Spetses has marked the history of Greece due to its important geographical significance at the crossroad of the marine routes throughout the Greek Sea. In the beginning of the 18th century, the residents of Spetses started building large merchant vessels; their rich knowledge in shipbuilding was brought from the shipwrights who fed the arsenal of Nafplio when the Turks conquered the city from the Venetians in 1715. The wealthy landowners of the Peloponnese peninsula financed these ships in order to carry their agricultural products to the ports of England, France and Spain. With the intention of protecting the ships from pirate invasions, the ships were armed with cannons. Archives from Malta record that the origin of first merchantman to arrive from the Aegean (1744) was Spetsiot. The Russian and Turkish Wars, which terminated with the treaty of Kutchuk-Kainardji (1774), allowed the Spetsiot ships to use the Russian Flag and carry grain from the Black Sea across the Mediterranean. Meanwhile, the local shipyards were optimizing the ships for capacity, shallow draft and speed. These features helped the Spetsiots become rich during the Napoleonic Wars, when they initiated the British naval blockade to land supplies on the continent. By then, Spetses had a fleet of 90 ships with 5.000 crewmen and over 1.000 cannon. When the Greeks rose in the Greek War of Independence in 1821, the Spetsiot fleet played a chief role in blockading the Turks and disrupting their naval forces. Nonetheless, the merchant fleet of Spetses started to decline following the Crimean War in 1843. In the 19th century, Spetses production was fifteen brigs per year and forty trehadiria traditional fishing boats. The trehadiria production continued at the very old same shipyards during the 20th century, until the invasion of the low-cost fiberglass boats turned them into boat-lover collectioners’ items. Walking along the seafront promenade of Palio Limani, you will reach the traditional Spetsiot shipyards, the sole shipyards in Greece that have been in operation constantly since the revolution of 1821. The shipbuilding tradition of Spetses is unequalled in the Mediterranean with the craft being carried down from generation to generation. Undeniably, the shipyards of Spetses are an integral part of the historical heritage of the island.

A caïque is the term for a traditional fishing boat found on the waters of the Aegean and Ionian Seas; it is a traditionally tiny wooden trading vessel, brightly painted and rigged for sail. There are various types of traditional Greek wooden caïques including trehantiri, varkalas, liberty, karavoskaros and takos. Caïques are built on the foreshores in shipyards, whose hull is constructed with swan ribs and timber keel covered with carvel planking terminated with the deck. The frame of the craft is often painted with orange primer, to preserve and seal the timber. The caïque usually has a short mast. A bowsprit stays from rigging while the stern of the caïque has the form of a tiller. The caïque often has a horizontal windlass mounted over the bow. The bow is also known in Greek as the plori, Most caïques are painted white, to counter the powerful sun, with the strakes and topsides in vivid chromatic colors. The name of the boat is painted or carved on a tablet, on the planking below the bow. Traditionally the caïque was used for fishing and trawling. Of late they have become a short excursion vessel, and former fishermen make money from the summer tourist trade on the busy Greek islands.

“…Whenever there is a big celebration, the traditional Greek caïques are dressed with tiny flags in order to celebrate every festivity. One of the biggest festivals takes place on December 6, the saint day of Agios Nikolaos, the protector of sailors…”

Although his father died twenty-five years ago, Vagelis continued the family tradition in shipbuilding. Vagelis used to practice his shipbuilding skills in a workshop in Palio Limani for 35 years. However, the owners of the building that Vagelis used to rent thought that they could find more profitable opportunities since the island started developing in the field of tourism. Unfortunately, Vagelis’ effort to keep his workshop was unlucky. Nonetheless, he created the wooden-kiosk of II Mercatino a few meters away from his old workshop, where he sells the wonderful model ships that adorn all the Spetsiot houses. These vessels have six different sizes types, all 100% handmade from solid wood cut and sanded by hand.