A living piece of Madeira’s maritime heritage.
The Xavelha is more than a boat. It carries the colors, rhythm, and memory of Madeira’s relationship with the Atlantic.
Born of the sea, painted by the village.
Madeira was settled from the water. For centuries, fishermen launched their small, brightly-colored boats from the pebbled beach of Câmara de Lobos before sunrise and returned with the day’s catch by afternoon.
The Xavelha is built in that tradition — the same lines, the same colors, the same calm relationship with the Atlantic. Stepping aboard is stepping into a way of seeing the island that predates roads, hotels, and harbors.
Câmara de Lobos: where Madeira meets the sea.
A bowl of pastel houses around a working harbor. Fishermen still gather here at dawn. Children learn to swim from the same rocks their grandparents did. It is one of Madeira’s most painted, photographed, and quietly proud places.
Every Xavelha trip starts here, on foot. We meet at the harbor, walk you to the boat, and push off into a coastline you’ll remember.
Find us
Five colors that belong to Madeira.
Black
The painted line that frames every hull. Practical, simple, definitive.
Atlantic Blue
The water that defines the island, and the deep blue painted along the gunwales.
Sun Yellow
For the deck — a color that catches the morning light from a mile away.
Festival Red
The color of celebration, of poncha, and of every fishing boat in the harbor.
Bow Green
Painted at the prow as a quiet wish for safe return — a tradition that still holds.
What to expect from your day with us.
You arrive at the harbor a few minutes before departure. We welcome you with a short hello, fit your life jacket, and walk you to the boat. From there, the day belongs to you — sail, swim, listen, photograph, or simply sit at the bow and watch the cliffs go by.
Our captain has been working these waters since he was a boy. He knows the tides, the fish, the shape of every cove — and he loves to share what he knows.
Ready to step on board?
Choose your experience and your date in a few clicks.