the Meuse, or on the Lower Waal below Tiel. Aaken have been built on a small scale along the Merwede, and at other points of Holland, where this same type was again found in the old clinker-built “Turfeiker” which seems now to have disappeared entirely. The hulls of all these craft were made in the beginning by overlapping planks, hence it was the old mode of construction used on the Baltic Sea. These vessels were all long, narrow and flat-bottomed, like the “Bovenlanders”.
B) Boats of the Meuse.
The Meuse boats, also long and narrow, form a special class of which the type differs completely from that of the Rhenish craft just mentioned.
The Whalemajol, the Whalepont and the Maaspont, as well as the smaller Spitsbek and the Herna, may be mentioned as fundamental types. All these types are found on the Belgian Meuse and in our country as far down as Roermond.
Small vessels called Bovenmaasche Aaken or Hedelsche Aaken, frequently used as dredging flats, are frequently found on the Lower Meuse in the Netherlands. The shape of these craft is different from that of the Meuse boats just mentioned from which, however, they are descended, but their rudder corresponds rather with that of the Rhenish craft which circulate above Bonn.
C) Boats of the Upper Rhine (above Bonn and inclusive of the regions West of the Rhine and East of the Meuse).
The fundamental type is here the Keen, and with it are found the Keenaak and a boat of more recent date, the Slof.
One of these types of boats was introduced at ’s Gravenmoer, in the XIXth century, because it appeared suitable for exploiting the osier beds at Biesbosch, but since then many changes have been made in the stern and the rudder.
None of these types has its origin in the Netherlands.