You will find vast water areas in your Minecraft world and sometimes, you will have to travel across the map. When that time arrives, you better craft yourself a boat, especially if you are not a huge fan of swimming for hours. Boats give players a fast and safe way to move over water. They let you easily cross rivers and lakes and help you avoid danger. Here is a closer look at how to make a boat in Minecraft.

What is a boat in Minecraft?

A boat is a small vehicle that runs on water. It helps players travel quickly over water bodies. The boat carries one player and one extra passenger. It lessens fall damage when a player disembarks. Boats let you cross water safely in many worlds. Bamboo rafts have a similar function, but they look different.

How do you craft a boat in Minecraft?

The recipe works the same in both Creative and Survival modes. Follow these clear steps to craft your boat:

Step 1: Gather Your Materials

1. You need 5 Wood Planks.
2. In Survival mode, you chop trees to obtain Wood Planks.
3. In Creative mode, you have all resources at your disposal.
4. You may mix Wood Planks from different types of trees if you wish.

Step 2: Arrange the Wood Planks in the Crafting Grid

1. Use the 3x3 Crafting Grid on your crafting table.
2. Place 3 Wood Planks in the bottom row.
3. Place 1 Wood Plank in the slot above the bottom left plank.
4. Place the last Wood Plank in the slot above the bottom right plank.
5. Leave the remaining slots empty

Step 3: Craft and Place the Boat

• The boat appears in the result slot of the Crafting Table.
• Drag the boat into your inventory.
• To use the boat, select it in your inventory and move to a body of water.
• Right-click on the water to place the boat.
• To enter the boat, right-click on it once more.

Tips for Survival Mode

• The boat is fragile. Slow down when you approach obstacles or islands.
• If the boat crashes, it will break. The boat then drops Wood Planks and Sticks.
• Use caution in rough waters.
• Practice in calm waters first to learn the controls.

Tips for Creative Mode

• Creative mode gives you unlimited resources.
• You can try different types of wood to change the boat’s look.
• Experiment with placements and water currents without worry.
• Use the boat to test water travel mechanics and design ideas.

How to make a boat with a chest in Minecraft

Now that you have a boat in your inventory, why not upgrade it by adding a chest that will travel with you through the journey? It is quite simple if you have both of the items. Here is how:

Items Needed

• Boat
• Chest

Crafting a boat with a chest

1. Open the crafting menu
2. Put your boat into the middle square.
3. Add a chest to the square on the left.
4. Drag the crafted boat with chest to your inventory
5. Start using it

How to use boats better in Minecraft

They help players move across water, trade with villagers, and even act as fuel. Boats can also be paired with chests to carry extra items, like explained in the previous section. Here is how they help:

Water Travel

• Use boats to cross lakes, rivers, and oceans quickly.
• Boats lower the risk of fall damage when you leave them on land.
• They help you avoid slow walking and dangerous swimming.

Trading with Villagers

• Master-level fisherman villagers often buy boats for an emerald.
• The type of boat offered depends on the villager's biome.
• For example, plains villagers prefer oak boats while swamp villagers choose dark oak boats.

Fuel Use

• Boats can burn in a furnace as fuel.
• One boat lasts 60 seconds and can smelt up to 6 items.
• This can help when you lack other fuel sources.

Storage and Transport

• Combine a boat with a chest to store extra items.
• A boat with a chest lets you move your supplies on water.
• This method keeps your items safe during long journeys.

Control and Navigation

• Use basic keys to steer your boat: forward, left, right, and backward.
• Note that mouse-look does not control the boat.
• Touchscreen controls offer two buttons for steering effectively.

Handling Currents and Elevations

• Boats can travel against water currents in Java Edition.
• Build a boat lift using tripwire and pistons to move a boat upward.
• Use bubble columns made with soul sand to push boats upward on stairs.

Is a bamboo raft better than a boat?

The differences between a boat and a bamboo raft are mostly visual. Both work in a similar way. Their crafting recipe and core functions are nearly identical. The main differences lie in how they handle and look. The table below shows the pros and cons of each option.

How to make a bamboo raft in Minecraft

A bamboo raft is a simple watercraft built from bamboo blocks. It works much like a boat and floats on water. The raft looks like a long piece of bamboo with an oar for rowing.

To craft a bamboo raft, you need a few items. Gather 6 Bamboo Planks and a Crafting Table. You can get Bamboo Planks by placing a bamboo block in the crafting grid. Each block yields 2 planks, so you need 3 blocks of bamboo to get 6 planks. The recipe is shapeless, which means you can place the bamboo block in any cell.

The raft recipe is the same as the boat recipe. Follow these steps:

1. Place one Bamboo Plank in each corner of the top row in the crafting grid.
2. Fill the middle row with Bamboo Planks.
3. The result is a bamboo raft.

You can also add a chest to the raft in the crafting grid. This gives you extra storage. The chest version of the raft will only seat one player.

Can you still make boats in Minecraft?

Yes, players can still craft boats in Minecraft. They help players cross water quickly and safely. Many worlds have vast water areas that require fast travel. The boat recipe is simple and easy to remember. Boats continue to play a vital role in both Creative and Survival modes. Their design and function have not changed. They will likely remain in the game for a long time.

How to get a boat on land in Minecraft

After you craft a boat, you can place it on land by right-clicking on a flat surface. When you do this, the boat moves very slowly. A boat on land may sink into the ground if it sits still for too long. This method of placement works in both Creative and Survival modes.

If you need to move a boat over a block or small rise, you can use a simple trick with a piston and a lever:

1. Place a piston on the ground with its face pointing upward.
2. Put a lever near the piston.
3. Move the boat over the piston by right-clicking on the desired spot.
4. Activate the lever. The piston pushes the boat upward by one block.

Do you need a shovel to make a boat?

You don’t always need a shovel to make a boat. In Java Edition, a boat needs only 5 wooden planks. You place them in a U shape on the crafting table. That’s all. But in Bedrock Edition, the game also asks for a wooden shovel. You put it in the middle of the U shape. That is the last piece of the puzzle of your boat recipe in Minecraft.

Can you tow a boat in Minecraft?

Yes, you can tow a boat, but only in some cases. You must place a mob, like a villager or cow, inside the boat. Then attach a lead to the mob. When you walk, the boat follows. This works on land, but it does not work in water.