How To Punt

Driving a punt is much more difficult than it might first appear. The purpose of this month’s blog is to describe how to punt and good punting technique. If you fancy learning from a professional, why not book one of our private punt tours and use it as a lesson.

How to get the punt moving

To start the punt, push off the riverbed using your punt pole or quant. You may wish to twist it after, to stop it getting stuck. Altering the direction to which you push will affect your direction, you may correct this mid-push by bringing the pole closer or further from your body or by stepping sideways on the punt’s deck.

Learning to Steer a punt

After taking each stroke, allow the pole to drag behind the boat. You can use it to steer like a rudder, however, you should keep this to a minimum because it will slow you down and waste energy.

Significant changes in direction can be achieved by pointing the pole sideways when you push. Likewise, an emergency stop can be achieved by pointing the pole forwards, but be careful because this will also turn you sideways.

Make sure you bring a paddle with you, in case you lose your pole. Make sure that you don’t keep hold of a pole which becomes lodged behind a tree, otherwise, you may find yourself taking a swim in the drink.

Advanced punting technique

When travelling in higher flow you will need to adjust your maneuvers so that you punt relative to the water, which is moving and not the riverbed which is still. This means that if you are traveling the same speed as the river, then you have no control of your punt. You gain control by moving up or downstream relative to the flow, and don’t forget that moving upstream you may actually still be travelling downstream relative to the bank and river bed. You will also need to be aware of eddies which form behind fixed obstacles in the river, causing water to flow at a different rate and sometimes in the opposite direction. Eddies can often be observed with a difference in water texture.