Maritime historian looks into the felucca

The craft of boat-building holds particular fascination for all those who would like to know more about the era of the Knights of St John's stay in Malta.

The boats that the knights developed from around the Mediterranean often left their mark on how Maltese boats were built.

One such craft is the felucca which is the subject of another book by Joseph Muscat, the maritime historian.

The author's thesis is whether the felucca assimilated Maltese traditional techniques or whether Maltese boats were influenced by the felucca.

The latest publication in the series by Joseph Muscat printed by Publikazzjoni Indipendenza is called The Gilded Felucca and Maltese Boatbuilding Techniques.

The felucca stood very low in the water with a narrow beam because it was designed for speed. The boat had a similar bow and stern which made it possible to change course by fitting the rudder at the other end and the rowers reversing their positions.

In the book, Mr Muscat notes that one can notice similarities between certain constructional parts of the felucca and Maltese small craft.

This fast sailing vessel knows its origin in the Eastern Mediterranean, probably in the 16th century. It started out as a small merchant ship that could be adopted as a fighting unit.

It was introduced in Malta with the galley squadron of the Order of St John in the late 16th century.

The author points out that there was what is known as the gilded felucca, a model of which is housed at the Maritime Museum in Vittoriosa, and the black felucca.

The ceremonial felucca was painted red like the rest of Maltese galleys and finely decorated in gold. The black felucca, which could be armed with a small gun, was employed in attacks on Muslim vessels.

Maltese boats that feature characteristics of the gilded felucca are the dghajsa, the firilla, the xprunara, the Gozo boat, the luzzu and the kajjikk.

The author follows the style in this series with line drawings of the felucca and other drawings including fascinating ex voto paintings which are still preserved in churches, chapels and museums.