Bilander
{{Short description|Type of ship}}
The bilander, also spelled billander or bélandre, is a two-masted vessel. The foremast carries square rigs on all of its yards, and its taller mainmast has a long lateen mainsail yard with a corresponding trapezoidal sail and rig inclined at about 45°, with square rigs on the yards above that. The lowermost is secured at the corners by a crossjack.
History
A bilander was a small European merchant ship with two masts. It was used in the Netherlands for coast and canal traffic and occasionally seen in the North Sea but more frequently in the Mediterranean Sea.{{Cite book|title=They came from Germany, aboard the Thistle|last=Hawk, James R.|date=11 February 2016 |isbn=978-1483446394|pages=18|publisher=Lulu Publishing Services |oclc=980523921}} In England, the use of the bilander can be dated back as far as the reign of Queen Elizabeth.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=l6PbcuKnUOYC&q=bilander&pg=PP1|title=The Book of Old Ships: From Egyptian Galleys to Clipper Ships|last=Culver|first=Henry B.|date=2012-09-26|publisher=Courier Corporation|isbn=9780486156897|language=en}} The mainmast was lateen-rigged with a trapezoidal mainsail, but the foremast carried the conventional square course and square topsail. Displacement was typically under 100 tons. However, the design was eventually replaced by more efficient sailing ship designs, leading it to be regarded as simply a precursor/forerunner to the brig.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rCigJ7n7u-oC&q=bilander+ship&pg=PA28|title=Sailing Ships of New England 1606-1907|last1=Robinson|first1=John|last2=Dow|first2=George Francis|date=2007-03-17|publisher=Skyhorse Publishing Inc.|isbn=9781602390393|language=en}}{{Cite book |last1=Robinson |first1=John |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6vEsAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA28 |title=The Sailing Ships of New England, 1607-1907 |last2=Dow |first2=George Francis |date=1922 |publisher=Marine Research Society |language=en}} The design was popular in the Mediterranean Sea, as well as around New England in the first half of the 18th century, but was soon surpassed by better designs. Few examples survive.
References
{{reflist}}
{{Sailing vessels and rigs}}
Category:Merchant sailing ship types
Category:Sailing rigs and rigging
{{Ship-type-stub}}