Learning to build ‘Chatas’ from Cascais, exhibition at the King D. Carlos Museum of the Sea
The Museu do Mar Rei D. Carlos is showing three wooden boats inspired by the Cascais ‘chata’. The specimens were built by 5th year students from Carcavelos Secondary School in the 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 school years, as part of the ‘Este Mar’ project and the ‘Rotas e Desafios’ (Routes and Challenges) initiative in the Visual Education and Technology Education subjects.
The students had the support and guidance of their teacher Cláudia Dias and the Cascalense fisherman and shipbuilder, ‘Tó Simão’, who followed all the stages of the production process of these boats.
Step by step, following the rules of construction, the children used the different tools applied to this craft and learnt what the ‘cavernas’, ‘verdugo’ or ‘tolete’ are, painting them and baptising them according to Cascalense tradition.
The aim of this project is to valorise the tradition of shipbuilding and the knowledge and techniques associated with this heritage, which has been disappearing.
The three vessels were launched on National Sea Day 2024 and are now on display at the King Carlos Sea Museum until the end of March 2025.
More information: 214 815 906/50 | museumar@cm-cascais.pt
Organization: Cascais City Council | D. Luís I Foundation | Carcavelos Secondary School
