Fishing Craft Technology

Unit 1 - History and development of fishing craft

1.4.3. Fishing boats of Goa, Karnataka and Kerala

Fishing boats of Goa
The traditional fishing craft of Goa are dugout canoes and planked boats with large out riggers. There is a rudimentary keel in the dugouts. The size of the boat varies from 7-8 m

Fishing boats of Karnataka
Rampini boats are popular in Northern Karnataka and dugout in Southern Karnataka.

Fishing boats of Kerala

• Dugout
• Plank built canoe
• Raft Catamaran

1) Dugout:

• Single logs of trees like mango and aini are scooped for its construction.
• Three types of dugouts are found to be in operation. They are
• Large ones known as Odam – 11.6 m length.
• Medium ones known as Thonies – 8 m length
• Smaller ones known as Bepu thoni – 7.5 m length
• They are propelled by paddles and sails. Sails are either square or sprit type. No rudder is used. Steering is by means of big paddle one quarter side.
• Larger ones operate boat seines and smaller ones gill nets and lines.

2) Plank built canoes (Tonga Vallam / Chemboke)

• Built with planks which are sewn with coir ropes
• Propelled by means of paddles and occasionally sails.
• Two types are distinguished i.e. A larger one– 12 x 1.5 x 0.8 m, B – Smaller one 7 x 1 x 0.6 m
• Used for operation of shore seines and gill nets

3) Raft catamaran (Chalatadi)

• It is constructed by tying 3-5 logs of soft wood with coir ropes
• Propelled by split bamboo oars and sails
• Used in pairs to operate boat seines and individually to operate gill nets and long lines.