Boats were a common form of travel for Native Americans, and there were several different types of boats used by Native communities. The style used was largely dependent on the tribe. We\u2019re going to take a closer look at the types of boats used, and their purpose.<\/p>\n
Canoes were the most common type of boat used by Native Americans<\/a>, but this style of boat was also widely used in Central America, South America and the Caribbean.<\/p>\n There were numerous canoe styles used by the Native Americans, and tribes could even recognize one another by the profile of the canoe. But there were three general types used by the Native community:<\/p>\n The simplest canoe type is the dugout<\/a>. Like its name suggests, this boat is made out of hollowed-out wooden logs. Oftentimes, these boats were incredibly simple, with logs being only minimally adapted from their log shape.<\/p>\n Some tribes, especially those in the northwest coast, created more advanced dugout canoes, with intricate wood carvings. These tribes also used special bending techniques that created unique shapes to make the boats quicker.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Plank boats were far less common, and typically only found in the west. These boats were made of cedar wood planks that were \u201cstitched\u201d together. While these boats had a more complex construction, they were very similar to dugout canoes that were more popular with their neighboring tribes.<\/p>\n Bark canoes<\/a> were common in the Northeast woodlands are and the Great Lakes. These lightweight boats were made of either elm or birch bark and stretched over a wooden frame.<\/p>\n Canoes are still used today, and inspired many modern self-propelled boats. Paddles or sticks were used to propel these boats through the water. If you\u2019ve ever been canoeing, kayaking or even a home water rower, you have a good understanding of how Native Americans would navigate the waters.<\/p>\n Although rarely used, sailboats were used by some Native Americans, mainly by tribes in southern Florida.\u00a0 The Ais and Calusa used these boats.<\/p>\n Native sailboats were far more common in South America and Mexico.<\/p>\n Sails were often made from plant fibers and reds, and required very little rigging. They weren\u2019t used for tacking, but rather just for wind sailing.<\/p>\nDugout<\/h4>\n
Plank<\/h4>\n
Bark<\/h4>\n
Sailboats<\/h3>\n
Bull Boats<\/h3>\n