BALSA RAFT

[aukepalmhof]

Balsa raft was already mentioned by early travellers, in use from southern Colombia to central Peru. She were all made of Ecuadorian balsa logs.
Size, shape and rigging varied, indicating adaptations to meet special uses and geographical conditions. Modified by the colonial Spanish, who found them useful as river craft in lowland Ecuador, where they were sometimes 24m long and outfitted for comfortable travel. Some only a skeletal framework others solidly built surfaces of 2 layers of logs; 2 deck seagoing rafts also reported. Small balsas used mainly for ferrying and cargo transport, and some constructed as 1-way timber rafts that floated downstream. Many equipped with sails and 2 masted types were seen. The mast often the inverted “V” type. Then as now the sailing balsa used one or more daggerboards at each end to control direction under sail. On the smaller unrigged craft, a plank aft maneuverer in a sculling motion propels the craft. Recent balsas are recorded as having 5 -11 logs and up to 18m long, but most are shorter. Shaped bows on some; others squared off. On the sailing craft, the mast placed in a hardwood step and sets either a lug, sprit or gaff sail. A light spar may extend the lugsail. Large Ecuadorian balsas were in use until about 1920, often aiding in lightering from ships.

Thanks for the history of the raft Anatol: see http://www.shipstamps.co.uk/forum/viewt ... =2&t=12644

Ecuador 2006 $1.00 sg?, scott?
Source, Aak to Zumbra a Dictionary of the World’s Watercraft.

[Anatol]

See also: La Mantena- The raft across the Pacific.(viewtopic.php?f=2&t=12644).