At the turn of the 20th century, in order to get to and from the hunting grounds more quickly, the punters developed their highly unstable craft to carry a basic mast and sail for travelling with the wind.
Some have been updated with carbon spars, trapezes and composite sails atop their varnished, century-old clinker hulls.
In 1978 the Wyche and Coppock Punt had the distinction of being the fastest dinghy in production, achieving 13.8 knots at the World Speed Trials in Weymouth Harbour, faster than a Flying Dutchman.
All Hardchine punts race under the same handicap, though rig configurations vary, from aluminium to carbon spars, single or twin trapezes and symmetric or asymmetric spinnakers.
More designs from Fabian Bush, David Horne, Stephen Jones, Chris Wood and Andrew Friend broadened the spectrum and appeal of the class, with hull lengths from 18 to 22 ft (5.5 to 6.7 m) and diverse construction materials – sheet ply, clinker planks, cold moulded wood, fibreglass, carbon, Kevlar and strip-planked cedar – can be found in the development fleet.