boat made from a hollowed log. Of ancient origin, the dugout is still used in many parts of the world. The hull may be as much as 100 feet (30 m) long; it is streamlined outside and is dug out by burning, chipping, and scraping. The dugout formed the basis for more complicated construction by the addition of planking to the sides, such as in the pirogue (q.v.). See also canoe.