4–6 guests Two-cabin schooner
The intimate end of the fleet. Honeymoons, a pair of couples, or a small family.
Vessel silo · Traditional rig
A phinisi, sailed the way it was built to be
Wooden schooners of a design perfected in Sulawesi without a single drawing. Teak underfoot, canvas overhead, and a cabin with hot water below.
- Guests, largest vessel
- 16
- Guests, smallest
- 2
- Knots under sail
- 12
Where it comes from
Built from memory, not blueprints
Phinisi were developed in Sulawesi by shipwrights who worked without written plans. Hull curve, mast placement, sail cut — all of it carried in the hands of one generation and passed to the next.
The few remaining yards still build this way. We use captains and crew trained in those methods, with modern navigation and safety equipment alongside.
- A design proven across the Indian Ocean for centuries
- Shallow enough for anchorages larger hulls cannot reach
- Maintained by the same yards that still build them
Honestly compared
Phinisi or a modern yacht?
Both reach the same anchorages. They do not feel remotely the same on the way there.
What we sail
Traditional phinisi
- Wind propulsion first, engine as backup
- Wide teak decks that pull a group together
- Wood, brass and the sound of a hull working
- Air conditioning in cabins, open air everywhere else
The alternative
Modern motor yacht
- Faster between anchorages, engine always running
- Stabilised — noticeably less motion at anchor
- Full climate control throughout
- Quieter, more separate, less communal
If stabilisers and full air conditioning matter more than sailing, look at the superyacht tier instead. Neither choice is wrong — they answer different questions.
The fleet
Three sizes, chosen to your group
Each vessel is inspected and outfitted before the season. Which one you get depends on how many are aboard.
4–6 guests Two-cabin schooner
The intimate end of the fleet. Honeymoons, a pair of couples, or a small family.
8–10 guests Four-cabin phinisi
The usual choice. Four ensuite cabins, full crew quarters, generous deck.
12–16 guests Flagship schooner
Multiple gathering decks and an enlarged galley. Buyouts and larger parties.
You can ask for a specific vessel. We will tell you what is genuinely free on your dates rather than upsell what is not.
Below deck
Wood and brass, with hot water
Cabins are timber-lined with brass fittings and proper beds — cotton sheets, real mattresses, air conditioning that works.
Most have private heads with hot showers. A few of the smallest vessels share facilities, which some guests prefer and others should know about before booking.
Under way
What sailing one is actually like
Wind first. The engine is there for schedules and calm days, not for the whole passage.
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Sail when it blows
Yards hoisted by hand, 8 to 12 knots on a good breeze.
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Join in, or do not
Guests who want to trim a sail are welcome. Nobody has to.
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Traditional navigation
Crew still read swell, stars and birds alongside the GPS.
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Night passages
Sailing after dark is the part most guests remember.
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No fuel under sail
Wind propulsion means zero consumption while the canvas is up.
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Local crew
Captains from sailing families, paid into the local economy.
The galley
A small kitchen and a serious chef
Phinisi galleys are tight. The chefs who work them are specialists, and the food does not suffer for the square metres.
Menus are agreed before you sail. Fresh fish, Flores vegetables, Indonesian spice, and whatever your table actually eats.
- Dinner on deck at sunset, or inside if the weather turns
- Vegetarian, vegan, allergy and halal handled as standard
- Food appears when you are hungry, not on a service schedule
Worth knowing first
What a wooden boat is not
A phinisi is an authentic vessel, and authenticity has a texture. None of this is a problem — it is just worth reading before you book.
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It moves
More swell than a stabilised hull. Gentle, but noticeable if you are prone to seasickness.
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Not fully air-conditioned
Cabins are cooled; decks and saloon rely on airflow.
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Wood talks
Timber creaks and smells of oil and salt. That is the boat, not a fault.
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Engine on calm days
No wind means motoring to keep the itinerary honest.
Six honest answers
Before you charter a phinisi
Same silo
Compare the alternatives
Get a firm quote
Tell us your dates and we will match the boat
Group size, dates and how long you have. We come back with which phinisi is free and a firm number.
By sending you agree we may reply by email or WhatsApp about your charter.
- Whole-boat charters only
- Vessel matched to your group
- Sailed under canvas when it blows