Editing Pirogue (section)

==Description==
The term 'pirogue' does not refer to a specific kind of boat, but is a generic term for small boats in regions once colonized by [[French colonial empire|France]] and [[Spanish Empire|Spain]], particularly dugouts made from a log.<ref>{{cite web |title=Pirogue |url=https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pirogue |website=Merriam-Webster |access-date=17 August 2023}}</ref> In [[French West Africa]], the term refers to handcrafted banana-shaped boats used by traditional fishermen.<ref>{{cite web |title=Among the pirogues of Africa|url=http://voyagetosargasso.blogspot.com/2014/01/among-pirogues-of-africa.html|website=Voyage to the Sargasso Sea|date=21 January 2014 |access-date=2 May 2018}}</ref> In Madagascar, it also includes the more elaborate Austronesian ''lakana'' [[outrigger canoe]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Sakalava pirogue|url=http://www.pirogue-madagascar.com/en/pirogues/|website=Alefa|access-date=2 May 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.economist.com/daily/news/displaystory.cfm?story_id=11520922&fsrc=nwl |title=Setting sail |magazine=www.economist.com |access-date=9 June 2008}}</ref>

Pirogues are usually propelled by [[paddles]] that have one blade (as opposed to a kayak paddle, which has two). It can also be [[punt (boat)#Punting technique|punted]] with a push pole in shallow water. Small [[Sail|sails]] are built by local fishermen and they can also be employed. There are two types of sails with differences in their shapes, the square one is used mainly for fishing near the coast and is only useful for [[tailwind]]s, while the triangular-shaped ones are used to transfer goods from one place to another by maintaining a bowline direction.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Pirogues - Madagascar discovery |url=https://www.pirogue-madagascar.com/en/pirogues/ |access-date=2022-11-20 |website=Alefa |language=en-GB}}</ref> Outboard motors are increasingly being used in many regions.