Falkuša

[1] Its design was adapted to the specific needs of Komiža fishermen, who went to long fishing expeditions in the open seas,[1] a unique practice in the Adriatic and Mediterranean.

[4] It had a low draft under a large (120 m2 or 1,300 sq ft[3]) lateen sail made from flax,[4] mounted on a mast which was typically as high as the ship was long.

[1][5] The strakes raised the rim of the boat by about half a metre, protecting it from high waves in the open seas.

[4] For its characteristics of toughness and strength, the traditional gajeta falkuša was made only with cypress wood from the volcanic island of Svetac.

[4] The main fishing ground exploited by Komiža's fishermen was the island of Palagruža,[3] approximately 42 nautical miles (78 km; 48 mi) to the south-southwest of Vis,[4] which at times was used by fifty or more vessels.

[1][4] The outcome of the regatta was very important, because top finishers won the rights to the best fishing areas around Palagruža for the season, and the other places were taken in the order of arrival.

[8][9] The revival of the falkuša attracted significant interest, and the boat became the subject of five documentary films and an award-winning radio drama.

[1] In 1999 under UNESCO and with shipwright's documentation supplied by Velimir Salamon, a five-metre reduced-scale replica of the legendary falkuša was built.