Ajakt is a small,single-masted, fastsailing boat, with a wide and flathull, probably of Dutch origin. Jakts had split booms, with a crab mainsail and two or threejibs. They were also commonly equipped with abreifokk, a kind of jib.[1][2]
The termjakt has its origin in the Dutch expressionjacht orjachtschip, which refers to a fast sailing ship. The word is also the origin of the English termyacht, although this term describes a completely different type of boat – a largepleasure craft.[3]
Jakts were primarily built ascargo ships forfjords and nearby coastal areas, but larger, later-built jakts could also be used to sail across theAtlantic Ocean. This type of ship was built based on the experiences and ideas of the variousshipbuilders about the construction details that offered the best properties of use.[4]
A later development of the design was the jaktegaleas, also known as agalley-type jakt. Compared to a conventional jakt, jaktegaleas often have one stern mast (amizzen), which is lower and larger than the forward mast. This arrangement was advantageous as it had a lower crew requirement compared to the conventional design while being larger in size.[5]
A Hardangerjakt is a single-masted sailboat, with a flat hull and a roundtransom, rigged with a crab mainsail and jib. It was a popular type of boat at the end of the 19th century. The jakt was used mainly as a cargo ship incoastal shipping, especially for transporting salted fish fromNorthern Norway toWestern Norway.[6]
Anna af Sand is the oldest ship still afloat in Europe, launched in 1848, preserved as a typical example of a Hardangerjakt. The ship is owned by theStavanger Maritime Museum.
