De Langstraat is a historic waterway region in the Netherlands with deep roots in water-based transport.

Shipping in the Langstraat originated with the movement of peat and agricultural products, with peat extraction in the area dating back to the thirteenth century.

Early vessels were simple wooden boats, often carrying only a few tons, built by local carpenters as a sideline activity. Over the centuries, boatbuilding became a specialized trade, giving rise to numerous distinct local wooden vessel types.

The area developed several small harbors connecting to the Oude Maasje, historically known as the Scheepsdiep. Waspik alone had two such harbors — the Kerkvaart and the Vrouwkensvaart — while further east lay the Capelse haven and the harbor at Labbegatse.

Shipwright families, most notably the Ruijtenberg family of Waspik, were well established in these harbors by the eighteenth century.