Mature coconut wood, available in plenty in the State, is now being looked upon as a cheaper alternative to traditional timbers like jungle jack (aanjili) and the more rare enna punna (calophyllum inophyllum).
Under an initiative by the Coconut Development Board, scientists and naval architects at Central Institute of Fisheries Technology (CIFT) are building a fishing boat from coconut wood.
The work on the boat was near complete and was set to be launched soon, said a scientist from CIFT. He said the boat would be handed over to a group of fishermen near Chellanam. The nine-metre boat will be fitted with a 9.9 HP outboard engine and will be suitable both for inland and marine fishing operations. This was the first time that a boat from coconut timber was being fitted with an engine, the scientist said.
The boat could be used for gill netting, lining and thaanguvala operations, said the scientist, who pointed out that fibrous structure of coconut timber made it strong. The thickness of the planks used was lesser than traditional boats, he added. The thinner planks neutralise the extra weight carried by coconut timber.
The boat, together with its engine, has come at a total cost of Rs. 2.5 lakh. The flat-bottom boat has been given a fibre glass coating to prevent marine fouling or attachment of barnacles to the bottom of the boat. Copper rivets have been used to hold the planks together.
