Fluyt

For the concept orbital transfer vehicle (or space tug), see Reaction Engines Limited.
Dutch fluyt, 1677

A fluyt (archaic Dutch: fluijt "flute"; Dutch pronunciation: [flœyt] ⓘ)[1] is a Dutch type of sailing vessel originally designed by the shipwrights of Hoorn as a dedicated cargo vessel.[2] Originating in the Dutch Republic in the 16th century, the vessel was designed to facilitate transoceanic delivery with the maximum of space and crew efficiency. Unlike rivals, it was not built for conversion in wartime to a warship, so it was simpler and cheaper to build and carried twice the cargo, and could be handled by a smaller crew. Construction by specialized shipyards using new tools made it half the cost of rival ships. These factors combined to sharply lower the cost of transportation for Dutch merchants, giving them a major competitive advantage, particularly with bulk goods.[3][4]: 20  The fluyt was a significant factor in the 17th-century rise of the Dutch seaborne empire.[4]: 68  In 1670 the Dutch merchant marine totalled 568,000 tons of shipping—about half the European total.[5]

  1. ^ van Brederode, Willem; Doedens, A. (2008). Doedens, A.; Looijesteijn, Henk (eds.). Op jacht naar Spaans zilver: het scheepsjournaal van Willem van Brederode, kapitein der mariniers in de Nassause vloot (1623–1626) [On the hunt for Spanish silver: The logbook of Willem van Brederode, Captain of the Marines in the Nassau Fleet (1623–1626)]. Hilversum: Verloren. ISBN 9789087040475.
  2. ^ Wheatley, Joe. "Fluyts and Katts". The Captain Cook Society. Retrieved 11 May 2017.
  3. ^ de Vries, Jan (1976). The Economy of Europe in an Age of Crisis, 1600–1750. Cambridge University Press. pp. 117–18. ISBN 978-0-521-29050-0.
  4. ^ a b Boxer, CR (1965). The Dutch Seaborne Empire 1600–1800. Alfred A. Knopf.
  5. ^ Blanning, Tim (2007). The Pursuit of Glory: Europe, 1648–1815. Penguin. p. 96. ISBN 978-0-670-06320-8.