The uniqueness of these dhows is that few nails were used. The planks were ‘sewn’ together with rope made of coconut fibre
PRAVASISAMWAD.COM
As a seafaring nation with maritime traditions that go back many centuries, the city of Sur in Oman is known for its glorious history and tradition of making marine vessels, fishing boats as well as the skills the people of Sur possess as sailors and mariners.
Indeed, it has a long maritime history. The people of Sur have always maintained that one of the most colourful characters of the Arabian Nights, Sindbad the Sailor, was a real-life person, who was born and brought up and lived in Sur.
The Al Aygah area of Sur is one of the most gorgeous places in the governorate. The lighthouse located out here is one of the oldest lighthouses in the Sultanate. It still guides ships for docking in the harbour.
Sur is located just 150kms from Muscat. Even for local tourists, there are many places to see and explore and gain a unique insight into Oman’s maritime heritage. Once here, visitors must also make it a point to visit the ‘Boatyard’. Here one can get to see many Dhows and workers still use traditional methods as well as materials to build old-style ships.
Dhows usually are made from different types of woods such as; Bamboo, Mahogany, Teak and Cedarwood. Once a major means of trade, dhows have never lost their importance or prominence even though trading is no longer a priority where they are concerned.
Made of Malaysian teak, African mahogany or coconut wood, with a few salient construction features like lateen and stitched construction, where the wooden planks are stitched to perfection, providing it with excellent control and easy sailing fitness. What made these traditional dhows different is that the planks, which are usually made of teak wood, sewn together with coconut rope.
The ‘lateen sail’, which is triangular in shape, has replaced the ancient cotton version, and polyester fabric is used instead. Various modern versions have been introduced in recent times to lure tourists and other customers into keeping the tradition alive.
Without blueprints and just their years of experience, these dhow builders were master craftsmen of their art. Armed with their hammers, saws and a vast array of tools, they still continue to build their masterful dhows today so that it never is and never will be a lost art.
Sur is located just 150kms from Muscat. Even for local tourists, there are many places to see and explore and gain a unique insight into Oman’s maritime heritage
About two kilometres away from the Boatyard, you can see an old ship named: ‘Fateh Al Khair’.The Locals call it ‘Agangha’. It is a tube ship that is a distinct shape from other types of ships because of its rectangular stern. This vessel also bears exquisite inscriptions and engravings, which reflects the signature style of the Sur boat-builders. It is also considered the last of the transcontinental ships of the city.
This ship was built in 1951 in Al Rasha district of Sur, by the renowned ship-builder Mohammed bin Khamis Al Araimi and owned by the captain, Saled bin Ali Al Qasmi. Its first trip was to Basrah in Iraq. Then it sailed to a number of ports of the Arab Gulf countries, Yemen and the eastern coast of Africa and India.
To know more about the significance and the the relationship of dhows with ancient Omanis, one need not go far. All you have to do is visit the Maritime Museum of Sur which tell tales of its colourful past. The museum located just next to the dhow building yard holds a display of models which are recently replaced and rebuilt to give the present a meaningful glance of the past.
Reports say that the specially commissioned dhow called ‘Sohar’ as recorded in the ‘The Sindbad Voyage’ was actually built in Sur and is now placed at the Dhow roundabout in Muscat, near the Al Bustan Hotel.