The outboard-motorized flat boat, common throughout the Mississippi River drainage, rose in popularity in the Atchafalaya Swamp during the 1950s. Its flat bottom, blunt bow, and stern resembles the inboard-motorized bateaux putt-putt of the earlier 20th century, but the flat boat represents a revolution in technology. The earlier long bateaux had displacement hulls that provided considerable drag as they were pushed through the water. The much shorter flat boat, powered with an outboard motor, is able to plane with only its rear hull section touching the water. The flatboat's shortened hull and widened transom results in very swift and stable all purpose work boat. The flat boat in this image has a live-well for bait or fish built into its mid section. Notice the cleverly-sculptured ribs of this boat, a feature which provides extra interior space for nets, traps, and/or catch.

-- C. Ray Brassieur,
University of Louisiana at Lafayette

South Louisiana