Ship Made without Nails is Mighty | National Geographic

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for centuries the winds of the Indian
Ocean have brought explorers and
merchants to the island of Zanzibar
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through rough seas and monsoon weather
one ship has sustained trade and travel
the Dow at 150 feet this is the biggest
Dow constructed on Zanzibar for some
time the Somali merchant who
commissioned it has waited four long
years to see it finished built without
plans or power tools even the wooden
hull is fastened together using the hard
air roots of mangrove trees instead of
nails but the final product is a sailing
ship tough enough to withstand the power
of the Indian Ocean and the force of
monsoon winds for as long as anyone can
remember constant winds have buffeted
the swahili coast the predictability of
these winds made international trade
possible but it was the ingenuity of the
Dow’s design that made it practical
there are dozens of different kinds of
dow from every country bordering the
indian ocean but they all share one
common feature their sail traditional
European ships depended on having the
wind behind them but the dowels
adjustable sail could be turned to catch
the wind in any direction
Swahili sailors love the chance to
display their skills
now races are the perfect opportunity
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for the sailors of Zanzibar these
age-old ships continue to be at the
heart of a rich maritime tradition
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