The Gunning Punt Restoration Project
Langstone Harbour has one of the longest traditions of punt gunning in the British Isles, dating back to the 1790s. A particularly distinctive style of punt had developed locally by the 1850s and, with some slight variation, is still in use today.
In 2010 the club became aware that one of the last examples of a single-handed punt, once used by club founder member and professional wildfowler George Atkins, had reached the stage that if some time and money was not devoted to it very soon, it would deteriorate to a point beyond recovery.
LADWACA took the view that, as custodian of the history of wildfowling in the harbour, it should make the time and money available to preserve the punt for posterity.
The punt and its original muzzle-loading gun now form the centrepiece of the club’s display stand, which can regularly be seen at country fairs throughout the region.