The 1993 book Jim Henson: The Works featured a description of the boat by designer Faz Fazakas: “Jim had wanted to do a heavy production number on a river, since rivers are where otters live. Bill Beeton, the set designer, prepared a tank the full width of the studio. The river set was the focus of the entire show. The script called for Emmet and his mother to row down the river in a boat while singing a song.