Category: How to sail

When people see our traditional sailing barge for the first time, one of the most often asked questions we hear is “What are those big paddles on the sides for?” Well, they are not paddles!  They are known in English speaking countries as ‘leeboards’. The Dutch call them ‘Zwaarden’ which oddly translates to English as…

The boom is the long  spar that is hung from the bottom of the largest sail. It extends from the base of the mast to the stern and on a sailing barge, is typically made from solid wood. Unlike a lightweight aluminum spar on a modern yacht, it is strategically designed to be heavy and…