“Tserniki” with gunter rig

The “tsernikis” were boats with a sharp bow and stern and a straight stem with a pronounced inclination. Its name may come either from the Turkish ship "tsikirne" or from a boat used on the Danube called "cernik" or "cirnik".

Mainly built by the riverside shipwrights of the eastern Aegean islands and the coastal cities of Asia Minor, the “tsernikis” were used as small cargo and transport ships and were the backbone of trade at the time, traveling between the islands. from Mytilene, Samos, Chios, and others, reaching Istanbul, Aivali, Smyrna, etc. These boats were also used for fishing.

These “tserniki” hulled ships featured different sails. In this case, the model appears with a gunter rig, with a large triangular-shaped sail whose luff is attached to the mast at the bottom and at the top to a yard that is hoisted against the mast.

A peculiarity that these “tsernikis” with gunter rig have is the bowsprit that makes it possible to move the tack point away from the stern, a boom that is fixed with an eyebolt on a column mounted aft of the mast and is supported by a structure called “bridge ”.

Although the articulation of the bowsprit could allow certain movements, in navigation it appears immovable as it is secured on the "bridge". It is possible that, as happens with the bowsprit on other Greek vessels, the mobility of this bowsprit allows these “tsernikis” to get rid of obstacles in the traffic congestion of some ports, as well as dock from the stern in narrow docks.

Model Features:

Length: 120 mm.

Overall length: 188mm.

Sleeve: 37mm.

Scale: 1:130