The Catamaran Story: Extinction of Catamaran Timber and Arrival of Fibre Boats

David G.

It is more than 15 years since fibre boats came to Marina Beach, replacing traditional catamarans, once the sole means for fishermen to find their livelihood. Many Nochikuppam people depend on the sea for the next meal. "Catamarans are our companions and one easy and simple piece of equipment for us simple fisher folk", says Sankar, a Nochikuppam fisherman. The catamaran, a tool and companion of Indian fishermen for centuries, has become a forgotten story with the arrival of fibre boats. Some of the fibre boats are the same size and shape as a catamaran, some are larger.

Research is needed to answer such questions as, "Who has been bringing the fibre boats? Are the fishermen buying them? Are they leasing them? Are NGOs donating them?" Catamarans are traditionally made of strapped-together trunks of trees, which last for years without deteriorating despite being used in the sea for days at a time. It is one of the simplest crafts to travel on the sea. In the rough sea, a catamaran may turn over -- but it is easy to flip it right-side-up again. Once a primary and very important means of sea-travel, today the untied logs of catamarans are often used on the shore for drying nets and such.

The scientific name of the wood used for catamarans is "Albizia chiniasis". Once produced abundantly in the Western Ghats, this type of tree has, it seems, almost completely vanished now. This same wood was used for match sticks. The extinction of the timber means it is unavailable in both forest and coastal communities. This unsinkable timber helps the fishermen to reach the shore safely. Catamarans are not actually boats. Rather, they are rafts -- they float due to the buoyancy of the wood. A catamaran is never water-tight, nor is it meant to be. Large, heavy fibre boats are more dangerous when reaching the shore amidst the raging waves.

In this era of development and progress, it seems catamarans have no place. An engine can be temporarily fitted onto a catamaran, but using wooden paddles -- accompanied by the famous fishermen's songs -- is the traditional method of moving a catamaran. Today, for the most part, catamarans are neither available nor preferred. The bond between the fishermen and the catamaran was a very strong one for a long time. Even today, the catamaran has an important place in the imagination of the fishermen, as a vessel that brings them safely to shore. With the coming of development projects to the Marina Beach area, it seems the fate of the catamaran may be to be completely forgotten. Will this also be the fate of those brave-hearted men who venture into the sea to satisfy the needs of their families, and for their livelihoods? 

Tamil translation coming soon.