Flat-bottomed ships (NL: ‘Platbodem‘) are sailing vessels specially designed for use in the Wadden Sea. A flat-bottomed vessel, as the name suggests, has a flat bottom and no keel. Instead, a flat-bottomed vessel has drop-down pulleys on the left and right sides of the boat’s exterior. Because of the shallow draft, flat-bottomed vessels can also operate in the shallow waters of the Wadden Sea and can easily dry out at low tide.
In the harbor of Harlingen you can admire a whole series of such partly historic flat-bottomed ships, which you can also rent or charter for small or larger excursions and sailing trips.
