Gajeta-sacred boat

Collection title

Cultural Heritage

ID

HRT00061

Source

HRT (HR)

First broadcast date

2009

Production year

2009

Abstract

Autochthonous Croatian boat that has excellent sailing characteristics on open seas. Falkusa is a special type of gajeta with a rounded hull, pointed stern and bow, sails and five oars for standing oarsmen. The boat can sail with the wind but the oars also allow it to sail during calm. It is between eight and ten metres long, 2.9 metres wide with a mast that is typically as high as the ship is long - around nine metres. What sets it apart from other boats is not just the dimensions but also the material. The falkusa was built exclusively from pine from the island of Svetac. This volcanic island has a very thin layer of topsoil and is exposed to frequent strong winds. The pine trees that grow there are strong and resistant, which makes the wood exceptionally tough and ideal for this type of boat. The keel was made of oak and the shell of larch. The boat behaved well in high waves and lasted for years despite tough conditions. Another distinct feature of the boat was two removable side strakes for open seas, which raise the rim of the boat by about half a metre to protect it from high waves. Upon arriving at their destination, the fishermen would simply remove the strakes.

Type

video

Production companies

• Radio Croatia ( HRT ) - Own production

Broadcaster

HTV

Audiovisual form

Educational programme

Primary theme

Techniques and technologies

Secondary themes

• Economy / Fishing and harbour activities

Period of events

• 2009

Map locations

• Croatia - Dalmatia

Original language

croatian

Media running time

15m9