Bamboo Nursery

Boats and Bamboo

Bamboo is an ideal boatbuilding material. With multiple air chambers it floats and is difficult to sink without splitting full length. It makes an ideal mast along with other parts of a boat.

You can see the bamboo used for mast, railings, floors, shelter and more on this model of a Polynesian catamaran.. One of the primary uses of bamboo was as a container for water. On long voyages between islands fresh water was an essential. When they arrived at a new island the bamboo could be planted as the two main types used were clumpers. (Schizostachyum glaucifolium and Bambusa vulgaris) These can sprout new limbs at the nodes and develop roots when planted. They would soon have groves of bamboo available.