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 A Shitik on theLena River in the 1890s | |
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name | ShitikRussian:Шитик |
| Builders | Biryulka |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type | Riverboat |
| Notes | a river flat-bottomed sail and rowing vessel |
 Engraving of a Shitik in the north of Russia | |
Shitik (Russian:Шитик) is a small, broad-bottomedvessel in which parts of the hull have been sewed with belts orjuniper and fir-tree rods calledvinya (Russian:Виня).
There are two proposed origins for the name of this boat. The first is that it comes from the verbRussian:Сшивать, meaning 'to sew'. This explains some of the design features of the boat. The second is that the shape of the boat is similar to that of larvae ofTrichoptera, which are also calledRussian:Шитик (shitik).
The term Shitik refers to two different vessel types:
The Shitik was akeeled vessel, powered by sail and oars. It was used as asea trade and transport ship. The ship has a rounded-off bottom and, therefore, features a considerable expansion of the hull and disorder of boards.[clarification needed] This design improves the ship's performance.[1]
| Length | 12 metres (39 ft) – 15 metres (49 ft)[2] |
|---|---|
| Width | 3 metres (9.8 ft) – 4 metres (13 ft)[2] |
| Draft | 0.18 metres (0.59 ft)[3] |
| Hull height at midships | 0.8 metres (2.6 ft)[3] |
| load-carrying capacity | 15 – 24 tons[2] |
Shitik had a single mast with a direct[clarification needed] sail, oars, and a hinged[clarification needed] wheel. The vessel had a canopy to protect the cargo from the rain although there is also a bunkhouse below the deck.[2]
The underwater contours of the vessel allowed it to navigate inice: when compressed it was squeezed out onto the surface. When docking the ship and hauling the anchor, Shitik needs the assistance of a vessel calledosinovka boat.[2]
It is believed that in the 13th century, the Shitik was the most widespread coastal transport vessel.[2] Shitiks were mainly built between the 11th–17th centuries.[1] Initially, Shitiks were built on the coast of theWhite Sea, and theNorthern Dvina,Sukhona,Vychegda,Vetluga, andTikhvinka rivers.[3] Later the building of such boats[clarification needed] also spread inSiberia and theFar East, since Shitiks plied thePacific Ocean.[1]
Shitiks were regularly used during the first phase of the Russianmaritime fur trade in the North Pacific, from the 1740s to 1799, especially for exploring and collecting furs in theAleutian Islands. They continued to be used inRussian America by theRussian-American Company in the early 19th century.[4]
Shitiks were an important innovation on the Siberian rivers. Many shallows and reefs made akeel useless, and a shortage of nails made it necessary to improve techniques of sewing theplanks. It was successfully operated throughout the 18th–20th centuries, being gradually replaced with new types of ship.
When artisan shipbuilders had the opportunity to use aluminium, the boat found a new niche. It is basically used by hunters and fishermen to reach inaccessible places in thetaiga. Making Shitiks is popular on theLena River inSiberia,Russia.[5]
The design of the boat has been retained, but they are now made ofaluminium sheet. Shitiks now have pointed bows instead of sawn-off ends.Sails are no longer used; they are powered byoutboard motors.[5]
Shitiks are useful in overcoming shoals; they have speed and adequate capacity. The absence of akeel is a problem, as it results to poor stability. Such a boat does not transfer[clarification needed] a wave, and every movement of a passenger riskscapsizing the vessel. But this combination of features suits hunters and fishermen, who can use it to cross rivers of 30 centimetres (0.98 ft) – 40 centimetres (1.3 ft) depth.[5]
Well known Shitiks: on theFirst Kamchatka expedition under the command ofVitus Bering, an auxiliary vessel"Fortuna" boat-shitik was used[1] (in other sources it was a two-mastedGaliot[6])
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| Media related toLena River at Wikimedia Commons | |||||||