Xebec

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john sefton
Posts: 1816
Joined: Sun Mar 22, 2009 1:59 pm

Xebec

Post by john sefton » Thu Aug 26, 2010 5:01 pm

The Xebec, also pronounced Zebec, was a small, three masted Mediterranean vessel with lateen sails and square rigged on the foremast.
This type of vessel, amongst others, was used to bring supplies to Gibraltar during the Great Siege.
Gibraltar Philatelic.
Gibraltar SG206.
Attachments
SG206.jpeg

aukepalmhof
Posts: 7771
Joined: Thu Apr 02, 2009 1:28 am

Re: Xebec

Post by aukepalmhof » Fri Mar 25, 2011 8:10 pm

The CHEBECK or XEBEC depict on this stamp is designed after a drawing in Björn Landström book “ Sailing Ships”, page 301, he gives for the type as follows:
The CHEBECK was above all a magnificent sailer. Like so many other Mediterranean vessels she had a ram-like beak head.
A “grating deck” projected far out over the round stern as an extension of the quarter deck.
It is probable that all chebecks were from the beginning rigged with lateen sails on all three masts, but from the mid 18th century we find both Moroccan and French chebecks with mainmast rigged a la polacca as seen on stamp. A polacca was a square-rigged Mediterranean vessel with the mast in a single piece, without tops, which makes it possible for an upper yard to be lowered close to the lower so that all wind can in this way be taken out of the sail.
Towards the end of the (18th) century we find chebecks rigged approximately like ordinary frigates of the time.

During the 17th century she were a feared Barbary corsair. The type was mainly used in the Mediterranean but there were reports that some were sailing out of Morocco and France Atlantic ports.
There is a considerable variation in size, use, construction and sail plan.
The type was already reported in the 10th century as a fishing boat, and the last were used in Tunisian as merchantmen until the early 20th century.

The chebeck could be rowed and sailed, generally armed, used as a corsair was armed with up to 30 guns.
Some corsairs carried up to 450 men.
Length between 15 – 40 metres.

Bulgaria 1986 25s sg3374, scott?
Grenada 1989 25c sg2017, scott1729
Sierra Leone 2008 2800le sg?, scott?
Spain 1964 80c sg1665, scott?
Morocco 2015 9D sg?, scott? Euromed issue.
Libya 1983 100dh sg 1308, scott 1094
Monaco 2001 0.69E / 4.50F sg?, scott?
Attachments
tmp134.jpg
tmp159.jpg
tmp15A.jpg
tmp15D.jpg
2015 chebec morroco.jpg
Image (6).jpg
2001 xebec or chebec.jpg

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