Pünte

They had a flat bottom and the sides sloped only slight outwards.

Pünten were often fitted with a sail, although this was usually insufficient for propulsion, so that the boat was mostly hauled as well.

[1] After centuries of decline, several pünten are again in operation in Germany in East Frisia and the Emsland.

For example the Leher Pünte, the only sail-driven ferry over the navigable Ems, crosses the river near Lehe[2] and, near the Großes Meer in the East Frisian municipality of Südbrookmerland pünten are used at two points along a cycleway.

[3] The oldest operational hand-operated ferry in Central Europe is the pünte in Wiltshausen, which crosses the Jümme at its confluence with the Leda.