Chundan vallam

Hulls are built of planks precisely 83 feet in length and six inches wide.

Only men are allowed to touch the boat, and to show respect they should be barefooted.

To make the boat slippery while in the water and to reduce absorption of water and thereby reduce the resistance of the hull, it is oiled with a mixture of fish oil, the ash of coconut shells, and eggs.

Traditionally a boat will be commanded by a village leader (kaarnavan or karanaadhan) with first adanayampu,[clarification needed] and under him there will be three main paddlers who control the movement of the boat with a 12-foot-long (3.7 m) main rudder-oar (adanayampu).

In the middle of the second half of the boat is a platform for eight people to stand from where the cantor will lead the song.