Building An Indonesian Phinisi
What Are The Essential Ingredients...?
Copyright 2007 Michael Kasten
Two Cargo KLM in Kalimantan
For a complete
introduction to the history of the traditional Indonesian
Phinisi types as well as the relatively newer
KLM types, please see our
Phinisi History
web page.
Please also see the links at the bottom of this page
for an introduction to our work with these craft.
The Phinisi as a Yacht...?
What have we done to change these craft for a newly defined purpose as a yacht
or charter vessel...?
Not that much really!
In fact our goal has been to preserve the extraordinary aesthetic tradition of
these vessels, and to carry their best qualities forward in order to serve this new
purpose.
Changes: Our aim has been to provide greater strength
and longevity of structure than is found among local craft. Our goals in
so doing have been to reduce maintenance, to provide a high degree of comfort,
improve the performance under power, and to increase the long term safety of the
ship.
In order to create a luxury yacht or charter vessel out
of the traditionally built Phinisi or KLM types has mainly been a matter of
sizing and arranging the cabins for their new purpose and to refine the hull
shape for use as a yacht, rather than as a much more burdensome cargo vessel.
As a bonus, the more refined yacht hull shape is much more comfortable in the
sea than the much more boxy cargo hull types, which have a reputation for having
a rather harsh and unkind motion when not deeply laden with cargo. After all, a
yacht need only carry a load of fuel, food, passengers, and their water toys.
Power: Motive power is provided by a relatively
much larger diesel engine than would be locally used. This is for vastly
improved performance, safety and convenience as well as in order to achieve a
more dependable charter schedule. For example, where
we would specify an engine of around 850 hp, an equivalently sized local cargo
vessel would rarely have more than around 350 hp...!
Of course the engines we specify could be larger still in order to get
these boats to reach their full theoretical hull speed (i.e. an S/L of around
1.34). However above a speed to length ratio of around 1.10 the power
requirements and the consequent fuel use, as well as the machinery cost become
excessive.
Tradition: Still further requirements have been to
blend the excellent Konjo / Bugis boat building traditions with a few of the
specific requirements of the West, primarily in terms of comfort, structure,
safety, and stability.
Structure: A number of structural improvements over
the typical cargo vessel construction have been specified. These were not
dramatic changes in terms of the construction methods, but definitely
they were a big change in terms of finesse and quality, so cumulatively the
changes have been very important to the structure.
Examples of our modifications to the structure are that we have specified:
- The use of only top quality timbers;
- That the timbers be of the maximum obtainable length;
- That the proximity of joints in planking and other structure
be according to Germanischer Lloyd's requirements;
- That the frames be top quality and nicely finished;
- That proper scarf joints be used for all structural members;
- That an increased quantity and higher quality of fastenings be
used throughout;
- That there be substantial bilge and deck stringers inside;
- That there be watertight bulkheads as specified by GL;
- That there be heavy duty long length engine girder timbers in
order to handle the additional stresses imposed by the higher powered
machinery.
These changes plus many less obvious refinements to the methods used for
joining the primary structural members have all gone into the specification for
a robust and long lasting wooden ship.
Cumulatively, these changes have been very significant - and indeed there
is quite a large difference in terms of the quality and integrity of the
resulting vessel as compared to the vessels built for cargo. Even more
dramatically, these refinements offer a vast improvement over the more typical
poorly planned attempt to turn one of these local craft into a private yacht or
charter vessel.
Can One Build a New Wooden Yacht Economically...?
Yes! ...and of course that is the ultimate goal...!
Given that such a vessel is largely based on the very common local Phinisi / KLM
types, it can still be very economically built in Indonesia using locally
available timbers and locally available talent.
Unfortunately, due to the relatively low cost of building these hulls, there
will always be a steady supply of misguided Westerners who approach the local
boat builders with the idea of turning one of their locally built craft into a
yacht or charter boat at the lowest possible cost. Most often the result is
extremely poor - mainly due to very inadequate planning and non-existent project
management.
In other words, these half hearted attempts to create a yacht will inevitably
result in an ill-conceived and poorly executed vessel, i.e. one that has not
been 'designed' nor built to any standard, nor even effectively 'managed' during
construction.
Although the local builders are very capable of producing excellent results with
their own local vessel types, when those indigenous vessels get arbitrarily
modified by various 'owner requests' during construction, the final product can
be shockingly bad - even to the point of being unsafe.
Consequently there is a very large difference between those failed
attempts and
the likes of what we have outlined here...!
How To Do It Right...?
Planning: We find that the key to success with any
project of this magnitude is thorough planning, done well in
advance of any actual boat building being done, and in advance of any contract
arrangements being made.
We therefore view the design of the vessel as being the first
essential ingredient to success. The other essential components are that
highly skilled builders be found, and that during the building
of the boat there be adequate communication via competent
on-site project management.
Our contribution with these craft is not just to design an interior and
general layout suited to the owner's chartering or yachting requirements, but
also to specify a pre-determined hull shape; to specify the
structure so that
only the highest quality wood and hot dip galvanized fastenings be used; and
then to follow through during construction in order to assure that the requested
enhancements to the structure be made and the original plans be followed
faithfully.
The following is a brief outline of the process we have found to work best....
Building: For maximum economy, the ideal build venue for
a wooden hull of this size (meaning all the heavy woodwork of the hull, deck,
and superstructure) will always be near the best supply of good timbers.
Presently in Indonesia this means Kalimantan (the Indonesian part of the
island of Borneo).
The Shape: With each of our boat projects in Indonesia, in order to achieve the
intended hull form we have made use of temporary
internal mould frames.
The hull shape is first "lofted" and then the mould frames are built to match
the lofting. The mould frames are then erected onto the keel to act
as a guide for the planking. This allows us to pre-determine the section shapes
in order to match our computer generated hull shape (see image links above). You
can observe the process of creating mould frames at our Indonesia Pictures web page.
Per typical Indonesian practice, the planks are placed first, and the
frames afterward. This lends itself perfectly to the use of mould frames
to guide the shape. In other words, once the hull is planked
according to the moulded shape, the internal framing is added later, very much
as is the usual wooden boat building practice throughout Asia. By this
means we will have strayed from traditional methods only slightly in order to
achieve the required shape, and then as needed in order to assure integrity of
structure, longevity, and lessened maintenance.
Please see the following links for photos of the project now under
construction in Kalimantan:
Outfitting: Once the hull has been built, there is still
plenty of additional work in outfitting such a craft. To finish out the
interior joinery, we have found that the Konjo builders themselves are highly
skilled and can produce extremely fine results when guided by a clearly
articulated plan.
After that, the primary task is to properly specify and install the mechanical
and electrical equipment and various related systems.
The
installation of the equipment and systems will always present a challenge
throughout Indonesia - mainly because the typical locally built craft are
extremely simply outfitted, therefore the requisite engineering skills for a
charter vessel or a yacht can be difficult to find. Thus it is only in
large harbors such as Jakarta or Surabaya or Benoa in Bali where one will find
the expertise required for the more elaborate systems that are found on a yacht
of this size.
Other locations are also available with regard to the installation of
systems... For example, Indonesia's Batam island (near Singapore) has become a
possible venue for this stage of the work, and has the advantage of little or no import duty and
ready access to parts and equipment in Singapore. Other possibly
more enjoyable venues for systems
completion are Bali in Indonesia, Langkawi or Penang in Malaysia, and Phuket in Thailand.
Though labor costs will be higher in Phuket than in Indonesia or Malaysia, labor
will still be relatively inexpensive when compared to any Western venue.
In Use: When finished according to the plans and
specifications, the result will be a world class yacht. Whether used
as a private yacht or in charter mode, this kind of vessel will offer a generous
measure of luxury to anyone who steps onboard.
More Information...
For complete information about a traditional Indonesian Phinisi of our design
that is now sailing, please see the Phinisi Si'lolona
web page along with the various links there to images of her construction, and
to her 2004 Homecoming Voyage - a story of
a rather special charter onboard the Si' Lolona. Another project of ours
is the KLM Dunia Baru, now under
construction in Kalimantan.
For additional information on these or similar craft, please
inquire.
Si'lolona Photo Courtesy of Aman Resorts
Check out these web pages related to the Indonesian Phinisi and KLM types
of our design:
Phinisi History | Phinisi
Building |
Sailing Phinisi vs. KLM Types
30m Sailing Phinisi |
36m Phinisi Silolona |
50m Sailing Phinisi
30m Charter KLM |
36m Charter KLM
| 50m Charter KLM
Silolona "Homecoming" |
Indonesia Boatbuilding Images
| 
