What Is A Quant for Punting in Cambridge And How to Use It?

What Is A Quant for Punting in Cambridge And How to Use It?
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Punting in Cambridge: the technical bits.

A quant is a pole that is used to propel a barge or punt boat through the shallow waters while punting in Cambridge. The barge quant has a cap at the top and a prong or teeth resembling a pitchfork at the bottom. This stops the pole from sinking into the mud. A quant used for

Cambridge punts are usually around four meters or thirteen feet long and is generally made of hollow metal or wood. This way, it can always float even if it is left in the water. Depending on the size of the punt, a longer quant might be required to propel it.

In earlier days, these poles were essential to drive yachts when there were no engines or if the wind was not strong enough. Sailors for large vessels relied on quant poles that were at least twenty-six feet long. Aside from propelling a Cambridge punt, the quant is used to steer the boats by acting as a rudder. The rudder is a primary control surface that helps boats move through the water.

The chauffeur using the quant can quickly stick it behind the punt to safely control and navigate the direction it moves.

There is also a common saying, “I wouldn’t touch that thing with a barge pole,” or “I wouldn’t touch that with a ten-foot pole,” which usually referred to a long pole that is meant to tread through dirty slush and mud at the bottom of a river.

How to Use A Quant whilst punting in Cambridge.

The main reason quants are used for punting in Cambridge is to propel the boat from the rear or front deck. The angle that the chauffeur holds the quant depends on how deep the water is and how fast they want to travel.

For large tour groups, they will go relatively slow because punting in Cambridge is a relaxing trip for you to see the sights around the university, so you might notice that they are not holding the quant at a steeper level, which is meant for deep waters. This is because the bottom of the quant should be able to reach the bed of the canal, and a shallower angle is needed for speed. Your chauffeur might hold it relatively straight because they do not want to go all fast and furious with families and children on board.

Your punting chauffeur will drive the quant downward and then push it slightly back, which propels the punt.

On larger boats, the chauffeur will walk along the side of the punt and brace against the quant to drive forward at the speed they are walking in. For reversing, the quant needs to be pushed forwards and then pulled out of the water.

Your chauffeur will place their hand over it and then pull up, as though they are climbing up and down the pole. Whilst punting in Cambridge, the chauffeur will usually stand at the back for most of the rider and then slide their quant in the water at a forward angle.

This will glide the punt loosely in the direction they want it to go. They will then push the quant just past a vertical angle, sloping it downwards from front to the back of your punt, and then push on the quant to propel forward. At the end of this stroke, the quant gets twisted with a downward roll of their wrist to break it free from the bottom and then retrieve it by throwing their hands forward, getting ready for the next stroke.

You will notice how smooth and rhythmic this style is, which is the best form to give you a safe yet adventurous ride that will satisfy all your punting in Cambridge tourist needs.

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