Punt (boat)

The term punt also refers to smaller versions of regional types of long shore work boats, such as the Deal galley punt, a square-sterned, lapstrake open-boat rigged with a single dipping lugsail, used for salvage and rescue work off a beach.

[1] In Canada, the term punt refers to any small, flat-bottomed boat with a square-cut bow, regardless of navigational purpose, building material, or means of propulsion.

A traditional river punt is a wooden boat with no keel, stem, or sternpost, and is constructed like a ladder.

A punt can be manoeuvred with equal facility in either direction, making it useful in narrow streams where turning the boat around may be difficult.

The first punts are associated with the River Thames in England and were built as small cargo boats and as platforms for fishermen.

Punts are still made in England to supply the tourist trade in Oxford and Cambridge or for racing purposes.

Both the bow and the stern are cut square, with a long shallow "swim"; this is to say, the underside of the boat slopes very gently at the front and the back.

Thames punts have occasionally been adapted for other means of propulsion: including sails, tow-ropes, and paddle wheels.

The bottom of the punt is made with long, narrow planks stretching fore and aft, attached to the flat sides and the treads.

To allow the wood to swell when it gets wet, the planks are set a small distance apart (traditionally the width of an old penny, about 1–2 mm).

As in rowing, you soon learn how to get along and handle the craft, but it takes long practice before you can do this with dignity and without getting the water all up your sleeve.The basic technique of punting is to shove the boat along with a pole by pushing directly on the bed of the river or lake.

In the 1870s, when punting for pleasure first became popular, the normal approach was for the passengers to sit at the stern on cushions placed against the till, and for the punter to have the run of the rest of the boat.

For pleasure punting the precise stance does not matter so much; it is more important that the punter remains relaxed and does not shove too hard.

[8] Two rather different traditions have grown up in Oxford and Cambridge: in Cambridge most punters stand on the till (the flat end) and punt with the open end forward, while in Oxford they stand inside the boat and punt with the till forward.

Since the rivers in both cities are narrow and often crowded, the opportunities for punting "at full pressure" are rare and these variations in stance are of little practical importance.

However, the Oxford river bottoms are generally muddier than in Cambridge, increasing the likelihood of the pole becoming stuck; the lower position, longer footway and greater grip offered by the open end is advantageous on such occasions.

Rivington[9] recommends that the beginner should: The habit of relaxing at the end of the stroke helps to avoid falling in should the pole unexpectedly get stuck.

When this happens, immediately attempt to twist the pole, and if this fails to free it rapidly, let it go and use the paddle to bring the punt back to it.

Attempting to maintain a hold on a completely stuck pole is the most common cause of involuntary swimming as the punt will generally continue moving.

In June 2012, Norwich City Council gave the go-ahead to introduce punting on the River Wensum.

This is partly because the river is shallow and gravelly (at least along The Backs) which makes it ideal for punting, but mainly because the Cam goes through the heart of Cambridge and passes close to many attractive college buildings.

The popularity of punting beside the old colleges in Cambridge can produce significant congestion on this relatively narrow stretch of the river during the peak tourist season, leading to frequent collisions between inexperienced punters.

The advantages to this are that punters are less likely to drip on their passengers and can steer more easily by swinging the pole behind them, but it is not how Thames punts were traditionally propelled.

[22][23] Where the River Cam flows through the town in Cambridge, experienced punters follow the path of a gravel ridge that makes for easier punting.

[24] The part of the Cam in Cambridge where punting normally occurs is separated into two levels by a weir at the Mill Pool near the University Centre.

Most of the punting is done on the River Cherwell, which flows through Oxford's protected green belt of fields and woods for the last few miles before it joins the Thames just south-east of Christ Church Meadow.

[28] The best punting to be had in Oxford is on the Isis alongside Port Meadow to the west of the town; this stretch of river is both shallow and gravelly, has attractive scenery, and is well supplied with pubs (such as The Trout Inn in Wolvercote where some of the Inspector Morse dramas were filmed).

All racing punts generally have a till at both ends, and may have canvas covers to reduce the amount of water splashing into the boat.

In May 2011 Red Bull held the "Punt to Point" competition in Oxford, featuring head-to-head checkpoint racing.

These include: The technique of using a pole to propel a narrow boat in confined waters has developed in many other cultures, especially in marshy or swampy areas where transport on land is difficult.