WHAT IS A PUNT?
A punt is a flat bottomed boat that does not have a keel. Typically, a punt is approximately 21 feet (6 metres) long and 3 feet (1 metre) wide. It should be propelled by means of a pole - about 16 foot (5 metres) long - which is also used to steer the punt. This method of propulsion is known as punting; using a paddle to move along does not qualify!
Certainly, punting is not simply pushing a punt around on the water. The basic techniques seem rather simple and it could be learnt in half an hour. But… to master the technique is much more difficult. To punt without losing your balance, getting wet, wetting your passengers, while keeping the trip smooth and making sure that the passengers enjoy the ride, is something requires expertise indeed.
Punting originated as a means of fishing, dredging, carrying and transporting all kinds of materials. In other words, the punt was originally a work boat. The punting style consisted of starting at the bow, where the operator dropped the pole to the bottom, leaned on it, and then ran after it, pushing the boat under his feet. It was a method that often left the novice clinging to their pole while the punt drifted away in solitary splendour.
In the 1880's punts became recreational, and a saloon was introduced. In the saloon, comfortably cushioned, four passengers lounged in Victorian splendor, while those on deck took shelter beneath parasols. With the change in layout and function running the punt impractical, the Oxford method of pricking had to be adopted.
To do this the punter must stand at the stern and perform a series of complex maneouvres, shoves and pushes before pulling the pole. The pleasure punts of today were unknown before 1860. Today, in England they are found almost solely at Cambridge and Oxford on rivers protected for them. In New Zealand they can be found in Christchurch and Nelson.
Punting; Noun
Traditional English flat bottomed boat from Oxford or Cambridge.
Punting; Verb
The skillful art of propelling a punt with a pole.
Punter; Noun
The person who does all the hard work, while you sit back, relax and take in the sights.
New Zealand 2010 NZ$3.40 sg?, scott?
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