A punt is a flat-bottomed boat with a square-cut bow, typically used in small rivers and canals. The punter generally stands in the middle, or near the stern, and propels the punt by pushing off the river bed with a pole.

Punts evolved as small river cargo boats. The square-cut bow gives greater carrying capacity for a given length than a boat of the same beam with a narrow or pointed bow; it also makes the boat very stable, and suitable for carrying passengers.

Some very small dinghies used as tenders for small sailing yachts have a "punt" shape, which also eases their storage on deck. See Optimist (dinghy) for an example of a sailing punt. Punts may be powered by other than the human force. Air boats are specialized punts used in shallow bodies of water such as the Everglades, and are powered by airplane propellers.

This article concentrates on the traditional Thames pleasure punt.

Punting in England

The pleasure punts in use in England today were first built around 1860 and reached the peak of their popularity in the 1910s. Their use declined in the 1950s and 1960s in proportion to the increase in motor boat traffic on English rivers, but has increased again as the tourist industry has grown in England.

Punting is a popular leisure activity on the rivers of several well-known tourist destinations: there are commercial organizations that offer punts for hire on the Avon in Bath, the Cam in Cambridge, the Cherwell & Isis in Oxford, at Stratford-on-Avon, and on the lower Thames near Sunbury. A small number of private punts are also registered on these rivers, especially by the colleges in Oxford and Cambridge.

Punting in Cambridge

Traditional Thames pleasure punts were not introduced to Cambridge until about 1902--1904, but they rapidly became the most popular craft on the river, and today there are probably more punts on the Cam than anywhere else in England. This is partly because the river is shallow and gravelly (which makes it ideal for punting), but mainly because the Cam passes close to many very attractive old college buildings, and goes through the heart of Cambridge town centre.

However, the popularity of punting beside the old colleges in Cambridge produces significant congestion on this relatively narrow stretch of the river during the peak tourist season, leading to frequent collisions between inexperienced punters. These collisions are mostly harmless, but can occasionally cause the punter to lose balance and fall into the river, causing rather more amusement to bystanders than to the tourist who may not have a change of clothes. Some tourists may prefer the calmer experience offered by the upper river, known as the Granta, above the weir at Granta Place.

The tradition in Cambridge is to punt from the till (locally known as the "deck") at the back of the punt. There are some advantages to this: you are less likely to drip on your passengers and it is easier to steer by swinging the pole behind you, but it is not how Thames punts are traditionally propelled, nor was the till originally designed for standing on. Photographs of punting on the Backs in 1910 show that the practice was well established by then; according to an old Cambridge boat man, interviewed in the 1970s, the practice was started by women anxious to show off their ankles.

Punting in Oxford

Except in the immediate vicinity of Magdalen Bridge, punting in Oxford is a surprisingly quiet and rural experience. Most of the punting is done on the River Cherwell, which flows through Oxford's protected green belt of fields and woods for the last few miles before it joins the Thames just south-east of Christ Church Meadow. Unfortunately this tranquility comes at a price, for the Cherwell is both deep and muddy. Cherwell poles are 16 feet long (4.9m) to allow for the deepest hollows, so they are harder to handle; while the muddy patches cling tenaciously to the pole's shoe at the most embarassing moments.

Punting on the Isis itself (as the Thames is called locally) is often less enjoyable, mainly because of the competition from eights and sculls and motor boats on the larger river. The very best punting to be had in Oxford is on the Isis alongside Port Meadow to the west of the town; this stretch of river is both shallow and gravelly, as well as being very attractive and well supplied with pubs, such as The Trout Inn, Wolvercote where some of the Inspector Morse dramas were filmed. Unfortunately, Port Meadow is a long way from any commercial punting stations. (As of 2000).

The tradition at Oxford is to punt from inside the boat rather than from on top of the till (or "box" as it tends to be called in Oxford) and to propel the punt backwards. In fact most Oxford punters (incorrectly) regard the box as the bow of the boat

Punting elsewhere in England

In the Roman spa town of Bath, it is possible to punt on the Avon from the town centre. The river however is deep and shared with large motor vessels. The puntable stretch of river also runs along side Brunel's Great Western Railway line.

Punting is possible on most of the Thames above the tidal limit at Teddington; even in places where the river is broad it is often surprisingly shallow. Commercial punts have been available for hire near Sunbury in recent times.

Punt Construction

Traditional river punts are still made in England, mainly to supply the tourist trade in Oxford and Cambridge. The construction material of choice is wood. Fibreglass and other synthetic materials have been tried, but the resulting boats are rarely stiff enough to be easy to use. The sides, the treads, and the ends (known as "huffs") and the "till" are normally made of hardwood such as mahogany. The bottom is made of softwood, such as deal and may be replaced several times during the life of a particular boat.

A traditional punt is about 24 feet (7.5m) long and 3 feet (1m) wide, and about 18 inches (0.5m) deep. Even fully laden, a punt rarely draws more than a few inches. Both the bow and the stern are cut square, with a long shallow "swim". This means that the underside of the boat slopes very gently at the front and the back.

The punt will be made with faily narrow, but long, planks stretching fore and aft, attached to the flat sides, and strengthend with 4 inch (10 cm) cross planks every 1 foot or so. These cross planks are called "treads" and they are attached to the sides with small knees. At the back of the boat, the punt will be strengthened with a box or short deck called a "till" which extends some six feet (2m) back from the stern. This box is normally closed in and provides additional buoyancy as well as rotational strength.

The diagram above shows a punt without seats. The seats are usually just a simple board fitting against blocks on the sides, with cushions. The gaps between the treads are normally fitted with gratings to allow the passengers to keep their feet dry.

Both smaller and wider punts are made. Extra large and wide punts may be seen in Cambridge, where many are used as water-bourne tourist vehicles. Single seater Thames punts were normally made only 2 feet wide, and somewhat shorter than a standard punt; very few of these are still afloat. Racing punts, which used to be popular on the Thames, were normally built just 1 foot wide.

Punt poles

A punt pole differs from the Fenland "quant" in that it does not have a cross piece at the top. Poles for pleasure punts are normally made of spruce, or aluminium. The latter are lighter and easier to use, but they make an unpleasant clanging noise on the side of the punt. The pole will be about 12 feet (4m) to 16 feet (5m) long. In both Oxford and Cambridge long 16ft poles tend to be used exclusively.

The bottom of the pole is fitted with a metal "shoe". This is generally a rounded lump of metal to protect the end. It is sometimes made in the shape of a swallow tail.

Punting technique

Punting is notoriously harder than it looks. Punting technique is best learned by watching a competent punter, and then extensive hands-on practice on different stretches of river. Novice punters should expect to fall in more than once. Alternatively a student (Cambridge) or an undergraduate (Oxford) can be employed to do the punting.

The orthodox position to stand is at the back of the boat, just in front of the till, and to punt from the side. Left handers should stand on the starboard side with the left leg forward, right handers should stand on the port side with the right leg forward. The leading foot should be placed against one of the knees, and should not move as you punt. The back foot should move backwards and forwards as you make each stroke.

As noted above, however, different traditions have grown up in Oxford and Cambridge. The Oxford position is closer to the orthodox except that nearly everyone in Oxford punts left-handed. Since the rivers in both towns are narrow and often crowded, there is little opportunity for punting "at full pressure", so the variations in stance are of little importance. The experienced punter who does have the opportunity of a clear river or who is planning a long day trip (such as Magdalen Bridge to Islip) is recommended to try the orthodox position for themselves.

Hazards for the novice

On your first outing in a punt you should observe the local tradition on where to stand. In Cambridge the punter should balance on the flat wooden platform at the stern, whereas in Oxford the correct position is to stand inside the punt near the bow, and to punt backwards with the box at the front. Failure to observe local tradition in either place may lead to one's being "accidentally" knocked in.

A naïve attempt at propulsion by pushing with the pole against the mud at the bottom of the river is likely to make the punt revolve gently, or head constantly into one of the banks (generally the more bushy bank). With luck, numerous spectators will be present on bridges and banks and will find your efforts greatly amusing; consumption of a moderate amount of alcohol beforehand will increase your confidence and sense of accomplishment, regardless of the actual merit of your performance.

If your previous experience of boating includes canoeing or kayaking, don't be ashamed of paddling the boat with your pole. At least you won't get it stuck in the mud.

The next technique is to use the pole as a rudder; let it trail in the water behind the punt and move it left or right to steer. Owing to the length of this rudder, this allows quite large changes in direction, useful if you are about to collide. The trouble with doing this is that you can't push at the same time, so your pace down the river may be quite slow.

A faster method, requiring more skill, strength, and judgment, is to steer as you shove. To turn away from the side you are punting from, drop pole slightly away from the punt and pull your feet towards it as you shove. To turn towards the side you are punting from, drop the pole slightly under the punt and lever it gently against the side of the punt. The generated torque should rotate the punt, probably more than you were expecting.

Once you have got the hang of it, you may find that the punt begins to move along quite quickly. This is the moment to avoid getting the pole stuck in a muddy stretch of river. If your pole does get stuck, you should not attempt to hang on to it. Let go immediately! Leave the pole sticking in the mud, and use the paddle (you did get a paddle didn't you?) to get back to the pole in order to pull it out. If you don't let go of the pole, the punt will go on without you, and much mirth will ensue.

One particularly challenging aspect of punting is propelling the boat underneath a wide bridge. You will need give a good shove off the bottom just before going under the bridge; if you are too late, the pole will not fit under the bridge and you will have to let go of it (or get wet); if you shove too early, the boat will slow down and stop underneath the bridge. You find it difficult to continue punting at this point. If no one is looking you can paddle or push of the bridge, but this is considered cheating by many.

If you are punting on a leafy stretch of river, you may find your punt magnetically attracted to overhanging bushes and tree branches. It is generally considered polite to warn your passengers to duck before the approaching twigs hit them in the back of the head. You may need to pretend that you have suddenly developed an interest in bird watching.

The most annoying hazard of all for the novice is the helpful passenger; if they confine themselves to constructive criticism, count yourself lucky. Do not under any circumstances allow them to start helping you with the spare paddle. A quick smack on the water with the pole beside the passenger is normally effective in preventing this type of occurence.

Advanced techniques

• Use half strokes (with the pole at 45°) to get going.
• Don't push the pole down, just let it drop.
• Don't "climb the pole" as you shove, push down and away in one movement.
• There is no need to the pole as a rudder except for manuoevers close to the bank.
• But don't be ashamed to do so when it's useful
• Stand to one side of the punt, so that it tips up slightly on that side. This makes a slight keel under the boat and helps to keep it in a straight line.
• Don't grip the pole too hard. Just hold it lightly. This improves your technique.
• Stand up and relax. This improves your technique and makes you look good.
• Wear a boater. This makes you look like a professional.

Bridge Hopping

For the more adventurous, another aspect of punting is known as "bridge hopping". On approaching the bridge the hopper stands in the bow facing forward ready to leap out of the punt and grab on to the bridge. As the punt moves under the bridge the hopper rushes to the other side, and leaps back in. (According to some traditions, if the hopper is too slow to leap back into the punt before it passes, he/she is honour-bound to leap off the bridge anyway.) Hazards include injury to passengers as the hopper leaps back into the boat as well as awkward landings both in and out of the boat. Bridge hopping is practised at the hopper's own risk and is best practised away from colleges where porters can become somewhat irate.

Pole picking

Some of the bridges on the Backs in Cambridge are low enough to allow someone leaning on the parapet to reach the top of the punter's pole if it comes near enough. Idle undergraduates have been known to amuse themselves by standing on the bridges, watching for an unwary punter, and snatching his pole as he emerges from under the bridge. The competent punter can avoid being picked by making a half shove and keeping the upper end of the pole well away from the parapet. Noisy merriment on a bridge ahead may signify the presence of pole pickers.

Reference

• Robert Thurston Rivington , Punting: Its History and Techniques, privately published, 1982. ISBN 0950804525 (hardcover), ISBN 0950804517 (softcover). Approx 250pp. Contents: Punts and Punting; Punting on the Thames 1880--1918; Punting on the Thames from 1918; Dongola racing; Punting at Oxford until 1900; Punting at Oxford from 1900; Punting at Cambridge; Techniques of punting; Safety in punting; Punt racing; Appendices; Index.

• Robert Thurston Rivington , Punts and Punting, privately published, 1983. ISBN 0950804509 (softcover), 32pp. Some extracts from the larger book, with many illustrations.