Around 1900, around 1,000 fishing vessels were operating in the Scheldt Delta, including flat-bottomed gullies and hengsten. These flat-bottomed wooden vessels were ideal for the shallow waters of the Zeeland Delta. While the Hoogaars had a remarkably high stern, the hengst was known for its sturdiness and steep bow. With the advent of steel ships and steam engines, these traditional vessels all but disappeared.... The hengst is a traditional East Flemish and Zeeland Flemish type of sailing vessel. These long-rigged flatboats were built for the Scheldt delta with its many sandbanks and tidal harbours, where their flat bottoms allowed them to fall dry without getting stuck. The sailing ship was mainly used in the Eastern and Western Scheldt for flounder and mussel fishing. Even more than the Hoogaars, the hengst is characteristic of the Westerschelde. Here, on Lake Veere, the Th49 sails away from the jetty while 2 girls in Walcheren costume stand watching.
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