Extensive Definition
A Bilander, also spelled billander or be'landre,
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. They
rarely reached a size of more than 100 tons. Not many ships of this
sort are around; other designs were proved to be more efficient and
were thus used instead.