Car Top Fishing Boat - The Punt

As a youngster, fishing was one of the activities you could engage in for free. When you live by the ocean, a big pond and numerous trout streams you are that much luckier. Our part of Cape Breton was a natural wonder when it came to fishing and nearly all my friends shaped their spare time around this port.

We fished in the creek running into the big pond and had great catches of speckled trout in the spring. The docks at North Sydney were treasure troves for large smelt and perch. Everywhere you looked was a fishing opportunity. Dad was not satisfied. We travelled fifty miles down north to a place called Breton Cove where the trout were numerous but hard to reach without a boat. We travelled to Lake Anslie where you could fish from shore but how much better if you had a boat.

In our crowded garage Dad began his plan to build a boat. Not any boat, but one that could accommodate three people, light enough for him to handle alone and one that could fit in the back of our half ton or on the roof of our car. No small order but a challenge for Dad.

From materials he had on hand and one sheet of three eighth plywood (new ) he began the task. Dad had no problem as he had built boats before, and this was a small one. Within days it was completed and he made sure it was water tight by filling it with water. If it held water it would hold out water.

With paint from the garage he painted it green on the sides and black on the bottom. A small front seat with a main rowing seat and a back, full width rear seat completed the task. Oars carved from some wood and a rope with a piece of metal for an anchor completed the equipment.
As I recall we never used life jackets because they would get in the way while fishing. The trial run was made with three of us adjusting to the instability of the small craft. As a joke Dad said you had to keep the gum in the middle of your mouth or it would tip. We named it the Punt and at eight feet long and nearly four feet wide, it was awesome for us; freedom to get to the fish.

That little craft answered a dream for Dad as much as a thousand dollar boat would today. During my youth the Punt was the center of activity when we fished, had a picnic or just swimming from it as a floating platform. It was our family cruiser and we were proud of it. Years later Dad had boats up to forty feet long and we enjoyed them but no more than our tiny punt. One day it had to be retired but before we did, Dad said that he caught enough trout to fill the Punt and it owed him nothing.

My life was centered around water and boats all my life and I truly believe it was the influence from the pleasure we had with the Punt that made it possible. I would give anything to have a return visit with my dad in that small punt.