The Boat as a Vehicle for the Senses

By Frédéric Delaive
English

For a long time, humans have enjoyed having the protective hull of a boat between their bodies and water. The boat is a generic term we will use here to refer to all types of leisure craft. While boating, being steered by a professional, passengers don’t have to worry about the running and direction. Although free from physical commitment, their bodies and senses are not passive. When man learns how to pilot his boat, his body becomes an engine. From Jean-Jacques Rousseau onwards, the skill and strength displayed in piloting a boat become a sign of distinction. Using an external engine, a wind or heat engine, the pilot becomes a transmitter of energy. Until today, technical development and the lightness and speed of the boat enable the symbiosis with the elements. It is also a means of keeping the world at a distance.

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