Specialist dhows in Ras Al Khaimah

Posted on: August 29, 2008

Written by Select Property

Mohammed Abdullah Bahaji owns of one of the oldest dhow workshops in Ras Al Khaimah . He has been in the field of dhow making for more than 50 years and he specialises in making big dhows called booms. A dhow is a traditional Arab sailing vessel with one or more lateen sails but is also applied to small, traditionally-constructed vessels used for trade in the Gulf region.

Bahaji was inspired to join the profession at a young age by his father who owned a dhow workshop in old Ras Al Khaimah. “I learnt the job from my father who was a prominent dhow maker in Ras Al Khaimah,” he said.

”It takes about two years to construct a big dhow, which is about 100-foot-long, at a cost of around Dh3 million, depending on the types of timber used,” said Bahaji. After a dhow is completed, it is left on the beach for 10 days to become firm before launching it into the water.

According to Bahaji, with the advent of modern technology, which has led to the manufacturing of several small boats and vessels with big engines, most of the traditional dhow makers are now engaged in the construction of big dhows.

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