20' Vietnamese Surf Boats (2000)

Xuan Hai basketry bottom surf boats. Xuan Hai is located at the north end of a long surf ridden beach about 18 km south of Quy Nhon on the central Vietnamese coast. A variety of surf boat evolved there and in 2013 when I first saw them there were at least 53 of them in active work. Fishing with long drift nets as a fleet, returning to the beach to clean the catch out of their nets. They are some of the last remnants of a sort of boat once common on this coast, double ended, with a fully developed timber frame built on a pair of sheer planks, but, with their bottoms made of sealed bamboo basketry. They are powered with typical small Chinese single cylinder diesel tractor engines (often used on compressors, welders, small rock crushers and similar equipment, but especially to power walk-behind tractors). They steer with a single long sweep, and launch from and return to the beach each trip. They fish with a 3-man crew (skipper, engineer and net puller) but need a beach crew of 10 or so to move up and down between the water and the high tide line. Their numbers have been declining steeply the past few years as powered fiberglass tubs (literally) fished by one or two men have replaced them. Recent satellite imagery indicates there are only six still in service. The old boats were excellent surf boats and managed the landing on this beach very well. The plastic tubs are remarkable, but much less able, and worse, sink abruptly if filled. The fishermen who have switched now wear bright orange life jackets. . .something new.