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Tucked away in a boatyard in Dubai's historical shipbuilding quarter, "Jadaf" is a record breaker in the making. Nearly 90 meters long and 10 meters high, the wooden dhow modeled on traditional Arabian cargo ships will be the largest of its kind in history, according to the makers.

Ahmed Obaid, who heads up the team working day and night to put the finishing touches on the nautical giant, hopes it will embark on its maiden voyage in March.

For him and his brother, size matters.

"We have this dream," he says. "We want to see our UAE traditions in the Guinness Book of Records. That's why we are building this huge boat."

World records are big in Dubai. It is the city with the most records in the Middle East, according to Guinness World Records, including the world's tallest building, the tallest hotel, the tallest residential building, and even the longest handmade gold chain.

Once complete, Obaid's boat will just about beat an 83.7 meter-long dhow built in Kuwait that currently holds the title. Once completed, Obaid's vessel will carry goods from the UAE to the East African coast, one of many historical trade routes.

The dhows have a long history. While models may vary in shape and size today, a dhow was traditionally a wooden two-masted Arab sailing vessel used in trade across the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean. Made of wood, it commonly had slanting, triangular sails and a sharp upward bow at the front.