Universal forms, boats designed for their users and their environments…

All the world’s populations past and present have made clever use of the materials available to them to create floating vehicles. Thanks to this ingenuity, some designs are still used today: an Irish currach straight out of a medieval manuscript, circular basket boats in the traditional shape used 3000 years ago in Mesopotamia, and canoes that could have been used by ancient lakeside populations.

The wide array of technical and nautical solutions employed has generated light, responsive boats, designed for purposes such as fishing, war, processions and jousting. They are local solutions to meet local needs, making optimal use of resources. For example, fire has long been used to hollow out canoes.