Posted by Tom Napier on September 21, 2009 at 16:25:47 user Didymus.
In Reply to: Re: Picking nits in GN? - now rowing posted by Owen Roberts on September 09, 2009 at 07:46:21:
The natives used rowing boats because they were cheap and reliable. You could get where you wanted to even if there was no wind. Judging by my experience in Scottish fishing villages in the 1950s, a powered boat had a heavy petrol engine mounted in the center of the boat. These took up a lot of space and needed constant maintenance. I believe the outboard motor was a WWII development designed to power inflatable boats. What the locals called "oarie-boats" made a lot of sense.