Srinagar, Feb 21 (ANI): With winters slowly fading away, houseboat owners in Jammu and Kashmir have begun coring of boats ahead of the tourist season. Houseboats are the identity of the world famous Dal Lake attracting tourists from across the world every year. Houseboat owners have called in carpenters who are specialised in repairing boats by using the 'coring' technique. A houseboat owner Taseen Ahmad said they undertake the coring exercise every two years to keep boats in good shape. The coring experts charge rupees 1,000 a day. Coring of boats includes filling of gaps on the floor of the boat with special grass and repairing the damaged portion with expensive timber of the valley known as "deodar". Meanwhile, tourists have started thronging the valley and staying in houseboats is their preference.