Resin, sea air, tar and hammer noises are images and senses inextricably connected to Ierissos shipyards or “karnagia” according to Greek language.
The shipbuilding construction is part of Ierissos tradition which gave prominence to great craftsmen with Dimitrios Papastergianos as the first registered professional ship builder to elective lists. From the ship builders of Ierissos the art of naval architecture was disseminated to many other Greek shipyards as in Piraeus, Kavala, Thessaloniki, Nea Moudania and the islands. The naval architecture passes from father to son. Children used to quit school in the age of ten and start to learn the secrets of the job by working numerous hours.
The first step of a ship construction, according to experts was the right hierarchy of the basic works. Firstly, the ship designing and the cost definition. Following, the raw material detection, transportation and processing. The toughness, hardiness and the resin inclusiveness were the most important criteria for wood choice. Afterwards, the ship builders were ready to start the ships’ framework formation until the last ste[ which is the resin and tar application for the protection of wood fungus. The last process of the ship construction was taking place 6 or 8 months after its launch. It comprised of the gradual burn of the ship up to the point that the wood fungus were completely disappeared. Nowadays, only 2 out of 4 shipyards of Ierisssos are almost under function.
