What is "bilander"

Bilander \Bil"an*der\, n. [D. bijlander; bij by + land land, country.] (Naut.) A small two-masted merchant vessel, fitted only for coasting, or for use in canals, as in Holland.

Why choose we, then, like bilanders to creep Along the coast, and land in view to keep?
--Dryden.

n. (context nautical English) A small two-masted merchant vessel, fitted only for coasting, or for use in canals, as in Holland.

A bilander, also spelled billander or bélandre, was a small European merchant ship with two masts - used in the Netherlands for coast and canal traffic and occasionally seen in the North Sea but more frequently to be seen in the Mediterranean Sea. The mainmast was lateen-rigged with a trapezoidal mainsail, but the foremast carried the conventional square course and square topsail. Displacement was typically under 100 tons. The bilander was short-lived, being replaced by more efficient designs, and few examples exist today.

Category:Ship types Category:Sailing rigs and rigging