VETERAN BOAT BUILDERS

   

Pappu Chakkalackal was an expert in building small and big canoes. His children, Xavier, Varghese, Mathen and Kunjumon used to help him in his work. I have seen them combine the ‘Anjili’ or ‘Ayini’ planks by placing coir fiber at the joints and then tightening it with coir yarn through the holes made on the edge of both the planks. Pappu had the deftness to shape it as a canoe. While doing so, his children too mastered the skill.  Before the vessel was set sail into the ‘Kayal’, backwaters, they used to apply Indian sardine oil or Cashew oil or Marotti (Pine) oil on the vessel to improve its life. I have heard Pappu say that such boats would get a life span of six years and then repair work has to be done.  Pappu knew to build fishing boats too.

Excerpts from

MEMOIRS

An autobiography

by

Joseph J. Thayamkeril

Lawyer, Kochi, Kerala, India.

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