The ''kajjik'' or ''kajjikk'' is a

traditional fishing boat Traditionally, many different kinds of boats have been used as fishing boats to catch fish in the sea, or on a lake or river. Even today, many traditional fishing boats are still in use. According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Org ...

from

Malta Malta, officially the Republic of Malta, is an island country in Southern Europe located in the Mediterranean Sea, between Sicily and North Africa. It consists of an archipelago south of Italy, east of Tunisia, and north of Libya. The two ...

. It developed in the 17th century from

caïque A caïque (, ''kaiki'', from ) is a traditional fishing boat usually found among the waters of the Ionian Sea, Ionian or Aegean Sea, and also a light skiff used on the Bosporus. It is traditionally a small wooden trading vessel, brightly painted ...

s which were used elsewhere in the Mediterranean. In the past, ''kajjikki'' were equipped with sails and oars, but today the fishing boats are powered by inboard motors. Variants of the boat participate in the rowing regattas held twice every year.

History

The ''kajjik'' developed in the 17th century from the

s which accompanied

galley A galley is a type of ship optimised for propulsion by oars. Galleys were historically used for naval warfare, warfare, Maritime transport, trade, and piracy mostly in the seas surrounding Europe. It developed in the Mediterranean world during ...

s of the

navy of the Order of Saint John The navy of the Order of Saint John, also known as the Maltese Navy, was the navy of the Knights Hospitaller. Established in the Middle Ages during the 12th century, it moved to Hospitaller Malta in 1530 and reached its peak in the 1680s under the ...

. The boats were usually used as fishing boats, but some were also used to carry passengers. Variants of the ''kajjik'' included the ''kajjik tal-kopp'' and the ''kajjik tal-lampara''. The latter had a light source attached to the bow which allowed fishing at night. Another variant was the ''kajjik tal-gangmu'', which had a low bow and a short forestem originally intended for fishing for seashells. This was also used to recover coal which had fallen to the seabed while being loaded onto ships in the

Grand Harbour The Grand Harbour (; ), also known as the Port of Marsa, is a natural harbour on the island of Malta. It has been substantially modified over the years with extensive docks ( Malta Dockyard), wharves, and fortifications. Description The h ...

From about 1920,

inboard motor An inboard motor is a marine propulsion system for boats. As opposed to an outboard motor, where an engine is mounted outside the hull of the craft, an inboard motor is an engine enclosed within the hull of the boat, usually connected to a pro ...

s were installed on some ''kajjikki'' which were used for fishing. Today, the boats are no longer being built and they are on the decline. However, many examples still exist and remain in use as fishing boats, particularly at

St. Paul's Bay Saint Paul's Bay () is a town located on the northeast coast of Malta in the Northern Region. It is a major residential and commercial area and a centre for shopping, bars, dining, and café life. As per the 2021 population census, it has also ...

and

Marsaxlokk Marsaxlokk () is a small, traditional fishing village in the Southern Region, Malta, Southern Region of Malta. It has a harbour, and is a tourist attraction known for its views, fishing and history. As of March 2014, the village had a populati ...

Description

The ''kajjik'' bears similarities to the '' dgħajsa tal-pass'', but it is of stronger construction and it has a flat

stern The stern is the back or aft-most part of a ship or boat, technically defined as the area built up over the sternpost, extending upwards from the counter rail to the taffrail. The stern lies opposite the bow, the foremost part of a ship. O ...

. The boats were originally equipped with both oars and sails. They would have a single mast rigged with a

spritsail The spritsail is a four-sided, fore-and-aft sail that is supported at its highest points by the mast and a diagonally running spar known as the sprit. The foot of the sail can be stretched by a boom or held loose-footed just by its sheets. A ...

. Today they are propelled by engines.

Regatta variants

Variants of the ''kajjik'' are commonly used in the rowing regattas held in the Grand Harbour on

31 March Events Pre-1600 * 307 – After divorcing his wife Minervina, Constantine marries Fausta, daughter of the retired Roman emperor Maximian. * 1146 – Bernard of Clairvaux preaches his famous sermon in a field at Vézelay, urging ...

and

8 September Events Pre-1600 * 70 – After the capture of Herod's Palace the previous day, a Roman army under Titus secures and plunders the city of Jerusalem. * 617 – Battle of Huoyi: Li Yuan defeats a Sui dynasty army, opening the path to h ...

each year. They have been participating in the September regatta since 1822. Initially, ''kajjikki tal-kopp'' were used in the races, but purpose-built versions of the boats were introduced later. The ''kajjik'' used in the modern regatta has two oars, and it is manned by a crew of two, one standing and one seated. It is long, has a beam of and a depth of . Variants of other traditional boats, the ''dgħajsa'' and '' frejgatina'', also compete in the regatta.

References

{{Oared racing boats Rowing boats Types of fishing vessels Culture of Malta Maritime history of Malta