Historical Background
The Pelig belongs to the family of traditional Adriatic coastal cargo sailing vessels that evolved from the trabaccalo-type hull with rounded sides, a round bottom, and a pronounced keel, designed for carrying 20–100 tons of cargo with typical dimensions ranging from 11 to 27 meters in length. These ships served local coastal trade along the eastern Adriatic shore, transporting goods between small ports, and their shape offered a practical balance of seaworthiness and sufficient internal volume for cargo.
At later stages of development, the Pelig adopted a more tapered bow and a narrower stern, bringing its lines closer to those of a lugger, while the most distinctive change appeared in the sail plan: the stern mast carried a gaff mainsail with a gaff topsail instead of the standing lugsail found on the trabaccalo, and in the final phase some vessels also carried a crossed sail at the masthead. These refinements increased maneuverability and versatility under varying wind conditions, making the Pelig one of the recognizable workhorses of Adriatic sail-powered commerce whose legacy now lives on in museum reconstructions and finely detailed display models.