Have you ever dreamed of setting sail around the islands of Indonesia? Well… now you can. And in style, too. Welcome to WAOW (Water Adventure Ocean Wide) – the largest wooden sailing vessel in the whole of Indonesia – and the dream of designer Michel Deville. This 60-metre long, three-mast vessel has sails that cover a total area of 1,000 square metres.
It has undergone construction since 2009 and has been built entirely of ironwood by master builder Hadji Wahub in the style of the Indonesian transport ships known as ‘pinisi’. This wood is extremely difficult to work with, but equally hardy when it comes up against sea water. The main structure was built in Kalimantan in the Borneo jungle and then moved to Bali for its final fit out.
It can accommodate 18 guests in 9 luxurious cabins. The cabins offer lots of space and come complete with lounge area, coffee table, and so forth, as well as a bright splash of colour. The master cabin covers 45 square metres on the upper deck and even has its own private sun deck. The ship’s TV and media system means you’ll have over 800 films at your disposal that can be watched from your cabin, in the unlikely event that you should tire of the views.
Also on board you’ll find a salon bar, dining area, lounge and even an air-conditioned media room where photo-videographers have space to work along with access to 110 and 220 volts.
The crew for WAOW is 22 in number and the usual on-board chefs are Indonesian but, for private charters, you can choose from French, Thai or Chinese chefs and menus can be adapted accordingly.
Also on board is a GPS chart plotter, a radar with a 32-mile range, satellite internet connection, satellite phone back-up system, VHF and SSB radios and a whole load of safety equipment, including two 25-person life rafts. It’s also well-equipped for diving enthusiasts, and the crew can offer proposed itineraries – or diving tuition – for anyone wanting to explore the huge diversity offered by Indonesia’s 14,000 islands.
And for those who simply want to relax, there are plenty of places on board where you can just put your feet up and watch the world go by…
