“Goelette” means “sea swallow” in French. Schooners are private ships used by Carians in anticuity. In recent history, they were seen in Trieste in 1788. In Italy they were used as portage ships. Later, their production sustained in Dodecanes which was named by Romans. Schooners were used for freight shipment in Aegean and Mediterranean. After Turkish seamen saw it, in Bodrum the handmade production of blue cruise Schooners was started.
Schooner means in German “Schöner”, in Spanish “Göleta”, in Italian “Goletta”, in Greek “Skuna”, and in Turkish “Uskuna”. Internationally, it ranks among motorsailer. Though in old times sail was used, today engine power is used more compared to sail. It can have 1, 2 or 3 masts. The mainmast in the amidship is longer than the front mast, which is a different feature from other ships. With its wide movement area, it is the most ideal tour boat. Its first production was made in Bodrum and the Karpuzkic Schooner is famous. Masonry construction is giving its place to the laminated construction.
The name of the yachts whose sterns are flat and high is “Aynakic-Kec”. There is also “Tirhandil”which is a Black Sea model and whose bow and stern are thin and long. It is produced by hand labor. Mostly pine, oak, chestnut, mahogany trees are used in hulk; and teak is used in deck. As it is an excursion boat, its centerboard length is short. It can easily enter to shallow bays. Schooners can be classified as economic, standard, lux or deluxe depending on the quality of the construction material, rigging, comfort and accessories inside of them.
The length of the boats is between 15-45 m and the width is between 3-9 m. They have cabins ranging between 2- 16 and their capacity can be up to 36 passengers. A large part of the day is spent on the aft deck which is called as “well deck”. There are a wide sitting group, a dining table; and in the front part there are a sun bathe are and cushions. All cabins have a lomboz - scuttle windows. There are a bathroom, a double bed and a wardrobe in each cabin. In the amidship, there is an indoor saloon; in every schooner there are a sailing gear, generator, vhf, oven, refrigerator, deep-freeze, tv, cd player and a canoe. Exportation of the new constructed and secondhand schooners from Turkey to abroad is continuing.
