The Czech boat builder behind Wicked’s fantasy vessels - now in a new exhibition
Did you know that the boats in Game of Thrones, Vikings, The Chronicles of Narnia, or the recent hit musical Wicked were built in Czechia? Specifically in the town of Lipník nad Bečvou, where a new exhibition at the Konírna Gallery showcases the remarkable journey and craftsmanship of the company behind them – Kolumbus 92.
Based in Lipník nad Bečvou for the past thirteen years, Kolumbus 92 focuses on traditional craftsmanship, film props, and historical European martial arts. Much of its work is shaped by its founder Radim Zapletal, who, over more than three decades, has produced everything from medieval armour to large-scale boats for Hollywood productions.
Zapletal recently received significant recognition for his contribution to Wicked (2024), for which he built two boats. The Oscar-nominated musical won an Academy Award not only for its costumes but also for production design (awarded to Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales) – a success much supported by Zapletal’s skill. As a boat builder, he brings together the designers’ artistic vision and his own meticulous craftsmanship, making sure each vessel is both beautiful and fully functional. Speaking about the ambitious design for Wicked, he explained:
“It’s fantasy – you can see the masts are bent, the yards are bent, basically everything that should stay straight isn’t… It was absolutely crazy because the artistic design didn’t correspond at all to a boat that should be able to float. But that’s what they wanted, so we had to figure out how to keep the design exactly as it was while still making the boat float.”
"The artistic design didn’t correspond at all to a boat that should be able to float, but that’s what they wanted."
According to Czech Television, actress and singer Ariana Grande, who played one of the main roles in the film alongside Cynthia Erivo, liked the boats so much that the company gifted her one.
Zapletal’s work first reached Hollywood more than twenty years ago with The Affair of the Necklace (2001), for which he built six Rococo swan boats in just five weeks – an example of the tight deadlines that often define his work:
“The hardest part is always time. We can build the boats, that’s not a problem. But the deadlines are sometimes catastrophic.”
After the swan-boat breakthrough, more major projects followed, including Van Helsing (2004), The Chronicles of Narnia (2005), the Vikings series, or HBO’s iconic Game of Thrones series. Reflecting on his career, Zapletal says:
“I have to say, I’ve been lucky. I always chose work I enjoyed and when it stopped being fun, I stopped doing it. Not everyone has that kind of luck.”
His philosophy is perhaps surprisingly laid-back for someone accustomed to the tight deadlines of multi-million-dollar film productions, and he aims to convey it through the new exhibition, which will be on display until the beginning of January next year.
“I let things flow. That’s why the exhibition is called Life Is Just a River. In this line of work, you realise that there’s no point in forcing anything. Don’t push, don’t call, don’t hustle. Let it flow – and things will come.”
Zapletal’s latest creation is a 20-meter-long, 5-meter-wide boat. For the first time, it will not be fit to sail but will instead remain in a studio for director Aurel Klimt’s upcoming film War with the Newts, set to premiere at the end of next year.
