Refers to a small boat, often used for fishing or leisure.
La patera que encontramos en la playa estaba hecha de madera y parecía muy antigua.
The dinghy we found on the beach was made of wood and looked very old.
La patera que usaron para cruzar el mar estaba hecha de madera reciclada.
The dinghy they used to cross the sea was made of recycled wood.