The 'Batteaux Plats' of New France

The batteau plat is a type of flat-bottomed craft well known in North America for its crucial role in the colonial wars between New France and New England in the 17th and 18th centuries. The discovery of four such craft in the harbour of Quebec City offered the first occasion to understand the construction and use of these boats. This article provides a description of the construction and uses of this boat-type and suggests two reasons why a batteau plat industry arose and developed to such an extent in New France, namely, that the boat's design and construction were inherently efficient and that state policies were favourably oriented toward maritime industries, including boat construction. © 2004 The Nautical Archaeology Society