Extraordinary pictures show ship builders in Indonesia crafting 80ft schooner by sheer man power and brute force


IIt is a tradition that has been handed down from father to son since the time of Henry VIII and to modern eyes the men of Bulukumba, Indonesia seem like an anachronism to modern boat builders.



But on Tanjung Bira Beach, traditional craftsmen continue their centuries old tradition of building their traditional wooden twin-masted Phinisi sailing vessels.



Unlike western vessels, often built with steel, fibre glass and aluminium, the Phinisi is still hewn from locally sourced timber, often cut and shaped with hand tools first designed more than half a millennium earlier.



The Phinisi schooner being built on Tanjung Bira Beach in southern Indonesia looks like something from Russel Crowe's new epic film Noah

All of the work is completed by hand as this man demonstrates as he is about to use a block and tackle to move a heavy timber

Boat builders use traditional tools and manufacturing processes that have not changed in almost half a millennium

Boat builders use brute force to carry the long timbers to the 80ft vessel which is assembled by hand

The Phinisi are often described as a schooner although they are more accurately compared to an Arabian Dhow. They were used for centuries by the people in south-east Asia as the main form of transport - especially in Indonesia which consists of almost 20,000 islands.

The boats can range in size from 60ft to more than 100ft depending on the availability of the timber.

On traditional western sailing boats, old rope was used as caulking. The strands of rope where hammered between the individual timbers to help create a waterproof seal. This rope was then covered with a protective layer of tar.



In Indonesia, however, the boat builders use fibres gathered from native trees and a special sticky sap to ensure the vessel is watertight.



The boats are traditionally built from the keel and as they tower up from the sand, the builders construct wooden frames so they can continue adding more timber as the vessel grows

The Phinisi is regarded as an excellent sea-going vessel because of its sleek lines and prow which cuts through the water

The interior of the hull is ribbed with large, specially cut timbers to increase the strength of the vessel and to ensure that it is practical as well as beautiful

Once the wooden ribs of the hull are installed further timber planks are added before the deck and masts can be fitted

These men are using traditional wooden mallets and chisels to cut a channel in the wooden ribs so they can fit another plank

While one worker rests smoking a traditional pipe, his friend enjoys a more contemporary cigarette - only of the only concessions to modernity on the vessel

The large flat bottom of the Phinisi made it ideal for carrying large amounts of cargo and its shallow draught allows it to safely navigate Indonesia's treacherous waters

Without the aid of computers or laser measuring devices used in modern boat building, the craftsmen of south Indonesia have only their eyes and sense of touch to check whether the hull is fit for purpose

The prow of the Phinisi curves upwards allowing the vessel to cope with heavy seas around the coast of Indonesia

The smooth hull of the Phinisi is very efficient at cutting through the water and due to its proximity to the sea, the completed vessel is not very difficult to launch