One of the more interesting titles to come out of the 1980s was “The Planiverse”, written by A K Dewdney. Science fiction, the book detailed how computer contact was made with a two-dimensional world, and then followed one of the inhabitants as he travels across his world. The use of this travelogue plot device allowed Dewdney to showcase various 2D concepts and designs that the creature just happened to have encountered along the way. 

One such design was a 2D sailboat, details of which can be found in a chapter entitled “On Fiddib Har” - which is the name of the planet’s ocean.  Here’s an extract:

“When the mast had been put up and all the gear and tackle made ready, we realized that the boat had no bow or stern as such. Being completely symmetrical about its mast, bow and stern could be determined only by which direction the boat was moving. This ceased to puzzle us when we realized that a two-dimensional boat could not “turn around.” As for choice of direction to take, there were always only two possibilities.

The mast of the boat had two sections, a stout lower section inserted in a well- braced framework, and a graceful upper section resting on this and held in place by two wedges or pegs. Two long ropes dangled from the top of the mast. There were lockers for food, tackle, and line, as well as two holds for the catch.

At either end of the boat were oars. One of these was soon being pumped by Yendred’s father; the other was folded up to be used by Yendred on their return. Ingeniously designed, the blades of the oars were hinged so that when the rower pulled down on the handle and the blades stroked toward the rear, they formed a rigid paddle.  When the rower pushed up on the handle, the blades moved forward, folding out of the way so as not to counteract the boat’s forward motion.  There were no visible fasteners used in the boats construction; it was all held together by glue.”

Anyone care to make a model of this planiversal proa?!

Cheers,
Paul