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The gulet is the boat of the celebrated Blue Cruises along Turkey's spectacular southwest coast. With its roomy deck at the stern this traditional boat is perfect for passengers to savour the delights of cruising the inlets and coves. The word derives from the Italian 'giulietta'. The early history of this sailing boat remains largely unknown, apart from the fact that building these boats in Turkey is a tradition unique to Bodrum, although the gulet itself is suitable for sailing in all seas.  It is claimed
to be unsinkable by the half-dozen recognized master craftsmen
who build gulets in Bodrum and Güllük since decades. The
combined launch of these local boatyards reach 15-20 boats per
year. A perfect gulet will have the bottom of the hull in the
form of a reversed S and the cross-timbers should be laid on the
slant. Making a single gulet takes about one and a half years,
including the cabin, and the price starts at about 133,000
dollars without the engine. Counting that a good engine would
cost at least 30,000 dollars and the additional costs such as
fuel tank and hose, the total outlay for a gulet ready to sail
is around 200,000 dollars. The type of wood used can be pine,
mulberry or mahogany, preferably cut during the summer, and
surprisingly, at full moon (reputed to resist best to worms).
The procedure of building boats today has changed very little
over the centuries. The changes to the basic plank-on-frame
method are superficial. Electrical tools now allow craftsman to
sand and shape wood faster and with more precision than they
used to be able to by hand, and laminated epoxy allows for
increased design options. Inside the boat, design has changed
over the years have increasingly opted for larger dining and
lounging facilities. A properly maintained gulet can last over
thirty years. Each winter most boats must be taken out of the
water and the hulls scrubbed and given a thick coat of paint in
addition to other routine maintenance. The traditional
construction of a boat starts with the laying of a keel (keel is
foundation beam for the boat and ship), a massive piece of wood
supported on a branching stern about a foot above the ground at
both ends. This is stepped to take the stern-post (rearmost part
of a ship or boat) and also the stem post (the pointed front
part of a ship or boat), all made of massive pieces of timber.
The keel is laid first and later the planks or ribs are
attached. Usually for the keel and stern one single piece of
wood is always preferred. The planks are then fastened
horizontally on either side of the keel. The planks join is edge
to edge. Once all interior bracing and supports are fitted, work
begins on interior cabins and hull planking. When the hull is
almost completed a customary ceremony takes place; the insertion
of the baklava wood. The baklava wood is the last piece to be
inserted, and it is called as such because its insertion
signifies that an important phase of construction is now
finished and a joyful event accompanied by a small celebration
featuring baklava (a popular Turkish sweet pastry) ensues. After
this minor milestone, work then continues on interior and
topside construction. In addition to all woodwork, all metalwork
is also done in the yard or by special fitters in Bodrum,
usually in stainless steel. Raw pieces are shaped to fit the
required applications, be it spar, stern rail or fuel tank.
Rigging is constructed by the yard or local specialists, custom
designed and fitted to each yacht individually. With the
exception of mechanical parts such as engines or electronics
which are bought elsewhere and installed by the builder, the
entire craft is supplied and constructed by local craftsmen in
Bodrum. Launching can sometimes be a Herculean task. Many
boatyards are located well away from the sea and often huge
boats must be brought several kilometers for launching. Smaller
boats can be transported by trucks or pulled on trailers. With
the bigger boats (sometimes over 30 meters), a sledge is placed
under the keel and used to transport the boat to shore and
employed for launching. Well greased wooden blocks are placed on
the road and continually moved, back to front, as the sledge
progresses. It is not unusual to turn the corner on to a Bodrum
street only to find the way blocked by a huge yacht slowly
making its way to the sea. The grease used to oil these sledges
and blocks of wood is that of sheep fat. A large cauldron is
made from an empty steel barrel, and packed with salted fat
which is solid until heated with a fire below the barrel. The
liquid fat is then amply used for lubrication, and most builders
claim that nothing synthetic works better than this timeless
method.
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