Another important craft in Cariati is the small shipbuilding activity. The presence of wood craftsmen specialized in the construction of fishing boats and pleasure boats call to Cariati lovers of the sea of southern Italy. The the axe masters art wasn’t born on site but was imported in 1920 by a skilled craftsman from the Amalfi Coast, a certain Monti Natale, which from Maiori, near Salerno, landed on our coast called by many fishermen to build boats. After the first boat, Monti Natale, also had many requests by the fishermen of Rossano, Corigliano and Sibari, so he decided to conduct his business in Cariati, where he settled with his wife and little child Vincent of only 2 years old. Next to his home near the beach Natale created a small arsenal in the open air where after was annexed a shed that was for decades the site of the Monti’s.
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The family tradition continued with his sons Vincent and Cataldo. his first son,after returning from the II world war spent several years in Salerno, where he was able to refine, in shipyards, what he had learned in his father's site. At the end of the apprenticeship he achieved the diploma of Axe master, released by the hobour office of the sea Port of Salerno. Vincenzo Monti in 1950 returned to continue the art and his father and brother Cataldo held the active site for about 40 years. If this art still exists here it is merit to Montesanto Antonio, a Cariati thoroughbred and only master of axes on the whole Ionian coast, which, since childhood, followed the Monti brothers Vincenzo and Cataldo and learnt the craft and art with great passion. Antonio Montesanto with the help of his nephew Cataldo Aiello,a young ax master, and a staff of builders built any type of boat. The Montesanto yard is located in Contrada Magarelli, called AR BA (Artisan boats), is divided into two parts: the sea part where there are old boats , those under construction and timber shed where there are planes, chain saws, drills and the inevitable axe.