Caïque

{{Short description|Traditional Greek fishing boat}} {{Other uses|Caique (disambiguation)}} right|thumb|300px|Caïque right|thumb|300px|Caïque, WW2 right|thumb|300px|Caïque ''{{ill|Bora Bora (ketch)|fr|Bora Bora (ketch)}}'' right|thumb|300px|Caïque, 1919 [[File:Caïque o.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Caïque ''Bom Sucesso'', Olhão, Portugal]] [[File:2017-02-14 Bom Sucesso, Olhão (2).JPG|right|thumb|300px|Caïque ''Bom Sucesso'', Olhão, Portugal]] A '''caïque''' ({{langx|el|καΐκι}}, ''kaiki'', from {{langx|ota|قایق|kayık}}<ref name="m-w">{{cite web |title=caique |publisher=Merriam-Webster Online |year=2009 |work=Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary |url=http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/caique |access-date=2009-02-27}}</ref>) is a traditional fishing boat usually found among the waters of the Ionian or Aegean Sea, and also a light skiff used on the Bosporus.<ref name="m-w" /> It is traditionally a small wooden trading vessel, brightly painted and rigged for sail. The caïque is also a typical case of positioning the widest beam far aft, with a long sharp bow.<ref>Robertson, J. C. ''The Mechanics' Magazine, Museum, Register, Journal, and Gazette''. [https://books.google.com/books?id=kZgAAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA314&dq=caique Page 314]</ref>

==Aegean fishing boat== ===Construction=== Caïques are often built on the foreshore in a shipyard, from pine wood.

The craft's hull is built with sawn ribs and a timber keel, stem, etc. covered with carvel planking, terminated with the deck. The frame of the craft is often painted with orange primer to preserve and seal the timber. The caïque usually has a short mast.

A bowsprit is stayed by rigging. In the stern of the caïque the predominant form is the tiller. These wooden steering arms are sometimes carved in a dog's or animal's face. The caïque often has a horizontal windlass mounted over the bow. The bow is also known in Greek as the ''proura'' or ''plowri'', similar to the English prow.

Most caïques are painted white to counter the powerful sun, with the strakes and topsides in vivid chromatic colors. The boat's name is painted or carved on a tablet on the planking below the bow.

Each caïque is unique. Most are built from the boatbuilder's craft and memory, not from plans. The bow post distinguishes the caïque from other Mediterranean working boats.

===Modern-day use=== Traditionally, the caïque was used for fishing and trawling. Lately, it has become a short excursion vessel, and former fishermen make money from the summer tourist trade on busy islands such as Corfu and Mykonos.

The art of the boatbuilder is dying as plastic and fiberglass crafts supersede wooden crafts.

==Bosporus light skiff== right|thumb|300px|Caïque, used by the Ottoman sultans right|thumb|300px|Caïque, used by the Ottomans  Caïque is also the term for a light skiff or long, narrow rowboat used especially on the Bosporus, Turkey.<ref>{{cite web |title=caique |publisher=Random House, Inc. |year=2009 |work=Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) |url=http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/caique |access-date=2009-02-27}}</ref>

Historically, a caïque was a boat of {{convert|5|–|6|m|ft|0|sp=us}} in length, and 1 meter (3 ft) in width, used mainly for transportation. It had a shape similar to that of a skate. Both ends were in such a form that it could be rowed in either direction with equal ease. The sides consisted of two long embellished boards. There were also lateral boards supporting the sides against water pressure.

There were also imperial caïques used by the Ottoman sultans and his suite for ceremonial and daily excursion purposes. The size and grandeur of this type, adorned with imperial armorials and floral scrolls, reflected his royal power. Another feature of imperial caiques was the deck pavilion, a partition or a small kiosk for the Sultan. Because of this feature, they were also called "pavilion caïques".

Today, ordinary caïques are used mainly for local fishing purposes, and the current imperial caïques are modern reconstructions utilized only for tourist purposes.

==Etymology== From the French ''caïque'', from the Italian ''caicco'', from Ottoman Turkish ''kayık'' (the source of the word loaned into Greek ''kaiki'' and ultimately the English word as well), related to New Persian ''qayeq'' but ultimately from proto-Turkic ''kiayguk'' "boat, oar, rowed boat". It bears no connection to kayak.<ref>[https://archive.today/20070527105624/http://www.penwith.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=23907 Penwith District Council – Boat Types]</ref><ref>[http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-caique.html The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology] "''caique'': light boat used in the Mediterranean. XVII. ''- French ''caïque'' - Italian ''caicco'' - Turkish ''kayik''.''</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.bartleby.com/61/6/C0020600.html |title=American Heritage Dictionary, 2000 - Caique entry |access-date=2007-05-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050521152224/http://bartleby.com/61/6/C0020600.html |archive-date=2005-05-21 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The similarly-named Maltese ''kajjik'' is derived from the caïque.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Muscat |first1=Joseph |title=Traditional Boats of Malta |journal=Malta Archaeological Review |date=2005 |issue=6 |pages=26–40 |url=https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/bitstream/123456789/49645/1/Traditional%20Boats%20of%20Malta.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200405093026/https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/bitstream/123456789/49645/1/Traditional%20Boats%20of%20Malta.pdf |archive-date=5 April 2020}}</ref>

==Notes== {{Reflist}}

==References== * Gülersoy, Çelik. ''The Caique''. Istanbul Library, 1991. * Gautier, Théophile. ''Constantinople of To-day''. David Bogue, 1854. * Turkish Naval Museum. [http://www.dzkk.tsk.tr/Muze/English/Koleksiyon/Saltanat/FSaltanat.htm ''From Collections - Imperial Caiques'']{{Dead link|date=June 2021 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}. Retrieved on 2009-02-28.

==External links== {{Commons category|Caïques}} * Gatetoturkey.com - [http://www.gatetoturkey.com/special/00345/ Imperial ''caiques'' on the Bosphorus] * Caïques of the Sultans - [https://web.archive.org/web/20070529031549/http://www.sultankayiklari.com/gallery.html Photo gallery of Imperial ''caiques'']

Category:Types of fishing vessels Category:Turkish words and phrases