ABOUT SEBASTIÁ VIDAL COMPLETED WORK THE MESTRES D'AIXA CONTACT
Barques de Fusta is a small boatyard that opened in 2009 to carry out construction, maintenance and restoring of traditional wooden boats work on wooden boats. BARQUES DE FUSTA unites the experience and technical know-how of Master boatbulder Sebastian Vidal with the enthusiasm of a young business that’s already making a name for itself in the nautical world of wooden boats.
The boatyard is situated in a small town right in the middle of the Island of Mallorca: Vilafranca de Bonany and offers it’s services on request to any part of the World!
One of the outstanding features of Barques de Fusta is the care and craftmanship that goes into all the work we carry out in a sector that appreciates quality of work above all.
Barques de Fusta’s boatyard can accomodate up to four boats at any given time.
SERVICES PROVIDED:
REPAIR:
We repair and work on all aspects of wooden boats.
RESTORATION:
When working on restoration projects the client’s wishes are always understood and followed taking into account the activity the vessel was designed for as well as the subsequent use it will be put to.
BOATBUILDING:
Always the most interesting job: building a new wooden boat from scratch, and in which we take gread care and pride.
LATEEN SAIL AND RIGGING:
At BARQUES DE FUSTA we are lateen rig enthusiasts, and, as such, are very interested as well as able to help our customers with advice on setting up the lateen sail as well as to carrying out any type of work on masts , spars, rigging and/or sailwork that has to do with the mediterranean lateen rig.
TRANSPORT:
We can arrange for transport of your boat over land or sea.
HOW WE WORK
At Barques de Fusta we build and repair boats working using traditional methods using tools and tried and tested processes in order to obtain results using craftmanship rooted in centuries of tradition in the Balearic Islands.
We specialize in all aspects of boatbuilding: frames, planking and topside structures. Our origins stem from traditional boatbuilding, a trade in which we have accumulated a great amout of experience and expertise coupled with up-to-date techniques introduced used in construction and repair of wooden boats. We also specialise in rigging.
CONTACT
sebastiavidal@gmail.com • Tel: 00 34 660 967 750
C/ Ramon LLull, sn • 07250 Villafranca de Bonany
Mallorca • Illes Balears • SPAIN
ESTIMATES FREE OF CHARGE
ABOUT SEBASTIÁ VIDAL COMPLETED WORK THE MESTRES D'AIXA CONTACT
Sebastià was born in the majorcan inland town of Campos 1982. He is a qualified “Mestre d’Aixa” (Master Boatbuilder) certification number 936 and Mestre Artesá Calafat (Master Caulker) N. 937. With many years of experience in the building and reparation of wooden boats.
Sebastià started his professional aprentiship in 2000 at the Escola-Taller de Mestres D’Aixa del Consell de Mallorca where he spent four years under the tutorship of Mestre Jaume Cifre.
Upon graduation, Sebastian was invited to join Mestre Jaume Cifres’ team at his boatyard; DRASSANES JAUME CIFRE in Porto Colom.
In 2008 Sebastian was contracted by MEDITERRÁNEO, a nautical company installations in Palma, the capital of the Island of Mallorca.
In the Summer of 2008, having accumulated sufficient work experience, Sebastian started up his own boatyard in Vilafranca de Bonany where he received orders for a number of projects, repairs and restoration projects for various boat owners.
After 15 years in the profession, Sebastian has accumulated sufficient experience to be selected by the Council of Mallorca to be the new teacher at tha Escola de Mestres de Aixa on Mestre Jaume Cifre’s retirement.
PRESS ARTICLES
Sebastian Vidal’s work has been the object of articles in the media and internet:
• Mestre d’aixa. Article in the Diari de Balears newspaper. September 30th. 2009.
• Cent per Cent Magazine: May 8th. 2010 Issue. Article on the trade of the mestres d’aixa, an ancestral occupation that is being brought back to life by young craftsmen.
• Large turnout at the Medeival Fair in Palma de Mallorca: Diario de Mallorca. March 1 st. 2010.
• Notícia XX, Mitjà de comuniació XX.
• Blog Jaume Amengual. Link
• Dos i dos són 22.
• Altres...
PARTICIPATION IN FAIRS AND EVENTS
BARQUES DE FUSTA has had a stand at the following fairs:
- Fira de la Diada de les Illes Balears - National Balearic Islands Day | 2009-2014
- Fira de la Llampuga (dolphin fish food fair in Cala Rajada) | 2009
- Fira de la Sípia (cuttlefish food fair) Port of Alcúdia | 2010-2014
- Fira del Meló (melon food fair) Vilafranca de Bonany | 2009, 2010, 2013, 2014
- Fira de Sencelles | 2011, 2012
ABOUT SEBASTIÁ VIDAL COMPLETED WORK THE MESTRES D'AIXA CONTACT
Completed work and projects:
Sebastian Vidal of BARQUES DE FUSTA has worked on the following boats:
MEMPHIS OF DARMOUTH
The Memphis of Dartmouth is an impressive 62 ft. ketch built in 1928 by James Miller & Sons. BARQUES DE FUSTA has carried out carried out maintenance work and repairs on the hull and recuperation of the original deck, as well as cabin modifications, bowsprit and mast repairs and new bowsprit. More about this project: bewater.org
MERCEDES
BARQUES DE FUSTA has recently launched a completely new traditional mallorcan 5,85 metre carvel built lateen sailed Llaüt.
ROSAMARINA
The Rosamarina is an 11 metre with raked bow and rounded stern built in Murcia and has had 5 metres of stern completely reconstructed.
SANT MIQUEL
The model or type of boat is "Gussi" Mallorca a traditional boat, 3.45 meters long and 1.4 meters wide and a depth of 0.55 meters, these are technical measures.
The work that has been done is a complete and true to the original design restoration.
TRUE STORY
Restoration of the vessel, measures 7.2 meters in length, 2.4 meters wide.
Boat charter aimed been working.
NAYADE
DARRER SOLITARI
LADY ANAGELA
The work we have done are furnitures and floor inside and outside the boat.
BARCA SAMBA
BARQUES DE FUSTA has carried out maintenance work on the turkish built gulet (schooner) “Samba”.
The work we have done is to change the cover.
KETA
LA BALEAR
La Balear is an old lateen rigged trawler built in 1929 declared “Bien d’Interés Cultural” (a listed boat) by the Council of Mallorca in 1998. The restoration of this boat began in january 2000 and was officially relaunched in june 2004. The restoration Sebastian Vital worked on the cabin and the entry port and interior. This boat is presently on show at her moorings in the Port of Palma de Mallorca
DRAGONERAS
The dragoneres are a series of plywood construction lateen rig dinghies built by the Mestres d’Aixa School Workshop for entry level competition for young sailors.
CERVANTES SAAVEDRA
Maintenance work has been carried out on interior, topsides and deck. The Cervantes Saavedra is a norwegian built ice-braker schooner-brig that featured in the succesful Antena 3 “El Barco” TV series. Antena 3 televisión.
The dinghy used to ferry the eliminated competitors back to the shore was wholly built by BARQUES DE FUSTA.
BOT LLEUGER
BIENVENIDO
The “Bienvenido” 1955 traditional 5,85 metre mallorcan carvel built lateen rigged Llaüt based in the Port of Soller. BARQUES DE FUSTA has carried out the complete restoration of the pinewood planking as well as the skeg, stem and stern posts
UEP
“Uep” is a 55 year old mallorcan “bot” dinghy. Bow replacement and maintenance work carried out by BARQUES DE FUSTA.
BARQUES DE FUSTA has also done maintenance and repair work on quite a number of boats such as the Brandó, S’Alga, Bernardino, Margarita, Seherma,...as well as restorations of the San Miguel, Virgen de Gracia, Bonança 2ª, Keta,...as well as new construction of llaüts, light dinghys and tenders.
ABOUT SEBASTIÁ VIDAL COMPLETED WORK THE MESTRES D'AIXA CONTACT
The trade of a “Mestre d’Aixa” (master boatbuilder or shipwright) in the Balearic Islands, is understood as concerned with all things having to do with the construction of the hulls of boats, sailboats, masts, spars and rigging with the use of wood as the main prime material. It is considered a traditional trade and craft that has been in danger of dying out and dissapearing due to the industrialization of the boating industry and the mass production of elements.
The title of “Mestre d’Aixa” takes it’s name from the traditional “aixa” (adze) the basic tool that for millenia has been used in boatbuilding.
The only extant centre for boatbuilders apprentiship is the “Escola de Mestres d’Aixa del Consell de Mallorca” a local Government school and workshop that first opened in 1991, was interrupted in 1994 and then reopened definitly in 2000. With a view to guarantee the recuparation of the trade and to promote it amongst unemployed young persons in the nautical sector. This school developed a number of formative stages that included the teaching of tratitional techniques used in the building of wooden boats with the introduction of some more modern procedures and materials to respond to the demands of today’s market.
Further reaqding about the “Mestres d’Aixa” can be found at:
• Arts i Oficis d’Antany (I). Joan Llabrés Ramis i Jordi Vallespir Soler. Estudis Monogràfics del Museu de la Porciúncula.
• Gran Enciclopèdia de Mallorca. Ed. PromoMallorca. Volums I i X.
• Book: Cent anys de Mestres d’aixa a Mallorca (I i II). Authors: Joan Palmer Published by Grua. Editorial El Tall. Any 1994.