In its capacity as a boat construction centre, Bodrum is famous throughout the world. Sea trade in the area has encouraged shipbuilding from antiquity thorough the Ottoman Empire period to modern times. The original purpose of the gulet was for fishermen and sponge divers to transport their catch, as well as for traders to move goods from marina to marina.

The word ‘guletʼ originates from the Italian word guletta, which in itself is a loanword from the French gouëlette, meaning “schooner”. Gulets are two- masted or three-masted wooden sailing vessels, originating from the southwestern coast of Turkey. The towns of Bodrum and Marmaris are best known for their sailing history, and the production of gulets in particular.

The construction of gulets picked up significantly again in the 1970s, when a spike in tourism resulted in more demand for sailing in Turkey than ever before. Since then, gulets have become an iconic symbol for Turkish sail-related tourism with thousands sailing the Mediterranean and Aegean seas in gulets every year.

From antiquity until now, the production process hasnʼt changed much – gulets are still built using traditional techniques and materials (by the plank-on-frame method). Of course, gulets have changed significantly in terms of interior (one word: JACUZZIS) and sturdiness, but sailing in one remains an authentic and unique experience.