Chinese Junk Model

One of the most popular and ingenious ships of all times was the Chinese Junk .A favourite with collectors, this ship had many unique features which were later adopted in the design of ships by the West.

Chinese Junk model: design features

The size of the junk varies depending on the purpose they are built for. Extremely flexible she could be built for ocean or cargoes or just for leisure. However, they have one common feature and that is her fully battened sails, which made them efficient. Another unique feature made them very sturdy, which was her bulkheads or interior compartments. It also slowed down flooding in case there was a hole.

The sails of the Junks were advanced in design imparting her flexibility and strength. The sails could be pulled inward closer to the long axis of the ship. This enabled her to sail into the wind. This distinguished her from square-rigged ships. Her Hulls were mostly made out of softwood.

The bottom of the hull was usually flat and is missing the keel. There was one more brilliant feature. This was her stern-mounted rudders. This technology was in use by the Chinese centuries before its adoption by the west. Famous traveller of history, Ibn Batuta wrote at length about this ship. H. Warington Smyth, a famous historian praised this ship describing the ‘Chinese rigs’ as ‘unsurpassed’ and the best in its class.

Chinese Junks are still in use, albeit with evolved designs. They can be found throughout South-East Asia, China and India. Most famously, you would find them in Hong-Kong. These ships have a long history. They were presumed to be in use even during the time of the Han dynasty; dating back as far as 2 A.D. they have a rich description by travellers as famous as Niccolò da Conti, Ibn Batuta and Marco Polo all praising her superiority and grace in design.

Model-ships.co.uk offers you the unique opportunity to bring home a hand crafted scale model of this ship. It is a collector’s delight. Also, you can choose from a vast array of other products that are on offer at the website which are equally brilliant.