Small rectangular sail, removable mast, flat bottom - it's all about plows. If you lived in Russia in the 11th century, then you would travel along rivers and lakes only on these rowing boats. However, such a luxury would be available to you, whether you were a serviceman, a courtier of the king or a Cossack.
History of the word
For the first time the word "plow" was seen in the collection of legal norms of Kievan Rus, called "Russian Truth", in the middle of the XI century.
There is an opinion that the word "plow" is a synonym for the modern "ship" and it means "gliding on the waves." However, in some sources, linguists tend to use the verb "plan" as the "progenitor".
Planes were popular both for military campaigns and for civilian purposes. They were light, which made it possible to pass on them in shallow water, and, if necessary, to pull them ashore. Such boats were maneuverable due to their low weight.
It has been established that Alexander Nevsky himself and his team reached the meeting point with the Swedes on high-speed plows. This fateful battle on Ladoga,by the way, it happened in 1240.
What are plows
The plows sailed both on lakes and rivers, and on the seas. They were used for both civilian and military purposes.
Distinctive features (types of plows):
- Sharp nose and stern.
- Length up to 22 meters (according to other sources - up to 35).
- Availability from 6 to 20 oars.
- Width about 4 meters. There are also opinions that the plows reached a width of up to 6.5 meters.
- Draft 1-1, 2 meters.
The ship was propelled by muscle power and a sail. According to various sources, the oars reached a length of 3 to 5 meters. Each of them was driven by 2 rowers.
The crew of the plow is, on average, 150 people. For comparison, the number of sailors on the world's largest submarine "Dmitry Donskoy" is 164 people.
Among the rowers was, in modern terms, a cook. His cabin was at the stern, and his cooking oven was at the bow.
Based on the size, it can be understood that the plow is a large vessel. The same "Dmitry Donskoy" in length - 172 meters. And this means that it is equal to approximately 5 plows.
The ships on which Yermak conquered Siberia, by the way, are also called plows. However, the Chusovaya River would not allow a ship 4 meters wide to sail. Therefore, historians believe that smaller plows were also built.
Where does the fleet begin
In 1659, Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich began active preparations for the sea campaign of 1660 to Azov. However, as we know, the stronghold of the Crimean Tatar Khanate capitulated a little later, under Peter I. But that’s not about that now…
Aleksey Mikhailovich is laying down a shipyard on the territory of the city of Michurinsk (as it is called now, and then it happened 12 versts below the city of Kozlov) to build sailing and rowing ships. The Tarbeev shipyard can rightly be considered the first naval plant in Russia. The place was not chosen by chance - the region is famous for its forests, which are perfect for building a fleet.
About 400 plows were built in less than a year.
On May 31, 1660, the boyar Khitrov and his team headed for Azov. However, they managed to reach their destination only in October. By that time, the "Crimeans" had already managed to prepare for the attack and successfully repelled the attack.
Peter I put an end to the production of plows. This happened in 1715. He issued a decree according to which the owners of the plows had to replace them with galliots, gukars, kats, flutes within 2 years. The reason for this is mobilization. The design of foreign ships allowed them to carry more weapons.
Today and plows
Don't think that the "plow" business has sunk into oblivion. And today, inveterate Moremans continue to recreate these rowing vessels according to historical drawings. They are mainly used to participate in river regattas. However, there are those who reconstruct sea trips. For example, the head of the department for physical culture, sports and tourism of the administration of the Tambov region, Mikhail Viktorovich Belousov. With the support ofVladimir Dmitriev, General Director of OAO Michurinsky Plant Progress, and his friends, they managed to recreate a six-oar plow.
Despite the base of the detachment in the Tambov region, the construction of the floating craft took place in Karelia. The unusual rowboat from the past even received a registration number from the State Inspectorate.
By the way, not so long ago, a plow of the 17th century was found in the area of Stary Tarbeev, a village in the Michurinsky district of the Tambov region. The find was completely covered with silt, so it was not immediately possible to identify it.
