Pasalv and his boat in Venice. Photo: Maritime MuseumProud of his boat, Salvatore Formosa challenged a Venetian gondolier who was unimpressed by the Maltese dgħajsa to a race.
Fifty years after his victory, it is believed that no Maltese boat has been allowed in the lagoon since.
This is the tale behind old photographs of the boatman, known as Pasalv, and the boat itself on show at the Maritime Museum in Vittoriosa together with nine other objects from the national collection.
Curator Liam Gauci explained that Maltese boatmen and their dgħajsa were a popular sight in Maltese harbours throughout the past two centuries.
In the late 1950s, Formosa was earmarked by the then commander-in-chief of the Mediterranean to act as official boatman for the HMS Surprise, transporting officers and dignitaries to and from the vessel.
The Venetians had been defeated in their own lagoon
“Formosa kept his dgħajsa in shipshape – its bronze polished and up to naval standards,” Mr Gauci said, noting that the boat served in Naples, San Tropez, Rimini, Barcelona, Monaco and other Mediterranean ports.
It is said that even the popular Italian singer Mina Mazzini once boarded the dgħajsa, but Pasalv and his boat’s claim to fame came on a visit to Venice.
Pasalv used his dgħajsa to ferry passengers while in the lagoon but the gondoliers were not impressed with the heavy-looking Maltese boat.
Pasalv in turn was not amazed with their attitude and challenged the fastest local gondolier to a race in the lagoon.
The Venetian accepted the challenge, but to his surprise, the clumsier-looking Maltese boat outran the gondola by a considerable distance.
“The Venetians had been defeated in their own lagoon and the embarrassment was unbearable...it is said that on HMS Surprise’s return to Venice, Pasalv and his dgħajsa were not allowed to launch into the lagoon, sparing the Venetians any future mortification.”