Origins of the dhow is nor clear, most scholars say that it originated in China from 600 B.C. to 600 A.D. Some scholars say that the sambuk, a type of dhow, may be derived from the Portuguese. Dhows may be of more than 50 tons. They use big canvas sails and utilise the monsoons (Kusi & Kaskazi) to sail across the Indian Ocean between the Swahili coast, Arabia, the Persian Gulf, and India. These are larger boats built using a frame with planks nailed on to them. They have a square stern and a perpendicular or slanting stem. They are all-purpose boats.
Mashua: are generally used for fishing.
Jahazi: some reaching up to 30 tons, are used for transportation of cargo and passengers.
Photo by:
Dauupicha
