As was seen in the general classification, the Rhenisch boats may be
divided into two groups:
_a_) Those navigating the Rhine below Bonn;
_b_) Those navigating the Rhine, above Bonn, and its tributaries, with
the exception of the Neckar, where is found a boat belonging to group
_a_.
Group _a_ includes:
1.--The _Dorstensche Aak_, so called from the town of Dorsten where
these boats were frequently built. It is a long and narrow “ake” of
which the bottom was continued all the way to the tip of the bow; the
length was 6 to 7 times the beam and the hull was clinker built. The
bow was full, the stern slender at the water line. The after deck
included a poop deck, with a much curved tiller resting on a solid
“luierwagen” (prop). The rudder was large and heavy. These boats had
two masts. The cabin on the small boats was by the after mast; on
the larger, there was a free space between the cabin and the mast. A
dwelling was placed aft of the main mast and in the bow was a cabin
for the servant. The hold was decked over with plane inclined hatch
covers, which, formerly, were round. The “Dorstensche Aak” with round
hatch covers was a “Samoreus”. Alongside of these latter there used
to be akes with open holds called “Dorstsche Koolhaelders”. Although
these boats were no fuller than the other akes they appeared, like all
clinker built boats, more massive. They generally carried square sails
on the main mast and fore-and-aft sails on the smaller. As a general
rule, these boats reached us unfinished and it was only when the cargo
(pots and other household utensils) was sold, that they were finished
in our country.
[Sidenote: III 94]
2.--The _Neckaraak_ (ake from the Neckar) was a small “Dorstenche Aak”
of which the length was about 6½ times the breadth. These vessels were
long and narrow and worked well. They had a characteristic cabin which,
compared with the height of the boat, rose a great deal above the deck.
They had, in addition to a main mast, a small one near the rudder. They
carried no lee boards, but their rudder was like that of “Dorstensche
Aak”.