VIETNAM FLASHBACK and "BASKET BOATS"

Taken while on patrol in 1969 off central Vietnam

"Basket Boats" locally called "thuyen thung", are made from bamboo and covered with chai (a waterproof material made from a plant).

The boats are constructed by first selecting quality bamboo plants and splitting them into thin strips before drying them in the sun. Then they skilfully bend and knit the strips into a round shape. After knitting, they coat the boat with many layers of chai to make the boat waterproof.  These versatile craft are used to set nets, as tenders, (taking crews to shore in crowded harbors) as life boats and more.  Rowing a Basket Boat takes skill and patience (most Vietnamese fisherman grew up rowing these craft, so they make it look easy).  The origin of the "Basket Boats" go far back in to the history of Vietnam, one story is that when the French ruled Vietnam, they levied taxes on many things, including boats. Many poor villagers could not pay the tax imposed on their small boats so they invented a new type of boat called thuyen thung to evade taxes because the thung (round basket) was not considered a boat - - -.  These craft are still heavily used today.  See some additional "Basket Boat photo's here:  
http://www.flickr.com/photos/eifeelgood/3324528738/in/photostream/ 


CHECK OUT THIS "BASKET BOAT" UNDERWAY ON YOU TUBE

I WANT THIS GUY TO CREW FOR ME!!!,  (WONDER WHAT HE WAS "CHECKING" WHEN HE MADE THAT STOP?  MAYBE THOUGHT HE HAD A LINE IN THE SCREW - -
Here are a couple of other shots of Basket Boats:

 Photo: © Alan Marshall 

Photo © Alan Marshall