All The Lake of Bolsena: Typical boat

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VITERBO

Barbarano
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Sutri
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Villa San Giovanni

Typical boat

The typical boat of the Lake of Bolsena and its story

Since the old days boats haven’t undergone changes of great importance in their shape, technique and building materials. For millennia boats have been built by craftsmen using turkey oak wood for the “fonno” and the “sponne” and olive-tree wood for the “cocte” (matèe). The sponne were made up of three easily flexible boards. The boat was very heavy owing to the high specific weight of the turkey oak (0.90) and its size which went, as it is still today, from a minimum of 5 metres to a maximum of 7 metres of length and about 1,5 metres of width. In the past the boat was provided with a rude rectangular sail leaned against two masts called “r puntone” and “r puntoncello” used as auxiliary oars. The thole (“piro”) is without bifurcation, so the oar is tied up with the “stropjo”(rope) made up of old fishing net. Nowadays the “piro” is fastened on a cordage of the boat. The oars are in an asymmetric position: the front one is called “r rje-mo”, the back one “rocta”, which works also as a helm. Before the boat had a motor, it was sometimes provided with two other oars called “r rjemo de mezzo” and “ r rjemo de punta” used in the event of storm or for races. The real evolution of the boat, above all for what concerns the materials and the system of construction, has taken place in the last thirty years. In this period, as a matter of fact, boats are manufactured with the mahogany which has a higher flexibility than the turkey oak and allows to construct the “sponne” and the “ fonno” using only three boards. The “cocte” (matèe) are made up of iron so that they have a higher motor stress – resistance. In the last decade the boat has undergone a further technical step forward due to the use of composite materials treated with resin and specific nautical paints. The boat is lighter and at the same time ber in its structure and safer for the sailing, even if it has kept its original typical shape.

Dialect words

1) The punta 2) The Culata 3) The sponne 4) 'Rfonno 5) The scalino 6) The usciòlo 7) The talena 8) 'Rtrasto de mezzo 9) 'Rtrasto de punta 10) The poste 11) The mattèe 12) Theorecchjòzze 13) The piraje 14) 'Rpiro de la rosta 15) 'Rpiro der rejmo 16) 'Rpiretto de mezzo 17) 'Rpiretto de punta l8) The bbrija l9) 'Rviaro 20) The sguciòtto 21) 'Rbbuco pe' la vela 22) The leva de punta 23) The leva de culata. The stern: the place, where nets are cast and hauled in, is called "culata" and it is formed by "the scalino", "the usciòlo" and "the talena" whose protruding parts ("orecchjozze") are useful to push the boat in the water and on the land.

How to row

The oars are in an asymmetric position. The front one is called "'r rejmo" and the back one "the ròsta", which works also as a helm. Sometimes other two oars are used: "'r rjemo de mèzzo" and "'r rjemo de punta". The thole ("piro") is without bifurcation; the oar is tied up with the "stròpjo", made up of old fishing net. In the past "'r piro" was fixed between a side of the boat and an external board called "pirajja". Today it is simply fixed on a side of the boat.

Boat with a sail

In the past people sailed using oars and sometimes a rudimentary sail hoisted onto two masts called "'r puntòne" and "'r puntoncèllo". Nowadays small petrol and electric in-outboard motors are used, such as those of the boat You rent.

Historical Palio

The regatta of the boats or historical Palio is an ancient sporting competition that was regularly played on the Bolsena lake; it had been suspended for decades and in 1996 it was thought to relaunch and glorify it again. Historical documentations with regatta’s references have been found from 1454, other regattas were then played in 1462, 1514, 1618, 1747 and 1790. The one of June, 24 th 1462 had as spectator the Pontiff Pio II Piccolomini who made a detailed chronicle of it; to join the competition, with departure from Capodimonte and arrival at the port of the Bisentina island there were five boats representing the fishermen of Bolsena, Marta, Grotte di Castro Caves, Valentano and the servants of the Bishop of Corneto (today Tarquinia). The fishermen of Marta, after a hard duel with those of Bolsena won the competition. In the first relaunched edition ending on June, 24th 1997 participated seven boats representing the towns that lies on the Bolsena lake; in alphabetical order they are: Bolsena, Capodimonte, Gradoli, Grotte di Castro, Marta, Montefiascone and S. Lorenzo Nuovo. Since the preliminary competitions till the finals, played in the waters of the varied participating villages, weekly in the months of July and August 1996, the fans and tourists’ presence has been very good. The finals in 1997, 535 years later from the historical one of 1492, reserved a surprising result. The crew of Capodimonte was favourite at the departure, with the conquered points in the preliminary competitions of the preceding year it need only to gain a whatever position to win the Palio. But, at the departure, the rowing chief of this crew got nervous after a dispute with the judges and its deplorable behaviour, continued during the competition, destroys a sure win, that is then gained by the crew of Marta obtaining the competition and the Palio’s win.

Dialect proverbs

Pescatore ggente acquatica, amicizia ma nun pratica

Disse la tenca mal luccio: "Vale più la mi' capoccia che tutto 'r tu fusto"

Cammina pescato' si nun te 'rincresce che se nun cammine tu', cammina er pesce

Maggio fresco, pescator leggero

Vale chiappa', le grance co' le mano dell'artre

Sant’Andrea, pescatore porta 'r pesce mar zignore, 'r zignore nu' lo vorze e Sant’Andrea se lo corze

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