Ship (Hengst)
Posted: Mon Jan 26, 2026 4:59 pm
A «Hengst» is a type of traditional Dutch fishing vessel for use in the large Dutch and Belgian estuaria. They were working ships, able to operate in shallow waters and easily dragged onto and from sandbanks.They were sailing ships although smaller versions –not universally considered to be hengsten– could be rowed. These were used upstream, eastwards to the German border.
Lemmerhengsten, crossovers from «lemsteraken», had their stern adapted for speed.
The Lemsteraak is a traditional Frisian sailing ship. The design originated in Lemmer, developed from the Frisian visa aak (suitable for Frisian inland waterways).
Originally, the barge was intended as a fishing vessel on the Wadden Sea and the Zuiderzee, particularly the section between Friesland and the northern tip of North Holland. It was primarily used for herring fishing, although the actual fishing was done with herring flat-bottomed boats. The barge was used for transporting and storing the fish, which was provided by a (covered) hold on the foredeck, which could be up to 2.5 meters in size. Because of its speed, the barge was also used for transporting other (live) fish, mussel seed to Zeeland, and mussels from Zeeland to Belgium (as far as Brussels). They were also used early in the 19th century for the transport of live eels to London, where the barges even had their own mooring.
Being suitable for shallow water hengsten were used to ferry people; veerhengsten had adaptations for this trade.
Nederland 2025; 1,0.
Sourses: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Cate ... gst_(ship); https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lemsteraake.
Lemmerhengsten, crossovers from «lemsteraken», had their stern adapted for speed.
The Lemsteraak is a traditional Frisian sailing ship. The design originated in Lemmer, developed from the Frisian visa aak (suitable for Frisian inland waterways).
Originally, the barge was intended as a fishing vessel on the Wadden Sea and the Zuiderzee, particularly the section between Friesland and the northern tip of North Holland. It was primarily used for herring fishing, although the actual fishing was done with herring flat-bottomed boats. The barge was used for transporting and storing the fish, which was provided by a (covered) hold on the foredeck, which could be up to 2.5 meters in size. Because of its speed, the barge was also used for transporting other (live) fish, mussel seed to Zeeland, and mussels from Zeeland to Belgium (as far as Brussels). They were also used early in the 19th century for the transport of live eels to London, where the barges even had their own mooring.
Being suitable for shallow water hengsten were used to ferry people; veerhengsten had adaptations for this trade.
Nederland 2025; 1,0.
Sourses: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Cate ... gst_(ship); https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lemsteraake.