# Trying to find the name for this type of boat **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 22, 2012, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trying-to-find-the-name-for-this-type-of-boat/625993 "2012-06-22T21:23:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2012, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trying-to-find-the-name-for-this-type-of-boat/625993/1 "2012-06-22T21:23:39Z")
And any more info about its design. I can’t link to a picture because my search terms aren’t good enough. Description: a SE Asian fishing boat, long and narrow like a canoe, but built with a squareish sides and a flat bottom like a Jon boat, tiller steered outboard, stable enough to walk the length, and there’s a small platform on the prow that’s stable enough to stand and cast from despite the narrowness of the craft. I think I saw one on an episode of river monsters when he was in Thailand with a famous guide. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![rat\_avatar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rat_avatar/32/255_2.png) [@rat\_avatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rat_avatar)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2012, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trying-to-find-the-name-for-this-type-of-boat/625993/2 "2012-06-22T21:33:51Z")
Are you thinking of a Sampan? ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2012, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trying-to-find-the-name-for-this-type-of-boat/625993/3 "2012-06-22T21:35:09Z")
have you tried googling “southeast asian fishing boat” and then clicking on “images” ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2012, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trying-to-find-the-name-for-this-type-of-boat/625993/4 "2012-06-22T21:39:39Z")
There is a style of boat that uses typically plywood like that. The bottom is curved (or sometimes flat) only in the fore/aft direction. There is no curvature in the side to side direction. The sides are also flat sheets that are only curved in one dimension. Famous small boat designer Phil Bolger (RIP) was a big proponent of them because they are functional and mucher easier to build than the complex 3D curves most boats have. These are often called “sharpies” in the sailing community. In cajun country these things are called pirogues (pronounced pee rows). Here’s a random link to one peerow. [http://www.southernpaddler.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=9297](http://www.southernpaddler.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=9297) ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2012, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trying-to-find-the-name-for-this-type-of-boat/625993/5 "2012-06-22T22:19:02Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > have you tried googling “southeast asian fishing boat” and then clicking on “images” Yes. Thank you for your contribution. ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2012, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trying-to-find-the-name-for-this-type-of-boat/625993/6 "2012-06-22T22:25:20Z")
Sampans are in the neighborhood, but much too wide and too curved on the bow and stern. Pirogues were a interesting idea, but their lines along the gunwhales are much too canoe-like compared to this mysterious Asian craft. The lines I’m looking for ate closer to a Jon boat. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2012, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trying-to-find-the-name-for-this-type-of-boat/625993/7 "2012-06-22T22:54:29Z")
> [@drastic\_quench](#): > > Yes. Thank you for your contribution. didn’t mean to be snarky but I was hoping for something close to work with. I like a good surfing challenge. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2012, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trying-to-find-the-name-for-this-type-of-boat/625993/8 "2012-06-22T23:04:27Z")
[something like this?](http://www.google.com/imgres?hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=CPt&sa=X&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&biw=1252&bih=499&tbm=isch&prmd=imvns&tbnid=NKaRdSAE2bFdZM:&imgrefurl=http://www.dreamstime.com/stock-photo-flat-bottom-boat-on-a-canal-near-bangkok-image5747980&docid=ejheohp77DrT2M&itg=1&imgurl=http://www.dreamstime.com/flat-bottom-boat-on-a-canal-in-thailand-thumb5747980.jpg&w=400&h=425&ei=hfnkT6CzCaPi2gWKgMndCQ&zoom=1) squarish sides, tiller motor, platform up front ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2012, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trying-to-find-the-name-for-this-type-of-boat/625993/9 "2012-06-22T23:05:45Z")
> [@drastic\_quench](#): > > Sampans are in the neighborhood, but much too wide and too curved on the bow and stern. > > Pirogues were a interesting idea, but their lines along the gunwhales are much too canoe-like compared to this mysterious Asian craft. The lines I’m looking for ate closer to a Jon boat. Peerows vary A LOT. That was just a random example. From very flared sides to nearly vertical ones. And the gunwale lines can vary a lot as well. From very short and fat to pretty long and skinny. The main defining charactristic is they have 3 panels, each panel only curved in one dimension. Of course the asia version of peerow probably has a unique local name. If you get desperate enough, register that site I gave a link too. It’s free and virus free and some local boat nerd could probably tell ya what its called. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2012, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trying-to-find-the-name-for-this-type-of-boat/625993/10 "2012-06-22T23:24:41Z")
[video](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6X8JuAEUVdc) long tail speed boat? ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2012, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trying-to-find-the-name-for-this-type-of-boat/625993/11 "2012-06-23T01:55:16Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > [something like this?](http://www.google.com/imgres?hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=CPt&sa=X&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&biw=1252&bih=499&tbm=isch&prmd=imvns&tbnid=NKaRdSAE2bFdZM:&imgrefurl=http://www.dreamstime.com/stock-photo-flat-bottom-boat-on-a-canal-near-bangkok-image5747980&docid=ejheohp77DrT2M&itg=1&imgurl=http://www.dreamstime.com/flat-bottom-boat-on-a-canal-in-thailand-thumb5747980.jpg&w=400&h=425&ei=hfnkT6CzCaPi2gWKgMndCQ&zoom=1) squarish sides, tiller motor, platform up front That’s it. Awesome. Does it have a specific name, I wonder. Thanks again! ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2012, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trying-to-find-the-name-for-this-type-of-boat/625993/12 "2012-06-23T02:02:06Z")
> [@drastic\_quench](#): > > That’s it. Awesome. Does it have a specific name, I wonder. > > Thanks again! best I could come up with was “long tail speed boat”. Long tail meaning the straight drive shaft propeller. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2012, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trying-to-find-the-name-for-this-type-of-boat/625993/13 "2012-06-23T02:08:02Z")
> [@drastic\_quench](#): > > That’s it. Awesome. Does it have a specific name, I wonder. [This guy sez](http://forum.woodenboat.com/showthread.php?106886-Canal-life-in-Thailand) _sampoa_ or _rua pai_ (Thai).