The Maltese ‘FREJGATINA’
A small open fishing boat, 3.5 to 4 meters long, the bigger ones were usually used for recreation purposes. It has a carvel built, having a transom and was formerly rowed with two oars and sometimes it was equipped with a mast rigged with a sprit sail. Todays frejgatinas are equipped with inboard motors and hardly ever carry sail, but oars are always kept in the boat in case of emergency. Its bow is not tall and tapered outward like the luzzu and caique and is therefore not sea worthy. It is often used as a means of transporting the fishermen from the shore to their fishing boat.
The ‘frejgatina’ was not included in the first racing boats which took part in the 1822 September Regatta. This boat replaced the ‘ferilla’ in races held in 1935.
Frejgatinas were popular especially during certain festivities held in Grand Harbour or elsewhere. By 1900 this boat developed rapidly and retained its characteristics up to present.
The Blue Grotto frejgatina developed at Wied Iż-Żurrieq and was mainly used for the transportation of tourists visiting this lovely area. Unfortuanetly nowadays fibreglass is replacing the wooden frejgatinas. The September Regatta Committee, is doing its utmost to keep the tradition of the wooden construction of these boats alive.
Let us hope that this Maltese traditional boat does not disappear from the scene and that the many enthusiastic owners of the ‘FREJGATINA’ keep on maintaining them with care and passion as they still do.
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