Ship Designing From the Ancient to the Present Times

Ship designing is one of the most crucial aspects of the ship building industry. The ships that we come across today are large, self propelled and sturdy. They are used to transport cargo across seas and oceans. This however was not the case centuries ago. The present day ships have undergone countless centuries of development to become what they are today.

In the ancient marine times people used rafts, bundles of reeds, logs of bamboo, asphalt and air filled animal skins to traverse along small bodies. The first boat was a simple frame of sticks lashed and covered nicely with sewn hides. These boats were able to carry large and heavy loads very easily. Another noteworthy ancient boat was the dugout which was a log that was hollowed out and pointed at the end. Most of these were as long as sixty feet.

Kinds of Ships in Ancient Maritime History

As the marine history unfolds, it draws images of intrigue and amazement at the expertise and diligence of the craftsmen of ancient mariners. The medieval ships were built clinker and this refers to the clenching of nail-on technique used for securing planks. This clinker design was adapted from the earlier skin boats that had to be over lapped to be made water tight. In the medieval ages, the Irish were in possession of more innovative techniques and advanced vessels like Irish Curragh. These were known to have wooden frames and a hide covered wicker hull. It is believed that these ancient ships were fitted with removable masts that were rigged using primitive sails. By 1000 AD, framed Viking Long ship was allowed to travel into the Mediterranean Sea. These ships were wider in shape and had a more advanced mast stepping design. By the end of 800 AD, an alternative form of the north European ship design known as the hulk came into vogue. An example of the hulk is the Utrecht ship. The planks of this are flush, butted end to end and tapered in order to draw up at the sides and along the bow and stern.

The Recent Improvements

Ship designing continued to develop as overseas trade became more and more important. With the passage of years, in order to avoid the risk of water damage, cargo was transported in large gallon barrels called tuns. However, in the 21^st century, the potential of 3D ship modeling has brought in a lot of new possibilities in the nautical world. The coming days are expected to see bigger innovations in ship designing that would facilitate the transport of humans and goods at a larger level.