Mackinaw boat

noun

a flat-bottomed boat with sharp prow and square stern, propelled by oars and sometimes sails, formerly widely used on the upper Great Lakes.

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An Americanism dating back to 1870–75

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Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Its breadth, at the mouth, is about sixty paces, and it is said to be navigable by Mackinaw boats for 100 miles.

From this point the passengers will proceed in Mackinaw boats to the falls of the Missouri.

He had a Mackinaw boat, very little, with a sail made brown by boiling it with tan bark, so that it would not wear out.

A heavily loaded Mackinaw boat had shot around the next bend.

It’s a good deal like a Mackinaw boat.

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