Wooden boats and the naèt

It is said that the Naèt was born in a shipyard on Monte Isola a long time ago: the shape, long and narrow, is very reminiscent of the famous gondola of Venice.

For the inhabitants it was an exceptional transport vehicle and at the same time very important for reaching the mainland and fishing. Some elders of the island tell stories about a person named Archetti who, having escaped from Venetian prisons, took refuge in Monte Isola and created the Naèt. It was a very useful boat for fishermen as it was light, agile and fast. You could row several kilometers and it was very versatile for fishermen.

Today there is only one boat builder on Monte Isola, the “Cantiere Nautico Ercole Archetti”.

The working tools were and still are very simple: hammer, chisel, ax and plane. The type of wood used was and still is chestnut for the frame and larch for the rest of the boat.
The length was 7 metres, respected until 1958 when, with the introduction of the engine, it was reduced to 6.40 metres; the width is 1.40 meters and the bottom in the central point is 80 cm wide. Before the introduction of the engine, the sail was applied to the Naèt by adding only two crossed chestnut poles to the boat, one 3.5 meters high and the other one 4.

Photos by: Fiorello Turla