yawl

Yawls on harbor

yawl (in Estonian jaala, in German Eineinhalbmaster m., in Finnish jaala, in Russian ял), aka ruhnu jaala, jahla in Hiiumaa. A small two-masted half-deck gaff sail inshore sailboat, length about 10 m and width 3 m. Jaala's stern-side mast was in the middle of the boat and slantwise to the back, the shorter foremast stood upright. Fore- and free sail in the foremast, topsail was used if necessary. Jaala was an open boat, only the boat´s higher bow was partially closed. Some deck planks were located on both sides of the arched forecastle roof.

Jaalas started to be built in Ruhnu in the 1860s. The sail boats were made especially for seal fishing further from Ruhnu. They were also used to sell goods to Riga, Tallinn and Kuressaare as well as to Helsinki and Stockholm. Jaalas' time ended in the 1920s when bigger boats jahta's started to be built.

In 2003, Rannarootsi Museum and Tele2 constructed the old sail boat. The first longer voyage took place in 2003 to Stockholm to visit the Swedish king. Based on the team back then, NPO Wooden Boat Society Vikan was founded, which helps the Rannarootsi Museum to maintain Vikan and organize voyages.

yawl

Further reading