Falmouth Quay Punt
Encyclopedia
The Falmouth Quay Punt evolved in the UK port of Falmouth, Cornwall
around the beginning of the 20th century. Falmouth, with a good deep water harbour situated near the Western entrance to the English Channel
, was a popular port for large merchant
sailing ship
s to call "for orders". Before the days of radio
, captains would often not know which port their cargo would be destined for before they arrived in the country, and needed to collect instructions before continuing.
would employ a Falmouth Quay Punt to be a runabout while they were in port. Traditionally, the first punt to speak to a ship as it came into the channel would get the job of looking after her while she was in port, so the punts would often range far to the west in the hope of finding a ship and getting custom.
Typical jobs while in port would include running fresh provisions out to the ship, and taking passengers ashore. Falmouth Quay Punts evolved a distinctive style, with deep draught well suited for the frisky conditions to be found in the Western approaches
; short mainmasts to allow them to sail under the yards of a big square rigger, and large open wells for the carrying of passengers and cargo. A small cuddy in front of the mainmast was the only shelter available for the skipper and his boy (if he was lucky enough to have one).
, together spelt the end of an era for these seaworthy craft shortly after the end of the First World War. Many were turned into yacht
s, and a few survive to this day. Chas Peters, the wife of Maurice Griffiths
, the well-known yachting author, owned the working boat Juanita for a number of years, and she features in one of Maurice Griffiths' books.
. The even smaller Quay Punt Teal - originally built as Little Pal for the writer Percy Woodcock, and also operated without an engine, recently undertook a long voyage to the Baltic Sea
.
Falmouth, Cornwall
Falmouth is a town, civil parish and port on the River Fal on the south coast of Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It has a total resident population of 21,635.Falmouth is the terminus of the A39, which begins some 200 miles away in Bath, Somerset....
around the beginning of the 20th century. Falmouth, with a good deep water harbour situated near the Western entrance to the English Channel
English Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
, was a popular port for large merchant
Merchant vessel
A merchant vessel is a ship that transports cargo or passengers. The closely related term commercial vessel is defined by the United States Coast Guard as any vessel engaged in commercial trade or that carries passengers for hire...
sailing ship
Sailing ship
The term sailing ship is now used to refer to any large wind-powered vessel. In technical terms, a ship was a sailing vessel with a specific rig of at least three masts, square rigged on all of them, making the sailing adjective redundant. In popular usage "ship" became associated with all large...
s to call "for orders". Before the days of radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
, captains would often not know which port their cargo would be destined for before they arrived in the country, and needed to collect instructions before continuing.
Functions
Ships coming to anchor in the Carrick RoadsCarrick Roads
Carrick Roads is located on the southern Cornish coast in the UK, near Falmouth. It is a large waterway created after the Ice age from an ancient valley which flooded as the melt waters caused the sea level to rise dramatically , creating a large natural harbour which is navigable from Falmouth to...
would employ a Falmouth Quay Punt to be a runabout while they were in port. Traditionally, the first punt to speak to a ship as it came into the channel would get the job of looking after her while she was in port, so the punts would often range far to the west in the hope of finding a ship and getting custom.
Typical jobs while in port would include running fresh provisions out to the ship, and taking passengers ashore. Falmouth Quay Punts evolved a distinctive style, with deep draught well suited for the frisky conditions to be found in the Western approaches
Western Approaches
The Western Approaches is a rectangular area of the Atlantic ocean lying on the western coast of Great Britain. The rectangle is higher than it is wide, the north and south boundaries defined by the north and south ends of the British Isles, the eastern boundary lying on the western coast, and the...
; short mainmasts to allow them to sail under the yards of a big square rigger, and large open wells for the carrying of passengers and cargo. A small cuddy in front of the mainmast was the only shelter available for the skipper and his boy (if he was lucky enough to have one).
End of an era
The arrival of the radio, and enginesMarine propulsion
Marine propulsion is the mechanism or system used to generate thrust to move a ship or boat across water. While paddles and sails are still used on some smaller boats, most modern ships are propelled by mechanical systems consisting a motor or engine turning a propeller, or less frequently, in jet...
, together spelt the end of an era for these seaworthy craft shortly after the end of the First World War. Many were turned into yacht
Yacht
A yacht is a recreational boat or ship. The term originated from the Dutch Jacht meaning "hunt". It was originally defined as a light fast sailing vessel used by the Dutch navy to pursue pirates and other transgressors around and into the shallow waters of the Low Countries...
s, and a few survive to this day. Chas Peters, the wife of Maurice Griffiths
Maurice Griffiths
Maurice Griffiths is a noted yachtsman, boat designer and writer on sailing subjects. In his writing of some 20 book he focuses on the creeks of the Thames Estuary and the English east coast. Books he has written include The Magic of the Swatchways, Swatchways and Little Ships, Sailing on a Small...
, the well-known yachting author, owned the working boat Juanita for a number of years, and she features in one of Maurice Griffiths' books.
Survivors
Curlew is perhaps the best-known Quay Punt surviving today. Tim and Pauline Carr circumnavigated the world in the 28 foot engineless boat, from the Arctic to the Antarctic Peninsula and explored with her around the remote Antarctic island of South Georgia, before donating her to the National Maritime Museum CornwallNational Maritime Museum Cornwall
The National Maritime Museum Cornwall is located in a harbourside building at Falmouth in Cornwall. The building was designed by architect M. J...
. The even smaller Quay Punt Teal - originally built as Little Pal for the writer Percy Woodcock, and also operated without an engine, recently undertook a long voyage to the Baltic Sea
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...
.