- Fluyt
A fluyt, fluit, or flute (IPA2|flœt:) is a type of
sailing vessel originally designed as a dedicated cargo vessel. Originating from theNetherlands in the16th century , the vessel was designed to facilitate transoceanic delivery with the maximum of space and crew efficiency. The inexpensive ship - which could be built in large numbers [cite book|author=Boxer, CR|title=The Dutch Seaborne Empire 1600-1800|date=1965|publisher=Alfred A. Knopf|page=p.20] - usually carried 12 to 15 cannon, but was still a somewhat easy target for pirates. Nonetheless, the fluyt was a significant factor in the 17th century rise of the Dutch seaborne empire. [cite book|author=Boxer, CR|title=The Dutch Seaborne Empire 1600-1800|date=1965|publisher=Alfred A. Knopf|page=p.68]hip design
The standard fluyt design minimized or completely eliminated its armaments to maximize available cargo space, and used
block and tackle extensively to facilitate ship operations. This ship class was credited in enhancing Dutch competitiveness in international trade, and was widely employed by theDutch East India Company in the 17th and 18th centuries. [cite book|author=Boxer, CR|title=The Dutch Seaborne Empire 1600-1800|date=1965|publisher=Alfred A. Knopf|page=p.68] However, its usefulness caused the fluyt to gain such popularity that similar designs were soon developed by seagoing competitors of the Dutch.The design of fluyts was largely similar to that of the early
galleon s. These ships typically weighed 200-300 tons and were approximately 80 feet in length. The pear-shaped vessel had a large cargo bay near the waterline and a relatively narrow deck above. In part, this design was a method used to avoid high taxes collected byDenmark in theOresund , which was assessed based on area of the main deck. The fluyt wassquare rigged with two or three masts. Masts were much higher than those of galleons to allow for greater speed. At times fluyts were also armed and served as auxiliary vessels, which was a common practice in theBaltic Sea .Appearances in modern media
Fluyts appear in Ensemble Studio's "
Age of Empires III " as versatile ships that are exclusive to the Dutch civilization.In many PC games involving ship combat - such as
Pirates of the Burning Sea ,Sid Meier's Pirates , Port Royale, Tortuga and High Sea Traders - in 17th and 18th century settings a fluyte is included (usually called by the English term "flute," rather than the Dutch spelling "fluyt").References
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