Traditional games perahu – perahuan (boats) were very popular in the 1950s in coastal areas of Jakarta such as Cilincing, Marunda and Tanjung Priok, North Jakarta. Boat games were usually played around Blencong River.

The game is played at high tide season, in November, December and January. Boat games are also sometimes played at certain celebrations such as the Indonesian Independence Day Celebration every 17 of August.

The boats are usually played by 5 people with an average age of 13-16 years. Equipment needed includes all kinds of wood/bamboo, a piece of rope to pull the boat, and coloring paint. There are also those that are only in the form of coconut husks that are plugged in by bamboo in the middle. The bamboo pieces are given cloth or plastic as a screen.

After determining the finish line, which is made of bamboo, by the referee, the players get ready to run towards the bamboo by pulling their respective boats. When the referee has said, "Stop ... stop ...!" It means that someone has reached the finish line. The participant who arrives first and holds the bamboo limit will be considered the winner. The winner may smack/hit the opponent's back in accordance with the previous agreement.