Nepedia
Back to Discover
Fluent Reader
💻

Outrigger

technology Maturity 11-13 Next article →

An outrigger is a part that sticks out from a boat.

This part helps a vessel stay steady on the water. It works by adding stability to the main body of the boat. Without it, many boats might tip over too easily. This is very important for traveling across big oceans. Some outriggers even help cranes lift heavy loads without falling.

In a canoe, the outrigger works in a special way. It is a thin and long solid hull. This extra hull sits parallel to the main boat. It stays in a fixed position to stop the boat from capsizing. Capsizing is when a boat flips over in the water. If a boat has only one outrigger, it helps in two ways. Its weight stops the boat from tipping one way. Its buoyancy helps it stay up on the other side.

COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Reliëf op de Borobudur TMnr 20025669
COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Reliëf op de Borobudur TMnr 20025669

History shows us that people have used this for a long time. The Austronesian people first developed this technology. They used different types of boats for their travels. Some boats used double outriggers in Southeast Asia. Other boats used a single outrigger. These single outrigger boats were common in Madagascar and Polynesia. They were also used in Melanesia and Micronesia.

Outriggers are also used in fishing and rowing. Fishing boats use metal or plastic poles. These poles hold many lines in the water at once. This helps the lines stay apart so they do not tangle. In rowing, an outrigger is a triangular frame. It holds the oar away from the edge of the boat. This gives the rower better leverage to pull. Wooden versions appeared on triremes in the 7th or 6th centuries BC.

Scullers with outriggers 1851
Scullers with outriggers 1851

Many people helped change how rowing boats work. A British rower named Harry Clasper lived from 1812 to 1870. He made metal rowing outriggers very popular. This made rowing easier for the human body. Today, some racing boats use even newer designs. These are called wing-riggers. They look like the flattened wings on an aircraft. They are strong and help the boat move fast.

Scullers with outriggers 1851
Scullers with outriggers 1851
341 words

Where will your curiosity go next?

Keep exploring at your chosen reading level.

🖼️ Images & Media (3)
File:COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Reliëf op de Borobudur TMnr 20025669.jpg
COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Reliëf op de...
File:Outrigger on Hawaiian sailing canoe.png
Outrigger on Hawaiian sailing canoe.png
File:Scullers_with_outriggers_1851.jpg
Scullers_with_outriggers_1851.jpg
More to explore

🔬 Go deeper

More advanced topics to explore

🪜 Step back

Simpler topics to build understanding

What is Nepedia?

A free, ad-free encyclopedia for children. Every article is written at five reading levels, so the same page works for a five-year-old and a fifteen-year-old — use the level switcher above to see this one change. No account needed to read.