All the types mentioned above have the stern of a flute, that is to say: they are square sterned, which is characteristic of the old Dutch naval construction.
THE OOST-INDISCH COMPAGNIESCHIP.
The pinnace gave the “Oost-Indisch Compagnieschip” (ship of the East India Company). Its stern was rounded. As a merchant ship, it was heavily armed and was often used as a man-of-war in case of need. The plate of our album showing this vessel gives a good idea of the form and construction, hence, more detailed explanations are superfluous. Let it be mentioned only that the stern is very much ornamented, that there is a beakhead and that the length of the deck is greater than that of the “flutes”. It carried three masts and the ordinary sails and rigging.
The vessel of the same kind, but smaller in size and with two masts only, was called “Snauwschip” (rind). It is met with frequently in Flanders. WITSEN counts the rinds as among inland vessels (p. 170).
THE BOEIER.
The “Boeier” belongs to an isolated type of boats carrying on their traffic especially with Rouen. It was a flat-bottomed vessel with keel and lee-boards, as it frequented shallow rivers as much as the sea. The lee-boards reached two feet below the keel. The stem was much curved, whence their name of “Kromsteven”.
Judging by the old engravings, the boats of this class had a very high “statie”, which recalls rather the construction of the Mediterranean than that of Holland. Besides, the “Boyer” is not a purely Dutch type, and it is probably descended from a Mediterranean type, modified to suit the needs of our country.