A visit to the model ship builder's tiny workshop was one of the highlights of my trip! This elderly man's grandfather worked in the shipyards, as did his ancestors before that.
During our visit, we were told that the island's shipyards sort of "went away" a few decades ago because they took up valuable coastal property that could be better used for tourism. The ship builder told us that he became very sentimental about it and loved building ships, so he began building exact replicas on a tiny scale. All the moving parts actually move, including the oars in their holes, the cannons, the rigging, etc.
He starts from drawings and hand makes everything. His son is now his only apprentice and is now the main builder, while the elder man is the brains and designer behind each model. They use no glue whatsoever, only tiny copper nails that are then hidden with putty so the holes don't show. They MAKE all the metal parts from sheets of aluminum that are formed into whatever he needs them for. Every last detail, down to the interior benches that the rowers would sit on, are re-created in these model ships. The detail is amazing, and the ships are made entirely of walnut.
George Bush, Sr. is a frequent visitor to the island, and usually stays on the yacht of a wealthy Greek friend. This same friend gave Bush one of these models as a gift. They cost in the neighborhood of 15,000 Euros (about $20,000 US) and each one takes about a year to build.
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