The gullet ship or Turkish ‘gulet’, Italian ‘caicco’, French ‘goélette’ is a wooden motor sailing yacht equipped with one, two or even three masts with powerful diesel engines as primary power and sails as additional. It is a traditional Turkish style vessel.
This means you can sail silently when the wind allows what makes these ships increasingly popular and romantic, but also highly reliably with motor power.
Gullets are particularly good as pleasure sailing vessels because of their broad beam, which gives them lots of deck space, particularly at the back and plenty of rooms for spacious cabins below decks.
These wooden ships come in many sizes, from small 15-meter long craft with the necessary equipment to large, luxurious 33-meter air-conditioned vessels with every convenience and luxury.
A gullet may have from 3 to 12 double cabins (for 6 to 24 people), but also 5 and 6 cabin vessels for 10 to 12 travelers which are generally more common. The crew consist usually from 2 to 4 persons.
Gullet Ship Categories and Prices
Standard category gullet ships – under 1.000 €
- 90% of have air condition in every cabin.
- Most have from 5 and up to 8 cabin each with own shower and toilet.
- Comfortable cabins good food.
- Prices in October and May are flexible.
- Prices in June and September range from 500 –750 €
- Prices in July and August range from 800 – 1.000 €
Luxury category gullet ships – 1.000 – 1.500 €
- Air conditioned
- From 2 and up to 16 cabins
- All with shower and toilet.
- In October and May prices are 700 €
- In June and September from 800 – 1.200 €
- In July and August range from 1.300 – 1.500 €
Deluxe gullet ships – over 1.500 €
- Best market can offer
- From 4 and up to 12 cabins
- N°1 services
- In May and October prices start from 1000€
- In June and September from 1.250 €
- In July and August: from 1.500 € – 3.500 €
Croatia by gullet ship – a gentle cruise around the Dalmatian coast
Be sure to read this interesting story written by Gabriella Le Breton on 12 May 2014.
“Ours, the 85-foot Eleganza, spends her time navigating the 3,625 miles of Croatia’s rugged coastline and the 1,185 islands, islets and reefs sprinkled along it.
Marko, Eleganza’s skipper and owner, might query my use of the possessive pronoun but the delicious sense of ownership, albeit only for a few days, is surely one of the best parts of chartering a boat with family or friends.
Standing on the pier, it was love at first sight: Eleganza’s sinuous curves and plump pillows were lit by candles flickering in storm lanterns, the soft light from her cabins glimmering invitingly on the water lapping her hull.”
Needless to say sailing on a gullet ship is a wonderful experience and recommended for anyone not traveling on a strict budget!