Hawaiian Double Canoes

Two types of boats were prevalent in pre-European-contact Hawaii: the single-outrigger canoe and the twin-hull, or double, canoe. Outrigger ...

Dover Bronze Age Boat Replica Built, Not Floating

[Dear readers: I'm sorry about posting so rarely during the past few months. Life's busy, as I'm sure you understand. Here's...

The Newgrange Currach

Reliable reader Wade Tarzia has added a useful comment to an earlier post about coracles , with a review of the 2012 book, The Boyne Currach...

The Practicality of the Philippine Banca

Beautiful curves on the sheer and outrigger booms on this Philippine banca. The booms are carefully chosen for their curves from the branche...

Unidentified Indonesian Canoe

I received this query from Arnon Sheige in the Netherlands. Being unable to answer it myself, I'm throwing it open for reader input, wit...

The Samoan Va'a alo

A va'a alo, from  Kava Drinking Ceremonies Among the Samoans And A Boat Voyage round 'Upolu Island, Samoa , S. Percy Smith. Note row...

The Samoan 'iatolima

Some weeks ago we discussed the Samoan "small canoe," or paopao , drawing from the work of Te Rangi Hiroa. In contrast to the paop...