A sawed-off wooden fishing vessel in Pāvilosta

History 
The installation features an authentic mid-to-late 20th-century wooden fishing vessel (trawler) that was once part of the active Baltic coastal fishing fleet in Pāvilosta. The boat was brought ashore and cut completely in half as a deliberate environmental art installation. This treatment is a direct reference and social commentary on the European Union's fishing fleet reduction and vessel decommissioning program, which led to the dismantling ("scrapping") of numerous historic fishing boats and significantly impacted the local coastal economy.

Structural and Visual Features 
The vessel is vertically bisected into two separate halves, placed a short distance apart on concrete ground supports. The bow section retains the wheelhouse (captain's bridge) with a small railed upper deck and the engine exhaust pipe, while the stern section holds the ship's mast with remnants of its rigging. The hull is constructed from traditional wooden planking and painted in classic maritime colors – a red bottom (immitating the underwater hull) and a bright blue top with black trim. The exposed cross-section allows visitors to view the internal wooden framework and cargo hold components.

Modern Function 
Today, the vessel serves as an open-air environmental art object, a monument to Pāvilosta's seafaring heritage, and a unique urban landmark. The surrounding plot has been integrated into an outdoor seating area equipped with wooden picnic tables and benches for a nearby establishment. It remains a highly popular spot for tourist photography.

Interesting Facts

• The installation acts as a powerful visual metaphor for the "severed" or halted traditions of commercial coastal fishing in Latvia following post-accession EU fishing quotas.

• Because the boat is split open, visitors can literally walk directly through the center of the ship, examining the inner cross-section of a traditional Baltic wooden trawler up close.
  
  

Practical Information

• Address: Sakas iela 6, Pāvilosta, South Kurzeme Municipality.

• Opening Hours: Freely accessible to the public at any time, free of charge (located in an open outdoor public area).