A chalupa (in

Basque Basque may refer to: * Basques, an ethnic group of Spain and France * Basque language, their language Places * Basque Country (greater region), the homeland of the Basque people with parts in both Spain and France * Basque Country (autonomous co ...

: ''Txalupa'') is a small

boat A boat is a watercraft of a large range of types and sizes, but generally smaller than a ship, which is distinguished by its larger size, shape, cargo or passenger capacity, or its ability to carry boats. Small boats are typically found on i ...

that functions as a

shallop Shallop is a name used for several types of boats and small ships (French ''chaloupe'') used for coastal navigation from the seventeenth century. Originally smaller boats based on the chalupa, the watercraft named this ranged from small boats a li ...

water taxi A water taxi or a water bus is a watercraft used to provide public or private transport, usually, but not always, in an urban environment. Service may be scheduled with multiple stops, operating in a similar manner to a bus, or ...

gondola The gondola (, ; vec, góndoła ) is a traditional, flat-bottomed Venetian rowing boat, well suited to the conditions of the Venetian lagoon. It is typically propelled by a gondolier, who uses a rowing oar, which is not fastened to the hull, ...

, such as those seen at the "floating gardens" of

Xochimilco Xochimilco (; nci, Xōchimīlco, ) is a borough (''demarcación territorial'') of Mexico City. The borough is centered on the formerly independent city of Xochimilco, which was established on what was the southern shore of Lake Xochimilco in th ...

south of

Mexico City Mexico City ( es, link=no, Ciudad de México, ; abbr.: CDMX; Nahuatl: ''Altepetl Mexico'') is the capital and largest city of Mexico, and the most populous city in North America. One of the world's alpha cities, it is located in the Valley o ...

, Mexico. Chalupa is also the name of the type of whaling boat used by the Basques in the mid-16th century in what is now Newfoundland and Labrador.

Description

Chalupa boats are normally rowed or poled, and less commonly motorized. Common characteristics are shallow drafts and narrow benches or seats for one, two or three passengers. A chalupa is not to be confused with a

trajinera Xochimilco (; nci, Xōchimīlco, ) is a borough (''demarcación territorial'') of Mexico City. The borough is centered on the formerly independent city of Xochimilco, which was established on what was the southern shore of Lake Xochimilco in t ...

, which is a boat housing long benches along the edges, and a table through the middle, and poled by a standing person. These boats are typical of

channel and are frequented by local families for weekend picnics on the water. Chalupas transit on the same channel offering food, beverages, or even live music trios to the trajineras. Chalupa in Portuguese is a small boat used for

cabotage Cabotage () is the transport of goods or passengers between two places in the same country. It originally applied to shipping along coastal routes, port to port, but now applies to aviation, railways, and road transport as well. Cabotage rights ar ...

, either with oars or sails, in the latter case with a single mast. The mid-16th century chalupa used by the Basque whalers was long, and would have been manned by a steersman, five oarsmen, and a harpooner. Examples of four of these have been discovered in

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by to ...

at Red Bay in what is now Newfoundland and Labrador since 1978. One such chalupa has been given extensive conservation treatment, and as of July 1998 is on display in the visitor centre of Red Bay National Historic Site of Canada.Archaeology of a Sixteenth-Century Basque Whaling Boat
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References

Boat types Water transport in Newfoundland and Labrador {{Ship-type-stub