Tristan Long Boats

Tristan Long Boat
Tristan long boat with, in the background, a thatched stone house and the imposing 600-m-high Main Cliffs behind the settlement.

Tristan long boats are light and relatively strong and ideally adapted to launching and landing through the surf on exposed beaches; they are used for voyages to neighbouring islands (such as the traditional trips to Nightingale Island).

The long boats have a light wooden frame, covered with canvas that is treated with oil and painted. The average length is 26' with a beam of 6' 6", and they have main and jibsails, oars and rudders.



Tristan Long Boat
Tristan long boat with John Jefferis for scale.

The 1961 volcano is in the middle distance to the left, and the base of the cliffs forms the backdrop.



Tristan Long Boat
The interior of a Tristan long boat.

The R.M.S. St. Helena is in the background, struggling to steam uphill!



Photographs courtesy of John and Jenny Jefferis.

 Tristan page