Gulet - TURKEY |
Gulet Bulding and Launching
The gulet is the boat of the celebrated Blue Cruises along
Turkey's spectacular southwest coast. With its roomy deck at
the stern this traditional boat is perfect for passengers to
savour the delights of cruising the inlets and coves. The
word derives from the Italian 'giulietta'.
The early history of this sailing boat remains largely
unknown, apart from the fact that building these boats in
Turkey is a tradition unique to Bodrum, although the gulet
itself is suitable for sailing in all seas. It is claimed to
be unsinkable by the half-dozen recognized master craftsmen
who build gulets in Bodrum and Güllük since decades. The
combined launch of these local boatyards reach 15-20 boats
per year. A perfect gulet will have the bottom of the hull
in the form of a reversed S and the cross-timbers should be
laid on the slant.
Making a single gulet takes about one and a half years,
including the cabin, and the price starts at about 133,000
dollars without the engine. Counting that a good engine
would cost at least 30,000 dollars and the additional costs
such as fuel tank and hose, the total outlay for a gulet
ready to sail is around 200,000 dollars. The type of wood
used can be pine, mulberry or mahogany, preferably cut
during the summer, and surprisingly, at full moon (reputed
to resist best to worms).
The procedure of building boats today has changed very
little over the centuries. The changes to the basic
plank-on-frame method are superficial. Electrical tools now
allow craftsman to sand and shape wood faster and with more
precision than they used to be able to by hand, and
laminated epoxy allows for increased design options. Inside
the boat, design has changed over the years have
increasingly opted for larger dining and lounging
facilities.
A properly maintained gulet can last over thirty years. Each
winter most boats must be taken out of the water and the
hulls scrubbed and given a thick coat of paint in addition
to other routine maintenance.
The traditional construction of a boat starts with the
laying of a keel (keel is foundation beam for the boat and
ship), a massive piece of wood supported on a branching
stern about a foot above the ground at both ends. This is
stepped to take the stern-post (rearmost part of a ship or
boat) and also the stem post (the pointed front part of a
ship or boat), all made of massive pieces of timber. The
keel is laid first and later the planks or ribs are
attached. Usually for the keel and stern one single piece of
wood is always preferred. The planks are then fastened
horizontally on either side of the keel. The planks join is
edge to edge. Once all interior bracing and supports are
fitted, work begins on interior cabins and hull planking.
When the hull is almost completed a customary ceremony takes
place; the insertion of the baklava wood. The baklava wood
is the last piece to be inserted, and it is called as such
because its insertion signifies that an important phase of
construction is now finished and a joyful event accompanied
by a small celebration featuring baklava (a popular Turkish
sweet pastry) ensues. After this minor milestone, work then
continues on interior and topside construction.
In addition to all woodwork, all metalwork is also done in
the yard or by special fitters in Bodrum, usually in
stainless steel. Raw pieces are shaped to fit the required
applications, be it spar, stern rail or fuel tank. Rigging
is constructed by the yard or local specialists, custom
designed and fitted to each yacht individually. With the
exception of mechanical parts such as engines or electronics
which are bought elsewhere and installed by the builder, the
entire craft is supplied and constructed by local craftsmen
in Bodrum.
Launching can sometimes be a Herculean task. Many boatyards
are located well away from the sea and often huge boats must
be brought several kilometers for launching. Smaller boats
can be transported by trucks or pulled on trailers. With the
bigger boats (sometimes over 30 meters), a sledge is placed
under the keel and used to transport the boat to shore and
employed for launching. Well greased wooden blocks are
placed on the road and continually moved, back to front, as
the sledge progresses. It is not unusual to turn the corner
on to a Bodrum street only to find the way blocked by a huge
yacht slowly making its way to the sea. The grease used to
oil these sledges and blocks of wood is that of sheep fat. A
large cauldron is made from an empty steel barrel, and
packed with salted fat which is solid until heated with a
fire below the barrel. The liquid fat is then amply used for
lubrication, and most builders claim that nothing synthetic
works better than this timeless method. |
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