back to Sea Transportation
The sambuk is a larger, two-masted variety of dhow, often fitted with a powerful motor for smuggling.
Length 60' to 75', beam 16' to 20', displacement 60 to 120 tons
Sailing speed: 10 to 15 knots depending on breeze, crew size, crew quality.
Motoring speed: 12 knots from 360 HP Maybach gasoline engine, compressed-air starter. Range 1200 miles at 10 knots.
Armament: none, although machine guns can be fitted on the gunwales.
Crew: 5 minimum, 8 reasonable, 12 well-content -- more than that, crowded!
The crew includes a rais (basically a bosun), a nahham (boat singer), cook, cabin boy/steward, and sailors to suit.