A skûtsje (pronounced 'skootshuh') is a Frisian

sailing boat A sailboat or sailing boat is a boat propelled partly or entirely by sails and is smaller than a sailing ship. Distinctions in what constitutes a sailing boat and ship vary by region and maritime culture. Types Although sailboat terminology ...

of the type tjalk or

Dutch barge A Dutch barge is a traditional flat-bottomed shoal-draught barge, originally used to carry cargo in the shallow '' Zuyder Zee'' and the waterways of Netherlands. There are very many types of Dutch barge, with characteristics determined by regio ...

, originally an ordinary cargo boat, but today a prized ship and one of the

icon An icon () is a religious work of art, most commonly a painting, in the cultures of the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, and Catholic churches. They are not simply artworks; "an icon is a sacred image used in religious devotion". The most c ...

s of Frisia. Skûtsjes were built from the 18th century until about 1930 and are long and on average wide, with a maximum of (based on the standard dimensions of Frisian bridges and locks). 2Gebroeders1909

In the 1920s and 1930s many skûtsjes were fitted with engines and after

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

the sails were even often removed. Nevertheless, other, much larger, powered boats took over water transportation in the area and many skûtsjes were rebuilt into

houseboat A houseboat is a boat that has been designed or modified to be used primarily as a home. Most houseboats are not motorized as they are usually moored or kept stationary at a fixed point, and often tethered to land to provide utilities. H ...

s or luxurious sailing

yacht A yacht is a sailing or power vessel used for pleasure, cruising, or racing. There is no standard definition, though the term generally applies to vessels with a cabin intended for overnight use. To be termed a , as opposed to a , such a pleasu ...

s. Over time, more and more were restored to their original state. There is a yearly racing event in Friesland called '' Skûtsjesilen''. Such races were already held in the early 19th century, but since 1945 they have been regulated through a committee, SKS. In these races, each Skûtsje represents a city or village. In 1981 another organisation, IFKS, also started organising races. This racing already started early in the 20th century where villages in Friesland or more precisely often the bar and hotel owners made prizes available for the winner. At that time the skipper and his family lived on board in a narrow cabin and before the race the family and the interior of the cabin was placed ashore to make the boat as light as possible at the start of the race. The Skûtsjemuseum in Eernewoude (Frisian: Earnewâld) started building a new skûtsje named the Æbelina, out of wood in the old traditional way, it was launched in August 2009.

References

*J&J Griffin: ''The Quick Reference Guide to Dutch Barges'', UK, 2007. *De doem van eer : AEbelina, pronkjuweel van het Skûtsjemuseum 2009.

External links

Central Commission for Skûtsje Sailing
Sailboat types {{ship-type-stub