| The American canvas shooting punt is a style of punt | | | | duck hunting boat, for the hunter's feet to rest on. |
| which was well-used in America a century ago. It's | | | | There was also a small wooden floor for the hunter |
| portability, at that time was unparalleled and for this | | | | who was poling the punt, to stand on. |
| reason it is worth while taking a look at it's | | | | The wood was either pine or rock elm and |
| construction. | | | | India-rubber draft excluders were used to make the |
| The plan of the duck hunting boat was waterproof | | | | joints tight. The loose canvas folded round the hinged |
| canvas stretched over a wooden frame. The frame | | | | joints. |
| was constructed so that it could fold up, being easy | | | | The frame of the duck hunting punt was laid |
| for the duck hunter to carry on his shoulder if and | | | | diagonally. All the sides folded in on the bottom. The |
| when it was necessary to porter round a stretch of | | | | two seats bolted on to them in such a way as to |
| the river. In fact, it being easy to carry meant it | | | | hold everything firmly together. |
| could be transported to wherever the hunter desired | | | | It would seem that this type of duck hunting punt is |
| to launch it. | | | | not manufactured today at all though folding canoes |
| The canvas duck hunting punt was used for flats and | | | | and kayaks exist. With small boat manufacturers |
| marshes, being poled along, though it could also be | | | | being encouraged to make use of composite material |
| rowed. Generally, it was between 12' and 15' in length, | | | | in boat construction today, it seems improbable that |
| 3' wide and 1' deep. | | | | any manufacturer will take on this type of boat |
| The sides were bolted together with 3/16ths of an | | | | construction. |
| inch brass bolts with winged nuts, the hinges were | | | | For someone with ingenuity and some skill, it might |
| ordinary bar cut hinges. The sides pulled out to a | | | | be worth attempting to construct this canvas duck |
| series of V shapes, the end was just one V with the | | | | hunting punt. It would also preserve a little of |
| apex of the V being that part of the boat outside | | | | American history. The total cost to construct it |
| the water. A wooden concertina frame formed most | | | | should turn out to be a lot lower than a purchased |
| of the bottom of the boat with wooden planks laid | | | | boat. |
| down horizontally below the two bench seats of the | | | | |