Art of boat-making slowly sinking into oblivion

KUALA TERENGGANU: The remarkable skills of the boat builders in Pulau Duyong have earned international recognition but the few of them still in the business worry they may be a dying breed. Master boat builder Hasni Che Ali, who has been in the business for over 40 years, said in the 1950s and 60s, pinnace boats (light sailing craft) played an important role in Terengganu as they sailed up to Thailand and Indochina to trade. “At one time these pinnace boats ferried salt and other necessities from Narathiwat (in Thailand) to Terengganu. “However, modernity spelled doom for these boats as the new generation of people are no longer keen to use them,” Hasni said.

A German sailor, who had a boat made by Hasni about 30 years ago, had returned in 2004 to order another boat. Hasni, 56, took six years to build the Naga Pelangi II, which was recently delivered to seasoned seafarer Christoph Swoboda. The Naga Pelangi II, made of cengal hardwood, is 95 feet by 19 feet and looks like a smaller version of a galleon. The boat-making process involves intricate work, starting with the wood curing process that takes up to two years to complete before the construction of the boat itself can take place.

Although the Naga Pelangi II exudes a traditional wooden boat look, complete with its mast from the outside, it has a 250-horsepower engine and electricity derived using solar power. The boat can accommodate up to 30 people and has four sleeping compartments, apart from compartments for the crew. Hasni hoped that steps taken by Mara and the National Handicraft Corporation (Kraftangan) to train youths in boat building would ensure the perpetuity of the tradition in the island. “We hope the youths from Pulau Duyong will help preserve this trade,” said Hasni, who has been working as a boat maker since 13. He has six workers, including his children and a younger brother.

The boat they had built for Swoboda cost RM2mil. The first boat that Hasni made for him, Naga Pelangi I, cost RM30,000. After two decades, Swoboda sold the boat and came back to Pulau Duyong to get the second boat. “It involves master craftsmanship. No nails are used and, instead, locks and mortise join the wooden parts. “As it involves detailed work, it takes very long to complete. And it is for the same reason why I’m so impressed and obsessed with this type of boat,” Swoboda said. “What a waste it would be if this boat making heritage goes into oblivion as there is no one there to inherit the skills,” he said.
— Bernama