Mestres d’aixa: Mallorca’s shipwrights

For centuries, the sea was Mallorca’s main link with the rest of the Mediterranean. To build the wooden vessels that made this trade and navigation possible, there was a craft that has now almost disappeared: the mestres d’aixa, Mallorca’s traditional shipwrights.

Who are the Mestres d’aixa?

In Spanish they are known as shipwrights, and they were the craftsmen dedicated to building all kinds of wooden boats. Here in Mallorca, there were many in Palma and in various coastal towns across the island: Alcudia, Andraitx, Banyalbufar, Campos, Cala Ratjada, Pollensa, Porto Colom, Santanyí, Sóller…

Today, very few remain, as the arrival on the market of plastic and fibreglass boats has practically wiped out this wonderful craft.

A traditional and labour-intensive craft

The master boatbuilders of the Balearic Islands constructed various types of boats: from the traditional llaüt to the large and elegant schooners, including balandros, faluchos, dinghies, canoes, golondrinas, and even tugboats.

The work began with drawing up initial plans, from which a small model was made, allowing the builders to assess the shape and identify any potential flaws to be corrected. Subsequently, further plans were drawn up on a 1:10 scale, and templates were made from these to craft specific parts.

Apparently, the most difficult part was sourcing the wood in the mountains, mainly pine or holm oak, as these were the most abundant trees on the islands. The shape of the tree was very important; it had to be as close as possible to the piece to be made to prevent the wood from splitting and causing subsequent breakages. Trees were marked out and, once the selection had been made, they were sawn by hand.

The phase of the moon was taken very much into account when cutting, and for holm oak it was crucial to soak the wood for up to two years before using it. Sometimes wood from elsewhere (oak, ash, walnut or others) was used for main components, such as keels or stern posts.

Next came the actual construction phase, where the keel served as the foundation for the stem and the side frames. From there, the rest was built up bit by bit, although each master craftsman guarded his plans and construction secrets very jealously. It depended on whether he worked alone or with help, but a master craftsman working alone would take about a year to complete a llaüt.

The Rafael Verdera

It is a living example of the craftsmanship of our shipwrights, an elegant 30-metre vessel built by the master shipwrights of Ibiza. It is currently the oldest active vessel in the entire Spanish fleet, having been launched in April 1841. Do the maths and you’ll see that it’s… over 180 years old!
Over the years, it has undergone many modifications to its structure, sails, engines and even its name, having previously been called “Veloz” and also “María”.
This schooner (small schooner) carried goods and passengers throughout the Mediterranean and has had many adventures. It is one of the survivors of a golden age of the shipping industry on our islands, and is still in service today… you can even go sailing on it!

The mestres d’aixa today

Although boats can now be built in a much simpler way, the Consell de Mallorca wishes to keep this tradition and craft alive. This is because it contributes to the preservation of the island’s maritime and artisanal heritage, and also because it can offer a promising career path for young people. The restoration and construction of llaüts and the preservation of this traditional form of sailing are, in fact, activities of great cultural and tourist interest.
In fact, the Consell has workshops at the old Son Bonet airport dedicated to rebuilding traditional wooden boats, training new mestres d’aixa and running fun workshops for children.
You can see all this in action, as informative guided tours are held every week. For further details, please visit the Consell de Mallorca website.

The mestres d’aixa are part of traditional Mallorca, linked to the sea and the ancient craft trades so characteristic of the island. If you’d like to find out more about these topics, we recommend our post on the llaüts: The llaüt: a symbol of Mallorca’s seafaring tradition