Piroga Dugout canoe

Current boat name

Piroga Dugout canoe

Boat class

7006

Function

Fishing and Hunting

Type

Dugout

Length (m / ft)

10.45 / 34ft 3in

Beam (m / ft)

0.71 / 2ft 4in

Propulsion

Paddle

Date of build

1973

Place of build

Linhares, Brazil-

Present use

Museum/NMMC

Built in 1973 by the people of Linhares, a fishing village 130 kilometres north of Port Victoria in Espirito Santo,Brazil using only hand adzes in exactly the same way as used by the Indios of Espirito during the last 400 years. This type of boat, made from a large single tree trunk, has been common on the east coast of Brazil from time immemorial. There is still a demand for these boats because of their cheapness, toughness, reliability and buoyancy. They require no maintenance. Some are now fitted with small outboard motors and can be seen fishing miles out to sea. This canoe was shipped to Britain aboard HMS ENDURANCE. October 2007