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An Emirati dhow builder is keeping the ancient craft afloat
In the shipyard near Al Jaddaf’s book-shaped Mohammed bin Rashid Library, a small team works tirelessly every day to ensure that the UAE’s seafaring tradition is not lost in the pages of history.
These men were building the dhows that had sailed the Arabian coast for centuries. Small teams bend large planks as if they were made of clay.
Once the workers nailed the planks into place and created a frame, it was time to put the joists and stems in place. Install the ribs next, then the rudder.
After a while, the boat can set sail.
components of the landscape
Dhows are an integral part of the UAE landscape. Two of Dubai’s most iconic landmarks – the Burj Al Arab and the Dupai Opera House – are shaped like traditional sailing ships.
The dhow is also adorned with tourist brochures, postcards and Dh20 notes. But modern ships have removed a wing from their sails, making them relics of the past.
However, an Emirati man is battling against all odds to keep his dhow afloat.
Majid Obaid Al Falasi, one of Al Jaddaf’s last remaining shipbuilders, was congratulated by DP World earlier this year for building the world’s largest wooden sailing vessel.
Named Obaid, the 92-meter handcrafted boat is almost the length of an American football field and is also recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest boat of its kind.
Al Falasi said the record will not disappear from Dubai as long as he is alive.
“After me, my son will carry on our estate and then, God willing, his children,” said the 52-year-old, who started out as an apprentice under his late father, Obaid Jumaa bin Majid Al Falasi .
Graphics by Raja Choudhury
His sloop was named after his father. “I learned everything from my father. It’s fitting that the ship is named after him,” said Al Falasi, sitting behind a huge teak desk in his nautical-themed office filled with vintage nautical handicrafts.
He swept his arms across the room. “We have enough here to build a maritime museum. Maybe one day we’ll do one.”
Farasi said he has fond memories of working with his father.
“I used to go straight to the shipyard after school and watch ships being built from scratch. In the mid-seventies, my father built what was probably the largest dhow in the world at the time. The biggest boat at the time weighed 180 tons. We Weighed 300 tons. People laughed at my father, saying he would never be able to fill a ship that size, but he proved against it by transporting large quantities of fertilizer and other mixed cargo from Pakistan to Abu Dhabi on the ship’s maiden voyage is wrong.”
Al Farassie, who took over his mantle after his father died in December 2009, said he was never intimidated when he set his mind to build the world’s largest dhow and set to work without any blueprints.
“All we had was raw enthusiasm and a strong belief in our capabilities. We sourced the longest logs from around the world. For the first time, steel was added to a dhow for added strength.”
As he neared completion, Al Falasi applied for Guinness World Records, only to be told his entry was ineligible because another Gulf state already had a dhow longer and wider than his.
“I protested because the dhow they were referring to was attached to a hotel. It couldn’t sail. But the Guinness authorities refused to budge, saying a dhow was a dhow.”
Al Falasi said his foreman was stunned when he asked him to stop work and start over.
“The change in plans cost us months and cost us a lot of money. I was suggested to add an external clamp to increase the length and width of the dhow. I declined. I said if we The record has to be broken and then we have to do it the right way,” he said.
Constructed from 1,700 tons of timber and 8,000 tons of steel, the record-breaking ship was finally launched in 2019 but wasn’t officially inaugurated until the following year.
“As captains, we transported 623 used cars and other cargo to Yemen,” Al Falasi said. “It was an exhilarating experience to steer this massive vessel.” The honor was eventually awarded to Obaid in October 2020.
Dubai’s dhow trade has seen a strong recovery with the launch of the Wooden Dhow Maritime Authority, which was established in 2020 by the Ports, Customs and Free Zones Corporation (PCFC) to streamline and regulate the movement of traditional vessels in the emirate waters. Influenced by these traditional seagoing vessels, five limited-edition Bentley Bentayga models were inspired by dhows.
In the first half of 2022, 6,052 wooden dhows shipped 1 million tons of goods from countries in the MENA region and beyond
Al Falasi said the dhow trade will pick up further in the coming years.
“This is the legacy of our ancestors. We will protect it every day.”
mazhar@khaleejtimes.com
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