Above: A mockup of the finished yacht.
A new luxury yacht based on traditional Indonesian phinisi schooners is scheduled to become available for charters in Southeast Asia from around August.
Called the The Zen, the 53-meter wooden yacht features a two-level master cabin with an adjoining kids’ room, plus six guest cabins, all with queen-size beds and en-suite bathrooms. The hull is made of iron wood, the deck of teak wood.
A two-mast gaff topsail schooner capable of up to 8-knot speed under sails alone, the vessel was designed by Zygmunt Chore?, a well-regarded designer of sailing yachts based on Poland, in cooperation with SongLine Yachts of Indonesia.
The Zen will not be the first phinisi-inspired luxury schooner to offer charters around Southeast Asia. Another particularly notable one is the Silolona.
The Zen will distinguish itself by offering a high-quality experience throughout the vessel, says Pawel Marczak, director of Global Adventure Group Ltd., the Hong Kong company behind the vessel. Even the guest cabins, he notes, will have a five-star feel, not just the deck area and master cabin.
The interiors (designed by Digital Effect Design Studio in Poland) feature teak floors and dark sono rosewood for the walls, contrasted by stark white furnishings. Decorating the rooms are ornaments, sculptures, and low-relief carvings originating from Polynesian, Maori, and Asian cultures. Modern touches include high-end audio systems and Bega lighting. The ceilings are decorated with wooden tiles onto which 19th-century maps have been carved.
Water sports available will include snorkeling, diving, kite surfing, water skiing, and wake boarding. Two Yamaha WaveRunners will be available, plus two Zodiac tenders.
The yacht was hand-crafted in the Bira area of southern Sulawesi, a center of traditional boatbuilding in Indonesia. Currently it’s in Semarang to receive mast and rigging work and high-quality furnishings from the nearby furniture-producing center of Jepara.
When it’s ready for charter, bookings will be available through globaladventure.com and charter sites like charterworld.com.
