THE CARIBBEAN AREA 



wonn attacks but is easily split. Canoes of cedar, however, are very light and comparatively 

 durable. The guanacaste tree (Enterolobium cyclocarpum) is a favored material. It is allowed 

 to season for several months on the ground before being hollowed out. It is as light as cedar. 

 From the silk cotton tree or ceiba (Ceiba pentranda ) very large dugouts may be made, but the 

 light, whitish-colored wood is not durable. Emery ( Vochysia hondurensis ) is occasionally 

 used and its wood resembles that of the Ceiba but is more lasting. It soon, however, waterlogs 

 and also rots immediately where nails are driven into it. Saba ( Carapa guianensis or Guarea 

 saoba ). Santa Maria (Calophyllum brasiliense yar. ), and banek or cebo (Virola merendonis ) are 

 used occasionally. 



The canocs are propelled by long poles or paddles. A captadn sits in the stern and 

 steers with a paddle. Paddles are broad-bladed and made of mahogany or cedar. They measui^ 

 4 to 5 feet in length and axe often polished. At the upper extremity the paddle terminates 

 into an enlargement or "ear" which serves as a hand grip while the other hand grasps the 

 paddle about 2 feet further down. Sails are used to seme extent and are made of canvas or 

 other imported cloth. 



Some of the lai^er dugouts have been powered with outboard motors. In Cuba, a few dug- 

 outs are eqxiipped with small inboard motors. In Colombia they have a fair-sized ice box 

 built-in amidships. 



It was learned that the fisherman desiring to build a dugout canoe goes into the interior 

 and selects and purchases a suitable tree. The tree is cut down and hollowed out on the spot 

 by a boat maker and then later broxight to the coast— often at considerable labor. The finish- 

 ing touches are made when it has been delivered to the fishennan, 



■While dugout canoes are slowly being replaced for fishing, they still represent the 

 cheapest and most easily-procured craft, and, for this reason, dugout canoes will probably 

 be used for years to come, both for fishing and for transportation and freighting. 



Sailboats of built-up types are found throughout the Caribbean area. They are a diverse 

 size and design and they show the influences of many foreign fishing-boat types. They range 

 in size from small, crude, sailing skiffs to ocean-going schooners. Most usually they are 

 locally-built of native hardwoods for the keel and ribs and of imported woods for the planking. 



The fishing craft of Antigua are all powered by sail. They are built locally with hard- 

 wood frames of native origin and planked with Imported yellow pine. Lengths are up to 30 feet 

 and depths A to 5 feet. Their beam varies from 6 to 8 feet. They are equipped with outboard 

 tillers h\ing on pintles and gudgeons. The craft are well built and admirably well-designed 

 for fishing. Live wells or "tanks" have been used in the past but are not now regarded as 

 necessary. The masts are 20 to 25 feet in height and made of solid wood. Shrouds are of rope, 

 A mainsail of triangular shape equipped with a boom and a jib with a loose foot is employed. 

 The boats are decked forward and aft and also along the gunwales with a working space retain- 

 ed amidships. Considerable amounts of ballast (heavy rocks and scrap iron) are used. The 

 planking is fastened in carvel style. The stern is straight with no counter. The keel is 

 fairly deep and of deep-sea type. The hull sections are clean with easy lines and the free- 

 board is about 18 inches. The construction throughout is good and the craft are stoutly 

 built. 



At Castries, St. Lucia, whaleboat-type boats were observed. There were only a few on the 

 island — all built locally by one builder at Castries. These craft are around 30 feet in length, 

 have a 5 to 6 foot beam and are about 3 feet deep. They are equipped with centerboards which 

 are used to avoid making leeway. There are 3 to 4 thwarts and /VOO to 500 pounds of ballast 

 composed of rocks and scrap iron. Construction is of pitch pine with white cedar frames, and 

 the planking is carvel laid. 



The whaleboats are double-ended and are partially decked forward. There is considerable 

 sheer and the lines are clean and fast. A low keel extends most of the length of the boat. 

 The centerboards are dagger-shaped and made of hardwood. The cost of such a boat without 

 sails or rigging would be around $200. With materials available, boats of this type could be 

 built in about 5 weeks. Two sails are cari*ied — a mainsail and jib — both made of canvas. 

 There is a short mast built of local wood and rigidly stayed. The mainsail is long and 

 gunther-rigged. The gaff is of bamboo and it is much longer than the mast, TOien in use, it 



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