Manuel Castaño Ramos is the director of Menorca en Llaut, a company specializing in private excursions aboard traditional llauts along the coast of Menorca, with departures from the port of Mahón. The project is committed to reviving and preserving the essence of these classic boats, combining the island’s maritime tradition with a leisurely and intimate way to explore its coastline. In this interview, he talks about the challenges of adapting these ancestral vessels to the fast-paced rhythm of the 21st century.
While much of the boating world has moved toward increasingly larger, faster, and more sophisticated boats, you have chosen the llaut. Why?
We live in an age when ships seem to be competing to be bigger, faster, and more technologically advanced. They are admirable feats of engineering, but in many cases they could just as easily sail in Dubai, Miami, or on the French Riviera.
However, the llaut does not need to stand out against the landscape because it is part of it. It was designed for this coastline, and even today it remains the best way to explore it. Its design is inspired by Menorca, not by a passing trend.
Our fleet consists of llauts from the early 1990s, carefully restored to preserve their character and offer the comfort that today’s travelers expect.
But the boat has never been our only project. From the very beginning, we wanted to prove that a traditional vessel could offer the same level of service as the finest hotels. Over the years, we’ve refined a way of working in which nothing is left to chance. We personally respond to every inquiry, tailor each outing individually, and our skippers share a common understanding of this craft. Excellence rarely needs to be pointed out; it’s evident in all the little things the guest doesn’t have to ask for because they’ve already been taken care of.
The llaut has been part of Menorca’s history for centuries. What can a traveler discover on board that they would be unlikely to find anywhere else?
Its shallow draft allows it to approach the coast with an ease that few other boats can match and to reach places that others cannot.
We don’t usually reveal those spots; we prefer to keep them under wraps. What I can say is that our skippers know the island like the back of their hand and tailor each trip to the wind and sea conditions. No two trips are ever the same.
Our job is to showcase a more serene side of Menorca, far from the hustle and bustle and the most obvious tourist routes.
In a destination as admired as Menorca, what responsibilities do those who work at sea every day have?
We sail through one of the best-preserved environments in the Mediterranean, and we believe that comes with a responsibility.
Avoiding overcrowding whenever possible, respecting the environment, and helping people understand its value are all part of how we work. When someone understands a place, they also understand why it deserves to be protected.
After so many years sailing alongside travelers from all over the world, what has the sea taught you about what people are really looking for when they set sail on a llaut?
A few days ago, a guest told us as he disembarked, “I’ve had some wonderful days in my life, but I’ll remember this one forever.”
Over the years, I’ve learned that people rarely remember a day at the beach because of a specific cove. They remember it because of how they felt while they were there.
Maybe that’s why they’re looking for something that’s becoming increasingly scarce: time.
How do you envision the future of Menorca in Llaut, and what would you like your contribution to the island to be?
We would like to continue growing without compromising our approach to this craft.
We will continue to restore traditional boats and raise the standard of service we provide to those who sail with us.
We don’t aim to have the largest fleet. We aim for everyone who disembarks to feel that they’ve experienced a more authentic Menorca.
Traditions are not preserved by keeping them static. They are preserved by allowing them to continue doing what they were meant to do.
TO RESERVE A TRADITIONAL LLAUT: menorcaenllaut.com
THEY ALSO OFFER SAILBOATS AT: menorcaenvelero.com
