Punt (boat)

A punt is a flat-bottomed boat with a square-cut bow, typically used in small rivers and canals. The punter generally stands in the middle, or near the stern, and propels the punt by pushing off the river bed with a pole.

Punts evolved as small river cargo boats. The square-cut bow gives greater carrying capacity for a given length than a boat of the same beam with a narrow or pointed bow; it also makes the boat very stable, and suitable for carrying passengers.

Some very small dinghies used as tenders for small sailing yachts have a "punt" shape, which also eases their storage on deck. See Optimist (dinghy) for an example of a sailing punt. Punts may be powered by other than the human force. Air boats are specialized punts used in shallow bodies of water such as the Everglades, and are powered by airplane propellers.

This article concentrates on the traditional Thames pleasure punt.

Contents

1 Punting in England 1.1 Punting in Cambridge 1.1.1 The Cambridge towpath 1.2 Punting in Oxford 1.3 Punting elsewhere in England 2 Punt Construction 3 Punt poles 4 Punting technique 4.1 Hazards for the novice 4.2 Managing bridges 4.3 Advanced techniques 5 Reference

Punting in England

The pleasure punts in use in England today were first built around 1860 and reached the peak of their popularity in the 1910s. Their use declined in the 1950s and 1960s in proportion to the increase in motor boat traffic on English rivers, but has increased again as the tourist industry has grown in England.

Punting is a popular leisure activity on the rivers of several well-known tourist destinations: there are commercial organizations that offer punts for hire on the Avon in Bath, the Cam in Cambridge, the Cherwell & Isis in Oxford, at Stratford-on-Avon, and on the lower Thames near Sunbury. A small number of private punts are also registered on these rivers, especially by the colleges in Oxford and Cambridge.

Punting in Cambridge

Traditional Thames pleasure punts were not introduced to Cambridge until about 1902–1904, but they rapidly became the most popular craft on the river, and today there are probably more punts on the Cam than on any other river in England. This is partly because the river is shallow and gravelly (which makes it ideal for punting), but mainly because the Cam goes through the heart of Cambridge town centre and passes close to many very attractive old college buildings.

However, the popularity of punting beside the old colleges in Cambridge produces significant congestion on this relatively narrow stretch of the river during the peak tourist season, leading to frequent collisions between inexperienced punters. These collisions are mostly harmless, but visitors to the city may prefer the calmer experience offered on the river above the weir at Granta Place.

The tradition in Cambridge is to punt from the till (locally known as the "deck") at the back of the punt. There are some advantages to this: you are less likely to drip on your passengers and it is easier to steer by swinging the pole behind you, but it is not how Thames punts are traditionally propelled, nor was the till originally designed for standing on. Photographs of punting on the Backs in 1910 show that the practice was well established by then; according to an old Cambridge boat man, interviewed in the 1970s, the practice was started by women anxious to show off their ankles.

The Cambridge towpath

Where the River Cam flows through the town in Cambridge, experienced punters who know the river keep to the middle of the river where there is a gravel ridge that makes for easier punting.

This ridge has a curious history. It is the remains of an old towpath built when the Cam was still used for commercial river traffic. The river banks on either side of the Cam belong to various university colleges; faced with their combined opposition to a conventional towpath on one side or the other, the river tradesmen were forced to build the towpath down the centre of the stream, and to make the tow horses wade along it.

Punting in Oxford

Except in the immediate vicinity of Magdalen Bridge, punting in Oxford is a surprisingly quiet and rural experience. 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. Unfortunately this tranquility comes at a price, for the Cherwell is both deep and muddy. Cherwell poles are 16 feet long (4.9m) to allow for the deepest hollows, so they can be hard to handle; and the muddy patches cling tenaciously to the pole's shoe at unexpected moments.

Punting on the Thames below Folly Bridge is often less enjoyable, mainly because of the competition from eights and sculls and motor boats; punts are recommended to keep close in beside the tow path. 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, Wolvercote where some of the Inspector Morse dramas were filmed).

The tradition at Oxford is to punt from inside the boat rather than from on top of the till (or "box" as it tends to be called in Oxford) and to propel the punt backwards. In fact most Oxford punters erroneously regard the box as the bow of the boat, though they frequently maintain that it is everyone else who is wrong.

Punting elsewhere in England

In the Roman spa town of Bath, it is possible to punt on the Avon from the town centre. The river however is deep and shared with large motor vessels. The puntable stretch of river also runs along side Brunel's Great Western Railway line.

Punting is possible on most of the Thames above the tidal limit at Teddington; even in places where the river is broad it is often surprisingly shallow. Commercial punts have been available for hire near Sunbury in recent times.

Punt Construction

Traditional river punts are still made in England, mainly to supply the tourist trade in Oxford and Cambridge. The construction material of choice is wood. Fibreglass and other synthetic materials have been tried, but the resulting boats are rarely stiff enough to be easy to use. The sides, the ends (known as "huffs"), and the "till" are normally made of hardwood such as mahogany. The knees and treads are often made from oak. The bottom is made of softwood and may be replaced several times during the life of a particular boat.

A traditional punt is about 24 feet (7.5m) long and 3 feet (1m) wide, and about 18 inches (0.5m) deep. Even fully laden, a punt rarely draws more than a few inches. Both the bow and the stern are cut square, with a long shallow "swim"; this is to say that the underside of the boat slopes very gently at the front and the back.

The bottom of the punt will be made with faily narrow, but long, planks stretching fore and aft, attached to the flat sides, and strengthend with 4 inch (10 cm) cross planks every 1 foot or so. These cross planks are called "treads" and they are attached to the sides with small knees. At the back of the boat, the punt will be strengthened with a box or short deck called a "till" which extends some six feet (2m) back from the stern. This box is normally closed in and provides additional torsional rigidity.

The diagram above shows a punt without seats. The seats are usually just a simple board fitting against blocks on the sides, with cushions. The gaps between the treads are normally fitted with gratings to allow the passengers to keep their feet dry.

Both smaller and wider punts are made. Extra large and wide punts may be seen in Cambridge, where many are used as water-bourne tourist vehicles. Single seater Thames punts were normally made only 2 feet wide, and somewhat shorter than a standard punt; very few of these are still afloat. Racing punts, which are still used by a few specialist clubs on the lower Thames, were normally built just 1 foot wide.

Punts have occasionally been adapted for other means of propulsion: including sails, tow-ropes, and as this surprising image shows, paddle wheels.

Punt poles

A punt pole differs from the Fenland "quant" in that it does not have a cross piece at the top. Poles for pleasure punts are normally made of spruce, or aluminium. The latter are lighter and easier to use, but they make an unpleasant clanging noise on the side of the punt. The pole will be about 12 feet (4m) to 16 feet (5m) long. In both Oxford and Cambridge long 16ft poles tend to be used exclusively.

The bottom of the pole is fitted with a metal "shoe". This is generally a rounded lump of metal to protect the end. It is sometimes made in the shape of a swallow tail.

Punting technique

Punting is not as easy as it looks. 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. — Jerome K. Jerome, Three Men in a Boat.

Punting is notoriously harder than it looks. Punting technique is best learned by watching a competent punter, and then extensive hands-on practice on different stretches of river. Novice punters should expect to fall in more than once.

The orthodox position to stand is at the back of the boat, just in front of the till, and to punt from the side. Left handers should stand on the starboard side with the left leg forward, right handers should stand on the port side with the right leg forward. The leading foot should be placed against one of the knees, and should not move as you punt. The back foot should move backwards and forwards as you make each stroke.

As noted above, however, different traditions have grown up in Oxford and Cambridge. The Oxford position is closer to the orthodox except that nearly everyone in Oxford punts left-handed. Since the rivers in both towns are narrow and often crowded, there is little opportunity for punting "at full pressure", so the variations in stance are of little importance. The experienced punter who does have the opportunity of a clear river or who is planning a long day trip (such as Magdalen Bridge to Islip) is recommended to try the orthodox position for themselves.

Hazards for the novice

On your first outing in a punt you should observe the local tradition on where to stand. In Cambridge the punter should balance on the flat wooden platform at the stern, whereas in Oxford the correct position is to stand inside the punt near the bow, and to punt backwards with the box at the front. Failure to observe local tradition in either place may lead to one's being "accidentally" knocked in.

A naïve attempt at propulsion by pushing with the pole against the mud at the bottom of the river is likely to make the punt revolve gently, or head constantly into one of the banks (generally the more bushy bank). With luck, numerous spectators will be present on bridges and banks and will find your efforts greatly amusing; consumption of a moderate amount of alcohol beforehand will increase your confidence and sense of accomplishment, regardless of the actual merit of your performance.

If your previous experience of boating includes canoeing or kayaking, don't be ashamed of paddling the boat with your pole. At least you won't get it stuck in the mud.

The next technique is to use the pole as a rudder; let it trail in the water behind the punt and move it left or right to steer. Owing to the length of this rudder, this allows quite large changes in direction, useful if you are about to collide. The trouble with doing this is that you can't push at the same time, so your pace down the river may be quite slow.

A faster method, requiring more skill, strength, and judgement, is to steer as you shove. To turn away from the side you are punting from, drop pole slightly away from the punt and pull your feet towards it as you shove. To turn towards the side you are punting from, drop the pole slightly under the punt and lever it gently against the side of the punt. The generated torque should rotate the punt, probably more than you were expecting.

Once you have got the hang of it, you may find that the punt begins to move along quite quickly. This is the moment to avoid getting the pole stuck in a muddy stretch of river. If your pole does get stuck, you should not attempt to hang on to it. Let go immediately! Leave the pole sticking in the mud, and use the paddle (you did get a paddle didn't you?) to get back to the pole in order to pull it out. If you don't let go of the pole, the punt will go on without you, and much mirth will ensue.

If you are punting on a leafy stretch of river, you may find your punt magnetically attracted to overhanging bushes and tree branches. It is generally considered polite to warn your passengers to duck before the approaching twigs hit them in the back of the head. You may need to pretend that you have suddenly developed an interest in bird watching.

The most annoying hazard of all for the novice is the helpful passenger; if they confine themselves to constructive criticism, count yourself lucky. Do not under any circumstances allow them to start helping you with the spare paddle. A quick smack on the water with the pole beside the passenger is normally effective in preventing this type of occurrence.

Managing bridges

Punting under a wide and low bridge presents a challenge to many punters. The problem is that there is not enough head room to make a full stroke with the pole. To get through without making a stroke or stopping means you need to give a good shove just before the bridge; but if you are too late with the stroke, the pole will not fit under the parapet and you will lose it (or get wet). Paddling or pushing of the bridge may be considered cheating, so expert punters will practice making half-strokes with the pole at a shallow angle.

An additional hazard may come from above. If the bridge is low enough someone leaning on the parapet may be able to reach the top of the punter's pole if it comes near enough. This is called pole picking. Idle students in Cambridge have been known to amuse themselves by standing on the bridges, watching for an unwary punter, and snatching his pole as he emerges from under the bridge. The competent punter can avoid being picked by making a half shove and keeping the upper end of the pole well away from the parapet. Noisy merriment on a bridge ahead may signify the presence of pole pickers.

If the bridge is really low, the more adventurous punter, or their less sober passengers, might attempt bridge hopping. This means jumping from the punt onto the bridge, rushing to the other side and jumping back into the punt as it appears below. According to some traditions, a slow bridge hopper is honour-bound to leap off the bridge even if they have missed the punt. Any one planning this should bear in mind that the punting station may charge them for damage done to the punt.

Advanced techniques

• Use half strokes (with the pole at 45°) to get going.
• Don't push the pole down, just let it drop.
• Don't "climb the pole" as you shove, push down and away in one movement.
• There is no need to use the pole as a rudder except for manoeuvres close to the bank …
• … but don't be ashamed to do so when it's useful.
• Stand to one side of the punt, so that it tips up slightly on that side. This makes a slight keel under the boat and helps to keep it in a straight line.
• Don't grip the pole too hard. Just hold it lightly. This improves your technique.
• Stand up and relax. This also improves your technique.
• Learn to punt one-handed

-The technique of one-handed punting is best learnt by starting with the two-handed, "throwing" technique. Assuming the punter is holding the pole on his/her right, and the punter has just completed a stroke, (i.e. the pole is trailing behind the punt held in both hands, or being used as a rudder). The punter then lets go of the pole with the left hand, and heaves, as in an under-arm throw, the pole forwards along it's axis. This should be a single movement and requires some strength to fling the pole completely out of the water. As the right throwing arm is extending the left hand should come over the chest and under the right arm, loosely sliding along the pole as it is being thrown. Let go with the right hand, and as the pole reaches it maximum height, grip with the left hand and lift the pole forwards so as the bottom is along side the boat. Then thrust the pole downwards with the left hand allowing the pole to slide vertically through the hand, until it reaches the riverbed. grasp the pole below the left hand with the right hand. The left hand can be positioned right at the top of the pole, with the end pressing into the palm. Lean back on the pole pushing it past your body with both arms. For maximum speed, and stlye, lean back on the pole until you are leaning over the back of the punt, then at the last minute twist the upper body and extend the arms pushing yourself upright . Ready for the next stroke. Using this technique, together with accurate pole positioning will ensure a high speed is attained. I have successfully out-sped every punt on the river Cam using this method. Which is very useful in avoiding tourists and embarrasingly slow overtakes with polite cross-punt conversation.

The one-handed technique is the same, only the right hand catches the pole and releases it into the river again. It is difficult to acheive significant speeds using this technique.

Reference

• Robert Thurston Rivington, Punting: Its History and Techniques, privately published, 1982. ISBN 0950804525 (hardcover), ISBN 0950804517 (softcover). Approx 250pp. Contents: Punts and Punting; Punting on the Thames 1880--1918; Punting on the Thames from 1918; Dongola racing; Punting at Oxford until 1900; Punting at Oxford from 1900; Punting at Cambridge; Techniques of punting; Safety in punting; Punt racing; Appendices; Index.

• Robert Thurston Rivington, Punts and Punting, privately published, 1983. ISBN 0950804509 (softcover), 32pp. Some extracts from the larger book, with many illustrations.

• Peter Hardcastle 1994-2004 Canals and waterways: The Cam (http://www.canals.btinternet.co.uk/canals/camriver.htm) Retrieved May 14th, 2005.