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