Pram (ship)

A pram or pramm describes a type of shallow-draught flat-bottomed ship, usually propelled by pushing the ship through the water using a long pole, although sailing prams also exist. The name pram derives from the Latin premere ("press [verb]").

Historically, prams were often used to transport agricultural cargo or cattle through shallow canals and wetlands in Europe. During the times of the Great Northern War, those types of watercraft were used as a floating battery for artillery support during amphibious assault. In the Netherlands they were used to transport peat.

There is also an unrelated type of boat called "pram".

Gallery

• 
  Drawing of a 17th-century pram by Nicolaes Witsen
• 
  A pram in use, cultural heritage collection, Zuiderzee Museum
• 
  Veense pram with thatching reed bales in Nieuwkoop
• 
  W.B. Tholen, pram, collection of the Zuiderzee Museum
• 
  Boeier pram De Hoop in the Zuiderzee Museum
• 
  Russian 44-gun pram of Tavrovo Admiralty

See also

• Hull
• Watercraft

References

Further reading

• Witsen, Nicolaes Aeloude en Hedendaegse Scheepsbouw en Bestier Amsterdam 1671.b (In archaic Dutch)
• Sopers, P.J.V.M. Schepen die verdwijnen 1947. (In Dutch)
• Crone, G.C.E. Nederlandsche binnenschepen 1944. (In Dutch)