Cultural heritage
Wooden boatbuilding that upholds maritime tradition on the archipelago
Traditional Balearic boats, such as llaüts and other wooden vessels, are a core part of Mediterranean maritime history. These boats, built from the experience of generations of sailors and shipwrights, combine functionality with a design adapted to the Balearic Sea. Their traditional construction is a living heritage that requires expert craftsmanship and a respectful approach to ancestral materials and methods.
The construction of traditional boats in the Balearic Islands is based on ancestral shipbuilding techniques that have been passed down from generation to generation. Boats, such as llaüts, with their sturdy wooden hull and sleek lines, have been essential tools for fishing, coastal transport and life at sea for centuries. The making of these boats involves extensive knowledge of wood, ship geometry and adaptation to the wind and the Balearic Sea, preserving know-how that combines design, efficiency and respect for the marine environment.
In this video of the Vigies del Passat series, we meet Sebastià Vidal, a master shipwright (mestre d’aixa) specialising in the construction and restoration of traditional Balearic boats. Through his work, Vidal shows how the craft is kept alive in both the construction of new boats and the restoration of old ones, prolonging their service life and connection with the sea. The video takes us to his workshop, where each piece of wood is handcrafted, and reveals how traditional ship carpentry remains crucial to preserving the maritime heritage of the Balearic Islands.
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