TRADITIONAL SMALL WOODEN FISHING BOATS
Since the beginning of the 20th century, the number of fishing boats in Umag has been constantly increasing. Most of them were small traditional wooden boats with flat bottoms such as topo, batana, batelina and sandolo, which were suitable for fishing in shallow waters. They were tied to metal poles (bitts) near the breakwater (diga) in the Umag harbour. In the places along the Umag coast without a safe harbour, the fishermen would build wooden cranes called grue in order to provide a secure “mooring” for their small boats like the batana and the kaic.
Batana, batelina and sandolo
these smaller wooden boats were used by non-professional fishermen (farmers, cobblers, carpenters) who would fish to improve their family budget. They were also used as auxiliary boats for laying the fishing nets (trate).
Kaić (caicio)
was a small, 3-4 m long auxiliary boat, moored to the side of large boats, i.e. The bragocs, the bracers or the trabakulas. It was used to transport the crew and its equipment from the boat to land as well as to clean the boat's plating. Its shape is similar to a pasara, it has a keel, and is propelled only by short oars.
Topo (battello, batèl, batiel, bataio)
used to be a professional fishing boat. It is a flat-bottomed boat between six and twelve meters long. Being equipped with two long oars resting on long wooden davits (forcola), a large rudder at the stern (pupa) and a mainsail, it could sail off shore. The boat could carry up to 2 tonnes of cargo.
Traditional large wooden fishing bats
Bragoci (bragossi)
are large wooden fishing boatstraditionally used by fishermen from Chioggia, which would be moored in pairs on the quay opposite the Umag parish church. Equipped with two masts and mainsails, they were used for fishing for several days with trawl nets or trawlers. A bragoc is a flat-bottomed boat without a keel, 9 to 15 metres long, with a large rudder at the stern and a load capacity of 10 to 20 tonnes. The only Umag bragoc, of the Chioggia type, was moored at the breakwater and belonged to the Grassi brothers (Mario and Piero Pio).
