The ''kajjik'' or ''kajjikk'' is a

traditional fishing boat Traditionally, many different kinds of boats have been used as fishing boats to catch fish in the sea, or on a lake or river. Even today, many traditional fishing boats are still in use. According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Org ...

from

Malta Malta ( , , ), officially the Republic of Malta ( mt, Repubblika ta' Malta ), is an island country in the Mediterranean Sea. It consists of an archipelago, between Italy and Libya, and is often considered a part of Southern Europe. It lies ...

. It developed in the 17th century from

caïque A caïque ( el, καΐκι, ''kaiki'', from tr, kayık) is a traditional fishing boat usually found among the waters of the Ionian Sea, Ionian or Aegean Sea, and also a light skiff used on the Bosporus. It is traditionally a small wooden trading ...

s which were used elsewhere in the Mediterranean. In the past, ''kajjikki'' were equipped with sails and oars, but today the fishing boats are powered by inboard motors. Variants of the boat participate in the rowing regattas held twice every year.

History

The ''kajjik'' developed in the 17th century from the

s which accompanied galleys of the

navy of the Order of Saint John The navy of the Order of Saint John, also known as the Maltese Navy after 1530, was the first navy of a chivalric order. It was established in the Middle Ages, around the late 12th century. The navy reached its peak in the 1680s, during the reign ...

. The boats were usually used as fishing boats, but some were also used to carry passengers. Variants of the ''kajjik'' included the ''kajjik tal-kopp'' and the ''kajjik tal-lampara''. The latter had a light source attached to the bow which allowed fishing at night. Another variant was the ''kajjik tal-gangmu'', which had a low bow and a short forestem originally intended for fishing for seashells. This was also used to recover coal which had fallen to the seabed while being loaded onto ships in the

Grand Harbour The Grand Harbour ( mt, il-Port il-Kbir; it, Porto Grande), also known as the Port of Valletta, is a natural harbour on the island of Malta. It has been substantially modified over the years with extensive docks ( Malta Dockyard), wharves, a ...

From about 1920,

inboard motor An inboard motor is a marine propulsion system for boats. As opposed to an outboard motor where an engine is mounted outside the hull (watercraft), hull of the craft, an ''inboard motor'' is an engine enclosed within the hull (watercraft), hull of ...

s were installed on some ''kajjikki'' which were used for fishing. Today, the boats are no longer being built and they are on the decline. However, many examples still exist and remain in use as fishing boats, particularly at St. Paul's Bay and

Marsaxlokk Marsaxlokk () is a small, traditional fishing village in the South Eastern Region of Malta. It has a harbour, and is a tourist attraction known for its views, fishermen and history. As at March 2014, the village had a population of 3,534. The ...

Description

The ''kajjik'' bears similarities to the '' dgħajsa tal-pass'', but it is of stronger construction and it has a flat stern. The boats were originally equipped with both oars and sails. They would have a single mast rigged with a

spritsail The spritsail is a four-sided, fore-and-aft sail that is supported at its highest points by the mast and a diagonally running spar known as the sprit. The foot of the sail can be stretched by a boom or held loose-footed just by its sheets. A spr ...

. Today they are propelled by engines.

Regatta variants

Variants of the ''kajjik'' are commonly used in the rowing regattas held in the Grand Harbour on

31 March Events Pre-1600 * 307 – After divorcing his wife Minervina, Constantine marries Fausta, daughter of the retired Roman emperor Maximian. * 1146 – Bernard of Clairvaux preaches his famous sermon in a field at Vézelay, urging th ...

and

8 September Events Pre-1600 * 617 – Battle of Huoyi: Li Yuan defeats a Sui dynasty army, opening the path to his capture of the imperial capital Chang'an and the eventual establishment of the Tang dynasty. *1100 – Election of Antipope Theodo ...

each year. They have been participating in the September regatta since 1822. Initially, ''kajjikki tal-kopp'' were used in the races, but purpose-built versions of the boats were introduced later. The ''kajjik'' used in the modern regatta has two oars, and it is manned by a crew of two, one standing and one seated. It is long, has a beam of and a depth of . Variants of other traditional boats, the ''dgħajsa'' and '' frejgatina'', also compete in the regatta.

References

{{Oared racing boats Rowing boats Types of fishing vessels Maltese culture Maritime history of Malta