[Thad E Ginathom]

supremeBaleno, that looks perfect --- but, so far, all the places we have seen in that situation have been empty plots, plots with wrecks to be knocked down first before a proper house can be built, very expensive, or all of those things!

Our budget is very limited, and just as I did in Chennai, I have left it a couple of years to late to get the perfect Mallu house at a perfect price. I'm not ready to sell the Chennai house yet, either financially or emotionally.

Anyway, the one we are talking to the owner about (needs only mossie-proofing and decorating) has a cut just across the small lane, with the river not so far away, and, when we've cemented a couple of rings into the wall to chain the boat to, we can keep it there.

It is near the road from Alleppey to Changanacherry --- you are lucky to be there already!

The boats are spot on. Even the smaller one would do me nicely. I need to investigate what is the smallest practical size of that kind of boat that might take an outboard too.

I'm quite proud of the points I scored in one old guy's house when, on being shown a very large paddle from a snake boat, I correctly said that it was not a paddle but a steering oar!

I don't know a great deal about boats, but quite possibly more than I do about cars!

[supremeBaleno]

Wish you all the luck in getting your dream home.

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

The boats are spot on. Even the smaller one would do me nicely. I need to investigate what is the smallest practical size of that kind of boat that might take an outboard too.

Depends on what your plans are for the boat. I prefer the smallest type, which is called a "Kothumbu vallam" in local parlance. "Vallam" is Malluspeak for boat and I am afraid inspite of hectic googling, I could not get either a pic of this type of boat or the English for 'kothumbu', which is a part of the coconut tree, the shape of which happens to be the inspiration for this boat and hence the name.

It is basically a small canoe that can at best seat 2 people. Advantages are it is easy to row and manouevre, cheaper and faster to get from place to place. Con is that a slight wrong movement will find you in the water, with the boat overturned.

Given the increasing prices of fuel & to be eco-friendly, I would not suggest going the outboard motor way. Plus what better exercise than a few kms of rowing ?

Marked below is the "kothumbu" in a coconut tree in our yard. Anyone who knows the english for this ?

[PhrozenFire]

Bah...I missed it too. Better late than never I suppose. Happy belated birthday!! Hope you had a great day, and wish you all the best for a wonderful year ahead!

[Thad E Ginathom]

It is basically a small canoe that can at best seat 2 people. Advantages are it is easy to row and manouevre, cheaper and faster to get from place to place. Con is that a slight wrong movement will find you in the water, with the boat overturned.

Exactly why I always preferred 40-foot yachts to 14-foot dingies --- not nearly so easy to get chucked in the water, and much easier to sail! I've always been better at sinking than swimming, though I intend to get a few lessons.

The bigger of the two boats in that picture would be more than stable enough for me, though it might still scare Mrs G.

And yes, the paddling is a healthy pleasure. Rowing is the only exercise I enjoy, but it has to be a boat, not a machine. A small outboard can get you there when you are in more of a hurry, or get you out of trouble when you misjudge the current on the way back, or a strong head wind makes life uncomfortable.

[supremeBaleno]

Hey, the Titanic went down, didn't it ? Inspite of being the biggest ship of its time and touted as something that cannot simply sink.

Jokes apart, if you are planning on a boat the size of the bigger one in the pic, no worries about stability. Not that it can't be overturned, but just that it would not be easy.

And for a boat this size, an outboard motor though not a must, would surely help - in times of hurry or when you are plain lazy to row.

[Sideways]

Belated wishes Nick, have a great year ahead.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by supremeBaleno

Hey, the Titanic went down, didn't it ? Inspite of being the biggest ship of its time and touted as something that cannot simply sink.

It's actually very hard to capsize something with over 50% of its weight in the keel. The racing people do all sorts of daft stuff, but a cruising boat will, unless one is really daft, generally survive a great deal more sea and weather than its crew can stand. Errr... sure, keels have been known to fall off, but then blowouts happen too!

Jokes apart, if you are planning on a boat the size of the bigger one in the pic, no worries about stability. Not that it can't be overturned, but just that it would not be easy.

And for a boat this size, an outboard motor though not a must, would surely help - in times of hurry or when you are plain lazy to row.

Heck... I think I need both those boats!

I did get to paddle a fairly hefty village boat (is that a fair description?) for a short time, set up for me by friends as part of my birthday experience. Actually, amazingly light! But the flat bottom made straight lines pretty challenging. Afterthought: they're probably easier when the boat is laden, rather than sitting, flat-bottomed, on the surface, presenting masses of freeboard to the breezes...

A couple of years back I discovered some fairly detailed maps of the Kerala waterways on the internet; no idea where they were now, anybody got any clue?

Originally Posted by sideways

Belated wishes Nick, have a great year ahead.

Thanks, Sideways

[supremeBaleno]

Originally Posted by supremeBaleno

I prefer the smallest type, which is called a "Kothumbu vallam" in local parlance. "Vallam" is Malluspeak for boat and I am afraid inspite of hectic googling, I could not get either a pic of this type of boat

Finally could snap a picture of this puny boat in the Aleppey backwaters during our houseboat stay last month. See how it just about fits a person. Amazingly light and easy to row.



Another view.

[Sideways]

Belated Birthday wishes Nick. Have a great year ahead.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Thanks, sB. A sweet boat, but one for a strong swimmer with great balance!

When we were househunting we saw a canoe which one of the house owners had made himself out of aluminium sheet. Even smaller!

Sideways, thanks .

Should be back in Kerala (another internet-free session!) within a month or two.

[hrag]

Who's condor's equivalent on the Birthdays thread? sideways has wished you twice and you have thanked him twice.

[Sam Kapasi]

Originally Posted by Sideways

Belated wishes Nick, have a great year ahead.

Originally Posted by Sideways

Belated Birthday wishes Nick. Have a great year ahead.

Uhh.. Farhan you already wished him a belated Birthday last month, lol

This boy has been working too hard.

[Technocrat]

A belated Happy Budday Thad Ji

Hope you had a great day

[supremeBaleno]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

Should be back in Kerala (another internet-free session!) within a month or two.

If you have 24 hours to spare, I would seriously recommend a houseboat stay in the Aleppey backwaters. A must-do-atleast-once-in-a-lifetime thing.

Or, since you showed interest in the Kerala waterways, another nice option is to do the Alappuzha-Kollam boat trip. Organised by KTDC, this costs only Rs200 per person and starts from Alappuzha at 10:30AM and reaches Kollam at 6:30PM. Takes you through the quaint waterways, coir industry, Mata Amritanandamayi's ashram and gives you a look into the lives of those that stay alongside the Kerala waterways. Not a bad way to spend a day IMO.

[esteem_lover]

Originally Posted by hrag

Who's condor's equivalent on the Birthdays thread? sideways has wished you twice and you have thanked him twice.

Originally Posted by Sam Kapasi

Uhh.. Farhan you already wished him a belated Birthday last month, lol

This boy has been working too hard.

Now that this thread's been bumped by my friend SB, let me also wish thad in advance for his birthday next year.

I am sure there will be many more wishes.