Interesting outrigger canoe

[Kaa]

Found a nice picture of an interesting outrigger canoe from Madagascar...

http://www.juzaphoto.com/shared_files/galleries/010511.jpg

Kaa

[wtarzia]

Yes, interesting. The method of attaching the pieces is not clear to me. I see no stitching or fasteners despite that a partial view of the interior of the hull would let us see lugs, etc., sometimes used to connect dug out canoe parts. The bow seems to be a wave-piercing design, yet scantlings of the akas (crossbeams) and ama (float) argue for a a reasonable flat-water adaptation (as the photo seems to imply). Thanks for posting. -- Wade

[wtarzia]

On second thought, I see that I made the poor assumption that the end of the boat closest is the bow! Bad on me. Is that some provision for a quarter rudder there? -- Wade

[skuthorp]

These craft are often just steered with a paddle, but there seem to be 4 pegs in the high stern. It looks new and I suspect the 'pegs' are trunnels as part of the build, so it may be that dowells, or trunnels are how the pieces are joined. Or it may be that it is not finished yet as you would net expect them to be left untrimmed.

[wtarzia]

I think some "5 part canoes" did use pegs to locate the plank edges (on Madura, if I recall aright) but usually there is lashing to lugs or stitching through the planks to pull the planks together. A beauty, though. --Wade