Dhow Obaid

Last October, the mightly dhow Obaid set sail from the Majid Obaid Bin Majid Al Falasi & Sons shipyard on Dubai Creek. The Guinness Book of World Records has confirmed Obaid as the largest wooden Arabic dhow in the world. It is also one of the largest wooden ships ever built.

The Obaid of 2020 brings to mind the schooner Wyoming of 1909, often referred to as the largest wooden ship ever built. Although the two vessels are separated in time by 111 years, they have much in common. Both were built primarily of wood with steel and iron for additional strength and both push the limits of how large a wooden ship can be practically built.

Schooner Wyoming

Wyoming was built by Percy & Small in Bath, Maine, and had a sparred length, from jib-boom tip to spanker boom tip, of 450 feet. Her hull length was 327.5 feet with a 50-foot beam. Her cargo deadweight was around 6,000 tonnes.

Because the ship was so long and wood is relatively flexible, Wyoming’s hull was reinforced with 300 tonnes of iron and steel straps and brackets. Despite the iron and steel reinforcements, the ship tended to flex in heavy seas, allowing seawater to intrude into the hold. Wyoming used steam-driven pumps to keep her hold relatively free of water. The steam engine was also used to raise her sails and to power her anchor windlass, allowing as few as eleven sailors to sail the ship.

In March 1924, she foundered in heavy seas and sank with the loss of all hands.

At just over 300 feet long, Obaid is slightly shorter than Wyoming. But, because her beam is greater at almost 67 feet, her deadweight is about the same at 6,000 tonnes. The Obaid also uses steel to strengthen her wooden hull. Roughly 800 tonnes of steel provide rigidity and strength to the structure. 

The biggest difference between the two ships is propulsion. Wyoming was propelled by the wind, with five masts setting 39,826.8 sq ft of sail, reaching 16 knots in favorable winds. As noted above, however, a steam engine was used to raise the sails and anchor and to drive the pumps to manage the schooner’s chronic leaking. Obaid is powered by two 1,850 horsepower engines and is capable of 14 knots.

Dubai sets new record with world’s largest traditional Arabic dhow