Poling punt dimensions

[Guest]

I have been searching the web for information about the poling punts that are used on Cambridge rivers. I would like to build one and am interested in finding drawings or typical dimensions. I would appreciate any input.

 

[Mirelle]

This may be spectacularly impractical, espescially if you are posting from New South Wales, but I can only suggest a day out on the Granta, with a notebook, bevel gauge and tape measure rather than champagne and a straw boater!

From memory, all hire punts conform closely to a standard design; there are some private punts, some of which are more elegant.

 

[Twister_Ken]

Are there differences between Cambridge punts, and Oxford punts?

 

[Guest]

Not in New South Wales, but I am in Southern California, USA. I have only seen these boats in photos and on Masterpiece Theater...
But want to make one. I have a general idea of what they look like, but not enough to actually make one. I have visions of standing up on the aft deck and the thing tipping to one side and I'm in the drink.

 

[Guest]

Darned if I know. I mentioned Cambridge because the only reference I could find on the Internet was of poling punts in Cambridge. If I make one, it will be used in California, USA.

 

[stamfordian]

HI,
We have one in stamford which is booked to do wine and etc trips along the welland,its a pain when your fishing as only small river.
Any way its approx 17ft long by 3ft6ins wide 14inches deep.
Good luck sorry can,t be more presise with measurments

 

[Guest]

Thanks for the input; that is already more than I knew before.
Barry

 

[tyger]

Re: Punts Tipping

Being flat bottomed should make a punt relatively insensitive to weight distribution.

It also makes displacement calculations very simple.

Some quick and dirty arithmetic based on the dimensions above suggests that a 14 stone (196lbs) man standing on the gunwale would cause that side to dip by about one and a half inches.

 

[Skipjack]

You could try approaching Scudamore's of Cambridge. They have a website at

http://www.scudamores.com/Contacts.html

and hopefully you will get a punt nut rather than river trip salesman.

Good luck

Skipjack

 

[Mirelle]

That looks right. Could be a little longer. Bottom cross planked. Sawn frames, two chine logs, no keel, swim ends. A little flare in the sides, which also sweep in a little at the ends; this makes the punt prettier than if she were parallel bodied. A Cambridge punt has the poling end decked over, and the bow left open, with low seat back boards facing each other. The seat bottom cushions go on the bottom boards, the seat backs angle back for comfort. Pole is 12-14ft long, shod at one end with an iron casting. Bow and stern painters with spikes for mooring to the bank.

There is such a thing as a camping punt; the tent is rigged on hoops like a waggon in a Western film.

 

[Guest]

I'm not sure how much farther I can go with this thread. What I've learned:
Length: 17 ft to 18 ft, Beam: 3 ft 6 inches, Depth: 14"
The sides are normally parallel, but a little flare makes it prettier. Can neck in at ends.
The pole is 12 ft to 14 ft long, iron shod. (Would assume you could use copper pipe over end.)

What I assume: That the bottom is flat athwartships and fore and aft, with no rocker. That the ends rise to the sheer at a constant angle. Don't know the angle.
That the sheer is a straight line.

What I am considering: I will be rowing, more than poling, so will incorporate a fore and aft rocker in the bottom and a very slight vee at the ends (about a 2" rise from centerline to chines). Will neck in more at the bow. Length, about 18 ft. Deck over fore and aft, both for standing on (fly fishing). Will have a slight flare on sides; 3 ft 6 inches wide at the bottom.

Unresolved: Bottom to sheer angles, fore and aft.

Thanks to all who have respoded.

Barry

 

[Mirelle]

I would definitely allow some flare. The lower end of the pole benefits from a weight to sink it, although there is a flasy style of poling where you turn the pole end for end at each stroke. Anle at ends between 12 and 15 degrees and angle (flare) between bottom and sides should be say 95- 100 degrees.

Rocker in the bottom, and a slight vee at the ends, as you propose, are not unknown and are probably beneficial.

 

[Guest]

Re: Stem/stern angles

Mirelle,

I know that I didn't use the best terminology when asking for the "angles". Perhaps "distance from the end of the bottom" would be better. Or "overhang"?
Anyway... At a 12 degree angle, with a hull depth of 14", I figure the overhang would be 4' 2"; with a 15 degree angle, 5'5".
If the boat is 18' long, 12 degree angles: bottom = 10' overhang each end =4'.
This may be correct, but is much more than I was considering.
Perhaps this dimension could be called "offset from the stem (stern)".
Thanks for the input.
Barry

 

[Mirelle]

Re: Stem/stern angles

Yes, I think that 18ft LOA, with 4ft of overhang at each end, maybe 3ft 6ins, but not less, would be about right. There are usually two seat backs, facing each other, located at the point where the "ends" stop, so to speak, and they are positioned so that four people can sprawl, but not lie flat, two at each end of the boat. When poling, you are standing beyond the waterline of the boat.

 

[Guest]

Try [url]www.selway-fisher.com[/url]

They have designs for both a 20' punt, and a 16' punt that can be made from two sheets of ply...good luck!

 

[Guest]

Re: Try [url]www.selway-fisher.com[/url]

Thank you very much for your input.
The Selway-Fisher designs have a lot more rocker than I had envisioned and the bottom is a single curve from end to end; again not what I had imagined. I had thought from explanations I had gotten, that there was a definite end to the bottom, then separate stem/stern bottoms rising at each end. Those shown would be very easy to build, but not what I expected. The drawings do show that the widest point is toward the aft end, which is where I had expected it, to allow more buoyancy for the person poling.
I am thinking of making one closer to 18' with a slight vee in the bottom at the ends for better rowing characteristics.

Again, thanks for the input.

Barry