Description
Giclée reproduction of “Botters” from the original pen and ink drawing by artist Scott Kennedy in 1982.
About the botters (fast sailing ships designed for shallow waters)
I had been wandering from town to town along the Zuiderzee where boatyards and craft sought shelter from the North Sea. I came across this grouping of botters moored in Hoorn and, with only a few hours of light left in the day, caught it with my pen.
My friend and also renown marine artist and historian, Peter Dorlejn, had restored and used one of these vessels for summer voyages. He lived in Hoorn and I had been staying with him for a time.
The style of the botters intrigued me. I had sailed one back in Danish waters years before while participating in a small regatta. What really fascinated me was how well these craft glide in calm winds and smooth waters.
The immensity of solid timber used in building these was by itself impressive. The rig was unstayed and the solid wood tapered mast was braced only by the timbers of the hull. Being flat-bottomed, the botters used the two leeboards for lateral stability instead of traditional deep weighted keels.
Developed for the shallow inland waters of Holland, they originated in the town of Elburg (a member of the Hanseatic League). They were solidly constructed mainly for fishing and also capable of sailing into the choppy waters and high winds of the North Sea.
Similar artwork
See Scott Kennedy’s pen and ink drawing “Safe Anchorage”. Also, check out another ink drawing titled “Hanseatische Yachtschule Glücksburg” by Kennedy.
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