Sheik Robbie (or was it Rhobbi or Robbhi):
Just about every trip I did down to Sharjah from Muharraq which was at least once a week, I had to go and visit Sheik Robbie to chase up orders that had been made from people back in Bahrain.
I always enjoyed going down to see him. The quality of his gold and silversmiths was outstanding and anyone who has a Sheik Robbie gold kunjah is a very lucky person.
I also used to enjoy watching the dhow builders. It was explained to me that there were no plans or diagrams. The basic plot was handed down from father to son and the whole thing was originally marked out on the sand.
Wood was scarce and none of it was wasted. Every available usable piece was incorporated in the bulid and some of it didn't fit too well by modern standards.
As I remember it, all the gaps and holes were filled by various bits of cloth and tar and then the whole hull was sunk in the creek for two weeks to allow for everything to expand and become water tight.
The resulting product was quite able to go to sea and go as far as Dar-as-Salaam.