The “Rafael” barca de bou, moved to the mestres d'aixa workshop to be restored

Mallorca’s Board has extracted from the water this Tuesday, August 12th, the boat “Rafael” and has moved it to the mestres d’axia workshop, located in Son Bonet (Marratxí), where it will be submitted to a restoring plan that will last approximately a year and will consist in a complete revision of the traditional Majorcan barca de bou.

The act of hoisting the boat has taken place in the facilities of the Portuary Technical Services and has counted with the assistance of the second vice-president and councillor of Environment, Rural Area and Sports, Pedro Bestard, who has been accompanied by the coordinator of the Maritime Patrimony Unity, Bernat Oliver. Michael Curel, old companion of the owner, Joan Santolaria, was also present.

Councillor Bestard has explained that the boat “will be submitted to a rigorous intervention, agreeing with what the historical patrimony law marks for those elements that have maximum protection” with the finality, he has explained, “of guaranteeing the preservation of this patrimonial high-value boat, which already forms part of the historical and maritime legacy of all the Majorcans”. “The Rafael was built in the shipyards Llompart de Palma 110 years ago and now, with its return to the island, the Council recovers this maritime patrimony that will belong to all the Majorcans”., has added Bestard.

The works of manoeuvre have been carried out during the morning in the port of Palma, where the boat, “llaüt” type, stayed moored since June 11th, when it docked proceeding from Palamós. The tasks have consisted in the hoisting and extraction of the water of the boat. Afterwards, it has been transported in a wide dimensions truck to the mestres d’axia workshop.

The boat “Rafael” is a traditional fishing boat with over 110 years of history, that is in good sailing conditions. However, the Environment Department expects carrying out an ambitious plan of restoration, which consists in a complete and careful revision of the state of the conservation and the renovation of those deteriorated elements, following the techniques of the mestres d’aixa.

According to the programmed restoration plan, as originally planned, all the painting will be withdrawn and boards and timbers will be revised. If any part of the boat has to be replaced, it will be done according to the tradition, technique and material of the mestres d’aixa workshop. The rigging and manoeuvre ropes will be made new, as well as the engines. The engine will also be revised as well as the major mast, the booms and the sails.

During its stay in the workshop, the “Rafael” will be visited, mainly by sh¡cholars, that will get to know first-hand the patrimonial and cultural importance of this boat.

The “Rafael” is a barca de bou of the so-called “first generation”. It was built for fishing sailing, just with the force of the wind as a propulsor. With 12,90 metres of length, 4,40 of width and 1,33 metres of height that was built with holm oak woods and olive tree for the timbers and lined with pine; and it has a capacity for 25 passengers. Mallorca’s Board and the current property of the barca “Rafael” has signed a collaboration agreement, for which a free temporary use of the boat is conceded until the ending of the buying process, on the insular institution’s behalf.