Ship Made without Nails is Mighty | National Geographic

[Music]

[Music] for centuries the winds of the Indian

for centuries the winds of the Indian

for centuries the winds of the Indian Ocean have brought explorers and

Ocean have brought explorers and

Ocean have brought explorers and merchants to the island of Zanzibar

merchants to the island of Zanzibar

merchants to the island of Zanzibar [Music]

[Music]

[Music] through rough seas and monsoon weather

through rough seas and monsoon weather

through rough seas and monsoon weather one ship has sustained trade and travel

one ship has sustained trade and travel

one ship has sustained trade and travel the Dow at 150 feet this is the biggest

the Dow at 150 feet this is the biggest

the Dow at 150 feet this is the biggest Dow constructed on Zanzibar for some

Dow constructed on Zanzibar for some

Dow constructed on Zanzibar for some time the Somali merchant who

time the Somali merchant who

time the Somali merchant who commissioned it has waited four long

commissioned it has waited four long

commissioned it has waited four long years to see it finished built without

years to see it finished built without

years to see it finished built without plans or power tools even the wooden

plans or power tools even the wooden

plans or power tools even the wooden hull is fastened together using the hard

hull is fastened together using the hard

hull is fastened together using the hard air roots of mangrove trees instead of

air roots of mangrove trees instead of

air roots of mangrove trees instead of nails but the final product is a sailing

nails but the final product is a sailing

nails but the final product is a sailing ship tough enough to withstand the power

ship tough enough to withstand the power

ship tough enough to withstand the power of the Indian Ocean and the force of

of the Indian Ocean and the force of

of the Indian Ocean and the force of monsoon winds for as long as anyone can

monsoon winds for as long as anyone can

monsoon winds for as long as anyone can remember constant winds have buffeted

remember constant winds have buffeted

remember constant winds have buffeted the swahili coast the predictability of

the swahili coast the predictability of

the swahili coast the predictability of these winds made international trade

these winds made international trade

these winds made international trade possible but it was the ingenuity of the

possible but it was the ingenuity of the

possible but it was the ingenuity of the Dow’s design that made it practical

Dow’s design that made it practical

Dow’s design that made it practical there are dozens of different kinds of

there are dozens of different kinds of

there are dozens of different kinds of dow from every country bordering the

dow from every country bordering the

dow from every country bordering the indian ocean but they all share one

indian ocean but they all share one

indian ocean but they all share one common feature their sail traditional

common feature their sail traditional

common feature their sail traditional European ships depended on having the

European ships depended on having the

European ships depended on having the wind behind them but the dowels

wind behind them but the dowels

wind behind them but the dowels adjustable sail could be turned to catch

adjustable sail could be turned to catch

adjustable sail could be turned to catch the wind in any direction

the wind in any direction

the wind in any direction Swahili sailors love the chance to

Swahili sailors love the chance to

Swahili sailors love the chance to display their skills

now races are the perfect opportunity

now races are the perfect opportunity [Music]

for the sailors of Zanzibar these

for the sailors of Zanzibar these age-old ships continue to be at the

age-old ships continue to be at the

age-old ships continue to be at the heart of a rich maritime tradition

heart of a rich maritime tradition

heart of a rich maritime tradition [Music]