August 19, 2026
Classifying a Wooden Boat: BKI, Survey and Sea-Trial Explained
Classifying a wooden boat means having it surveyed and certified against a classification standard — often BKI (Biro Klasifikasi Indonesia) domestically or…
Build Journal
August 19, 2026
Caulking, Sealing & Antifouling a Wooden Hull for Tropical Seas
A wooden hull is made watertight by caulking and sealing its seams, then protected with primer — often iron-oxide red-lead — and…
August 19, 2026
Owner-Supervising a Build from Abroad: Site Visits, Photos & Milestones
You can supervise a Tana Beru build from anywhere through milestone photos and video, scheduled updates, occasional site visits timed to key…
August 19, 2026
How Long Does a Phinisi Build Take? A Realistic Stage-by-Stage Timeline
A phinisi build takes roughly 8 to 24 months depending on length and fit-out. Planking is the long, patient phase; framing moves…
August 19, 2026
Honest Build Budgets: What USD 200k, 500k and 1M Actually Get You
At around USD 200k you get a simple, well-built ~20-25 m owner phinisi; near USD 500k a 28-35 m charter-grade liveaboard hull…
August 19, 2026
The Appasili Ritual: Ceremony, Belief and the First Plank
The appasili is a keel-laying ritual at Tana Beru, marked with offerings and blessings, reflecting a belief that a boat carries a…
August 19, 2026
What a Gulet Really Is — And Why Sulawesi Yards Build Them Well
A gulet is a broad-beamed, two-masted wooden motor-sailer built for comfortable cruising and generous cabins. Sulawesi yards build them well because the…
August 19, 2026
Building a Liveaboard for Komodo & Raja Ampat: Spec Choices That Matter
A liveaboard for Komodo and Raja Ampat is defined by range and tankage for the long eastern routes, a moderate draft for…
August 19, 2026
From Keel-Laying to Launch: The 6 Stages of a Phinisi Build
A phinisi build runs through six stages: keel-laying (with the appasili ceremony), shell-first planking, framing and structure, engineering and interior, finishing and…
August 19, 2026
The Panrita Lopi: Master Shipwrights Who Build Without Blueprints
The panrita lopi are the Bugis master shipwrights of Tana Beru who build phinisi from inherited knowledge rather than technical drawings, shaping…