Shashah. Bahrain/Oman, NE/UnitedArab Em.

[Anatol]

Canoe shaped reed boat still popular for along the Al Batinah coast. Constructed of the ribs of date palm leaves sewn together; originally with coir cording, now nylon. Flat bottom; fairly plumb sides; ends taper to a point. Reverse curve to the sheer with the ends lower than amidships. Deck created of the palm ribs and hogged amidships; low bulwarks;deck secured by thwarts lashed on top. Cavity originally filled with coconut bark fiber; now often of Styrofoam. This modification permits the craft to stay at sea longer, and some now serve as tenders, employed to fish out from a mother ship farther offshore.Mainly rowed using long, slender oars worked against tell single tholepins; blades vary in shape regionally.Some sail, employing a small, quadrilateral, lateen-type sail with a short luff with a light yard set to a bipod mast.
Crew of 1-3. An outboard motor now fitted occasion ally. Reported lengths 3-5.5m, widths 1.0m.depth 0.6m.

Sultanat of Oman 1996;50b;SG 443
Sourse: A Dictionary of the world’s Watercraft from Aak to Zumbra.
C.Hawkins:The Dhow