boats

[Michael]

Does anyone know the name in Spanish of the small boats or dories local fishermen use? I have seen them beached, 3 or 4 meters long, painted turquoise and pink. Also, what kind of wood or tree was used in the DR to make dugout canoes, and what would they be called? are any still used?

 

[Jim Hinsch]

My friends call the locally manufactured boats to which you refer, Yolas (yawl in English) or botes de trabajo (work boats in English).

Modern boats made commercially and of fiberglass are referred to as botes de deportes (sport boats in English. These would be what we often call speed boats. Somewhat larger baots, what we often call "pleasure craft" (30ft or more), are referred to as lanchas (small boats in English). When really big (50 ft or more), some people call them yates (yachts in English). Barco is for ship.

 

[Andy]

I've heard them, little boats for 1 or 2 persons, about 12 to 14 feet long and hewn from a large tree trunk, locally referred to as canucos. Yolas are usually a little larger, such as the boats used to smuggle people to Puerto Rico.

 

[Jim Hinsch]

Re: boats *PIC*

Yes. The below boat is a Yola. This the the most common type of boat I see in the Dominican Republic tourist areas. They are locally produced.

 

[artek]

Re: boats *PIC*

 

[Michael]

Re: canucos

Thanks for your help. Would anyone happen to know what trees canucos are hewn from?

 

[Andy]

Re: boats-Correction

I've been told by our Dominican maid that the little wooden boats, hewn from a tree trunk and 12 to 14 feet long are "cayucos," and their larger counterparts are "canoas." This corrects the "canucos" (little gardens in the campo)to which I thought I had heard the little boats referred.