Ships belonging to the Dutch East India Company (VOC) were generally built in the company's own shipyards. The VOC issued charters which gave detailed specifications for these ships; these were updated from time to time. The charters gave a range of key hull dimensions and scheduled the sizes of the . However, the designs did not exist as plans or drawings that determined the shape of the hull. Unlike ships built for European trade, the VOC East Indiamen were planked with a double skin of oak structural planking. This was sheathed with a double layer of pine which incorporated tar and animal hair, together with closely spaced iron nails. The pine layer was intended to resist teredo worm.
Ships belonging to the Dutch East India Company (VOC) were generally built in the company's own shipyards The VOC issued charters which gave detailed specifications for these ships; these were updated from time to time The charters gave a range of key hull dimensions and scheduled the sizes of the  However the designs did not exist as plans or drawings that determined the shape of the hull Unlike ships built for European trade the VOC East Indiamen were planked with a double skin of oak structural planking This was sheathed with a double layer of pine which incorporated tar and animal hair together with closely spaced iron nails The pine layer was intended to resist teredo worm