Fishing Craft Technology

Unit 1 - History and development of fishing craft

1.4.6. Fishing boats of Orissa and West Bengal

Fishing boats of Orissa:
Two regions can be differentiated along the Orissa coast. The southern part is surf beaten, where as the northern part has sandy bottom extending far out into the sea. The boats used are

1) Botali

• It measures 7 x 1.5 x 1.5 m
• Vertical and pointed stem and stern with full amidships section
• Both carvel and clinker planking are seen
• Used for operation of gill nets

2) Catamaran

• Five logs are tied in a boat shape, front portion being narrowed to a point and aft part abruptly truncated.
• Used for the operation of gill nets, boat seines are also operated occasionally.

3) Nava

• An ideal surf landing craft similar to the one described under fishing boats of Andhra Pradesh.

4) Bar boat

• It measured 8 m long and 2.5 m broad
• Similar to masula type
• No ribs or frames and planks are stitched with coir ropes

Fishing boats of West Bengal:
The physical conditions of the coast line are similar to those of northern Orissa. The following two boats are used.

1) Batchari boat

• It measures 13.5 m x 1.3 m x 0.5 m
• The stern is as high as bow and they are sharp and raked.
• They are partly decked without keel
• Propelled by sails and oars
• Used for operation of variety of gears like drift net, bag net, dip net etc.,

2) Chot boat

• It measures 10.2 x 2.5 x 1.1 m
• It has short overhangs and high freeboard
• Mostly propelled by oars though it carries a sprit sail
• There is only a loose decking of split bamboo rods
• Used for operation of heavier fishing gears like seine nets and bag nets