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What kind of ship is a junk?
Chinese sailing vessel
Junk, classic Chinese sailing vessel of ancient unknown origin, still in wide use. High-sterned, with projecting bow, the junk carries up to five masts on which are set square sails consisting of panels of linen or matting flattened by bamboo strips. Each sail can be spread or closed at a pull, like a venetian blind.
What was a junk ship used for?
Originally developed in China during the Han Dynasty (220 B.C.E. –200 C.E.), junks were advanced and adapted vessels used for both military combat and trade; traveling far distances across the sea as well as through inland rivers. The junk eventually came to represent one of the most successful ship designs in history.
What did junk ships carry?
The holds were used to carry goods, such as grain or pottery. The larger junks could store up to 660 tons (600 metric tons) of cargo.
Where did the junk sail?
China
Junks first appeared in China during the Han Dynasty (206 BC – 220 AD), a small, shallow-hulled vessel with one or two masts. The boat’s narrow shape was designed to allow it to glide quickly across the water, while the flat bottom made it possible to dock in shallow waters.
Why is a ship called a junk?
The origin of the word “junk” in the English language can be traced to the Portuguese word junco, which is rendered from the Arabic word j-n-k (جنك). The word was used to denote both the Javanese/Malay ship (jong or djong) and the Chinese ship (chuán), even though the two were markedly different vessels.
What made the junk ship unique?
One of the unique features of the junks were the shape of their sails, which were very different from those of Western ships. It also prevented the sails themselves from fraying and rotting as quickly as they otherwise would have. The ingenuity and strength of these ships have allowed them to continue to be used today.
Why is a boat called a junk?
Why are junk sails red?
The reddish-brown color of the traditional junk sail is a result of an additive, what’s known as “tanbark.” The woven grass (then later canvas) sails were “tanned” to protect them from the elements—dipped in tannins extracted from the bark of oak trees.
Why are they called junk ships?
What is junk cruising?
A “junk sail”, which has become the name for an ancient sail plan of unknown origins and being an independent creation from the Chinese “junk ship”, may be rigged on any hull capable of carrying an unstayed mast or very minimal standing rigging.
Why are boats called junks?
What is a junk in Vietnam?
The Junk Force (Vietnamese: Lực Lượng Hãi Thuyền) officially the Coastal Force was a naval security unit of the Republic of Vietnam, composed of civilians trained by the Navy and working in conjunction with the Republic of Vietnam National Police.