FAQ FOR GULET

Most of Turkish people call all types as gulet and some are as caique, specialy older generation. And even other types become known as gulet.
The term gulet, (variants include gulette, goulette, and guletta) also began to include other Turkish wooden boats of similar design, two of which are described below.

Gulet?
A gulet is a two-masted, ketch or schooner-rigged steel or wooden yacht with widely varying sail plans and characterised by a wide, rounded stern with a large aft deck space.

What is an Ayna Kic?
An ayna kic is similar to a gulet but has a squared off stern. The primary advantage over a gulet is to the passengers in the form of increased cabin space with an aft master cabin or separate crew quarters. Translated, ayna kic literally means "paneled rear" or "mirror-assed", depending on the preferred interpretation. Some local people call it as ketch because of the rigging.

The exclusive tirhandil?
A sailing vessel with origins from the Bodrum area having two masts, a bow spirit and lateen sails. The vessel is beak-nosed with a scoop stern and sample interior capacity. Tirhandils, despite generally being the superior sailing vessel of the three, have less aft deck space for Blue Cruise voyages, they are not as frequently commissioned by local builders and thus remain elusive.

A tirhandil is the centuries-old workhorse of the Mediterranean and is similar to its cousin, the caique, and the Greek transport vessel called perama. The Greek equivalent of tirhandil is trechenderi.

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Pine
Pine (pinos strobus, pinos resinosa, pinos nigra, pinus palustris) is the most abundant local wood suitable for building gulets. It is widely available along the interior of the Aegean coast and the least expensive material available for builders. Live pine trees can be chosen by the builder and cut down to exact dimensions and specifications. The drawback to using pine is its long life especially under water if it is regulary maintenanced well, there are red, white and black types.
With the recent trend towards progressively longer, more luxurious gulets, Bodrum builders began to use alternatives to white pine for increased strength and durability.

Mahogany
Imported African mahogany, available from Istanbul wholesalers, became a favored material due to its medium weight and resistance to decay. Mahogany is available in many different grades and qualities and good quality mahogany also makes an excellent exterior finish material. The best mahoganies are Khaya ivorensis, Sipo utile, Sapeli aboudikro and Niangon nyankom. (ref) There are also varieties of mahogany not well suited for building gulets, which reinforces the fact that choice of reputable boatyard and suppliers is of paramount importance in the commissioning of a gulet. Suggested specialy for interior and frames.

Iroko
Perhaps the most durable but also the heaviest and most expensive wood used to build gulets is Iroko. The natural oils found in Iroko prevent water absorption, impede shrinkage, and many feel that it becomes increasingly beautiful with age and use. However, the weight of Iroko can alter the sailing and handling of the vessel and must be factored into the design of the boat. Suggested for frames.

Mulberry and Oak
Some premium builders prefer the durability of mulberry or oak frames for gulets, but working with these particular woods involves a longer aging process as well as one of the increasingly rare craftsmen (usta) with experience using them.
Increasingly builders are using laminated epoxy constructed frames with traditional planking, or epoxy frames with diagonal veneer planking. Again, mahogany is usually the choice of wood.

- Traditional planking
- Epoxy frames with diagonal veneer planking
- Epoxy laminated planking
- Stell hull

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They can be superior sailors if they rigged proper and easy to handel. All you need three crew. You can have less or more crew to sail. It is up to size of the boat or how lazy you wish to be.

Type of riggings

- gaff-rigging
- guff-cutter
- masthead-cutter
- bermudian-ketch
- bermudian-sloop
- bermudian yawl
- staysail-schooner
- transom-schooner
- ayna-ketch

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it is suggested to have the vessel on dry-dock regulary once in a year to have longer life for boat specialy for the hull. And apply at list following works:

- clean the foal bottom
- change the zincs
- dry and vantilate the bilge
- service the saft and proppeller
- apply two coat of antiforling
- varnish the varnished areas(suggested min. twice in a year)
- periodic machine and machinery services
- store the sails and ropes after washed with sweet water
- periodic service for engine

Surveyors suggest %10 of the value of the boat to spent each year. So when your boat 15 years old can be in very good condition while a two years old gulet in bad condition.

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There are many gulets sailing in other waters out of Turkey. Some are given bellow:

Greece, Maldives
Adriatic ,England
Malta, France.Holland
Italy, Granadine
Russia, Sweeden, Red Sea
Cyprus, Spain
Caribean,Croatia
USA

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